TJ Walker advises Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign to use Bill Clinton for prepared speeches that drive media coverage, not unscripted interviews. He argues Bill's strength is polished public speaking, where messaging stays tight and controlled.
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So how should Hillary Clinton use Bill Clinton in her 2016 campaign? There's a pretty broad consensus that Bill Clinton did not help Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail in 2008, that he was constantly diverting the media's attention, stepping on her message and causing mini crises from time to time. That just didn't help. So a lot of strategists are trying to figure out what's the best way for Hillary Clinton to actually use the asset of her husband as she runs for president in 2016. And there was a major story on this in the New York Times. Here's my thought. And this is different from how I typically suggest people deal with the media. Those of you who've watched me regularly and read my work, I suggest basically always do every interview request you can, that the benefits you get by controlling the media are often negated by the fact that the media won't like you and now won't cover your perspective and will print more attacks on you. That just doesn't apply to Bill Clinton. What I would do if I were the Hillary Clinton campaign and I'm not associated with them, is to have Bill Clinton give about 10 speeches a day. He is, by all accounts, I don't care what your politics or your ideology. Any fair minded person would say he is, if not the best public speaker in America today, certainly top five. And when it comes to activating Democratic bases, there really isn't anyone better. My advice to the Clinton campaign would be have Bill Clinton give 10 speeches a day. And here's the kicker. Don't do any media interviews. If Bill Clinton comes to a town, especially a town that isn't New York City or a huge, huge town, and gives a speech, it's going to be news. The reporters are going to pull sound bites from his speech, they're going to cover the event. And those sound bites from a prepared speech are much more likely to be on messages approved by and planned by the Clinton campaign. Because if he does oppress availability the way I would normally recommend people do before and after every speech in every town, it's too easy for reporters to try to get him to opine on every aspect of strategy and every other candidate. And while the President does have a keen, tactical and strategic political mind, it's just too easy to get sidetracked on issues that won't be helpful to the Clinton campaign. So my advice is really very simple. Don't have Bill Clinton do any interviews for the next year and a half, you know, year and three quarters, and have him give public speeches. Have him give 10 a day. He's a great, great speaker. Why not use the asset? And that will drive media coverage.
