Campaign bootcamp

Some good points:

http://tinyurl.com/y9xlwcg

"1. Hold your nose and wear the clothes. Did we learn nothing from Hillary? Female politicians are more scrutinized than their male colleagues. If you ignore that on principle, it will be at your peril. Book hairdressing appointments in advance. Pick your canvassing and debating outfits and stick to them. Get a superstar portrait photographer for your brochures. "It is going to be in people's homes, on their coffee tables," said Darby. "They are going to judge you for it."

2. Misery loves company, so canvass in groups. That way when someone hollers `You are an idiot,' you can chuckle rather than cry. "I remember someone yelling at me to get off their porch and I said, `I know you're warming up to me,'" Nash said. Your sidekick can also be your fall girl, cutting off an escalating debate so you can hit the next door without seeming rude.

3. Sticks and stones will come into play. Women, I learned, are averse to attack campaigns. Many aspiring candidates said they wanted to focus only on the positive. That won't cut it, advised Jane O'Hara, crack journalist and Hall's former press secretary. "There is no point in running a campaign if you can't say why the incumbent should be defeated."

4. Volunteers mean as much as money. You will win or lose by them. So collect and treasure yours. Carry a pad and pen with you at all times to write down the names and numbers of prospective volunteers. That's how Liberal MPP David Caplan recruited Lovell to work on his first campaign. He met her at a party, said he'd love it if she would think about helping out.

Two weeks later, his brother invited her to a strategy meeting. "I felt really important and special that he'd remembered me," she said. Caplan won the election. His team of volunteers exceeded 1,000.

5. It's not you, stupid. Yes, that's your face on the pamphlet. And you taking shots at the podium. But it's not personal. "Your candidacy isn't about you," said Alejandra Bravo, 38. "You're just a vehicle for an idea." "