Today in her “Letter from an American” History Professor Heather Cox Richardson traces the evolution of the process by which we choose our Presidents. Beginning with the campaign of Kennedy in 1960 she provides particular attention to the erection of the structures of campaigns before they show up in full flower in their final sprint to election. These structures created the business of political consultation, in which advisers bring sophisticated marketing techniques to elections. In Kentucky, that era resulted in the emergence of Senator Mitch McConnell whose influence endures to this day fifty years later. I was there, working as a consultant, and saw how McConnell used the techniques to launch his career.
In 1969, in Louisville, I managed the successful campaign of my brother-in-law Todd Hollenbach for the office of Jefferson County Executive. Todd, on the cusp of 30, was possessed of all the visible attributes and personal credentials essential to a career that could carry him into the political stratosphere. In his first four-year term my marriage to his sister ended, bringing an end to our personal and political closeness and leaving him unadvised by anyone of experience. At the same time, he made the bad decision to run for Governor in a primary election of his own Democratic party against the incumbent. He lost. In his second term his own marriage ended, and he confronted the crisis of the racially- and legally-required forced busing of children into unfamiliar schools. He handled the busing crisis as well as anyone could have but the unknown McConnell, advised by political consultants and influenced by polling data showing Hollenbach’s exploitable scars, announced his own intention to run in 1977 for County Executive.
If Todd had produced polls of his own he would have seen that seeking the third term for any administrative office was difficult at anytime and made more difficult by his divorce, his obvious preference for being governor over the job at hand, and his inability to stop forced busing. But he did no polling of his own and he did not see the depth of his vulnerability. He ought to have declined reelection, returned to his law practice, and announced an interest in exploring the race for Governor in 1979. Other Democrats, unmarked by the busing decision and undivorced to boot, could have been left with the challenge of the unknown McConnell and done better than he did. But Todd Hollenbach ran for a third term and was bombarded with exceptional television commercials of high production quality using comical insults about nothing much at all. Still unadvised in these emergent arts, he never had a chance.
(Years later, in a campaign rally for a client of mine, Todd addressed a raucous crowd and pointed at me as he said, “If Terry Holland had stayed married to my sister i might be in the White House today and he would be Secretary of State.”)
I have related this remembrance to give whatever credibility I can to my position expressed yesterday on a Substack posting that Kamala Harris has no responsibility to sit for a press conference. It would do her no good at best and, at worst, cost her greatly through the unsophisticated reactions of the Progressives of her own party. To Professor HCR’s credit, she says as much this morning in her own Substack post, shown below.
Terry: Your observation about Todd Hollenbach's decision to stay in the race for County Judge is extremely accurate. I was the elected (two term [at that time]) Jeff. County Attorney -- and IF Todd had made the exact decision you have written about and NOT run for re-election, I would have run for County Judge against Mitch McConnell and strongly believe that I would have won the race for numerous reasons - that I'd be pleased to share with you in a discussion. My best to you, as always, Terry -- J. Bruce Miller.