When I met Steve Schmidt in 1998, he was one of three very smart young Republican communications specialists working in California politics, all of whom were far too talented for their work environments. Like Rob Stutzman in Dan Lungren’s office and Nicolle Devenish at the Assembly Republican Caucus, Steve’s job on the Matt Fong for Senate campaign made him a rare bright spot in a tragically flawed political operation.
All three staffers had such superior political and messaging instincts to their colleagues that it was almost painful to watch them struggle to implement an inept strategic plan on a daily basis. Lungren and Fong were the frontmen for two of the worst-run and most strategicaly incoherent statewide campaigns in California history: both were political juggernauts when measured against the paralysis that had taken over the Assembly Republicans at that point in time. But the three young operatives not only survived their mediocre surroundings, but they all developed talents for political communications that have allowed them to achieve extraordinary successful careers in a field that has not historically been an area of Republican strength.
In the interests of disclosure, Rob and I were in business together for a few years. But he made his reputation as commucations director for the California Republican Party before taking on a key senior position with Governor Schwarzenegger. Nicolle left California to serve as a spokesperson for Governor Jeb Bush in Florida: she is now known by her married name of Nicolle Wallace and serves as White House Director of Communications. And Steve made such a strong impression as a spokesman for the Bush re-election campaign that he now works as a senior aide to Vice President Cheneyn where for the last few months, he has overseen the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for John Roberts and Sam Alito. When he completes his responsibilities in Washington, he will return to California to manage Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign.
(The class of ’98 has other impressive alums as well. Two junior Fong aides from that campaign have also achieved great success: Brian Jones is now the communications director for the Republican National Committee and Adam Mendehlson starts next week as Schwarzenegger’s new top communications advisor.)
Schmidt’s political smarts and messaging skills will be a huge asset for the governor, but his greatest value will come as a disciplinarian for a Schwarzenegger campaign operation that was frequently and oddly passive at times during last year’s special election. With chief strategist Mike Murphy splitting his time between Schwarzenegger and other obligations, and Stutzman and Pat Clarey occupied with the business of state government, the campaign seemed to drift for the better part of the spring and summer. It wasn’t until Stutzman and Clarey joined the campaign full time that the operation gained the necessary motivation and intensity, and by then it was too late.
This will not be a problem on a campaign run by Steve Schmidt. The time clock sentiment that characterized the operation for most of last year will disappear quickly. Any consultants who don’t make this race their highest priority won’t last much longer. And a staffer who gets caught leaving early could easily end up being water-boarded.
There will be times this year when Schmidt’s go-for-the-jugular approach will cause him to overstep. But even if he will occasionally reach for the sledgehammer when the occasion calls for a scalpel, the authority and direction that Steve imposes on the campaign operation will be exactly what the governor’s team needs.
1998’s election debacle was a low point for Republican political prospects in California. We’ll see this year whether the talents forged in that disaster can help the GOP move closer to restoring the state’s political equilibrium.