Politicking : How to Get Elected, Take Action, and Make an Impact in Your Community

Politicking : How to Get Elected, Take Action, and Make an Impact in Your Community Bill Rauch Date: 26 May, 2004   —   $16.10   —   Book product page Rating:

Wow! This is a great book. Even if you're not interested in running for a local office, Rauch has some really interesting, strange, and funny political tales to tell. Rauch is Mayor of Beaufort, South Carolina, and was previously on Mayor Ed Koch's political team in New York. This guy really knows local politics.

I'm not a politician, so I'm tempted to refer to this as Machiavelli for budding politicians, but I suspect it's more like Real World Politics 101. Rauch has advice for every step of your political career.

Part one is called Gaining Power. Rauch says if you want to run for office, you need to do something. Successfully spearhead the effort to get a park or hospital or library built, or reroute an expressway. Prove that you can fight for your constituents because, as a politician, you'll be representing and defending a group of otherwise essentially powerless individuals - and they want a fighter. "It's a plus to look good. It's a plus to speak well. It's a plus to know at least one of the issues in depth. But it is essential that you be perceived as tough." More of Rauch's hard-won advice for gaining power includes raising money, parrying dirty tricks, and when and how to go negative.

The next section deals with holding power. Rauch covers the manipulation of public perception, dealing with and dealing out threats (directly and indirectly), leaking stories, spinning stories, and when and how to take credit for other people's work. Rauch notes that his book is a common sense guide, and doesn't pull any punches on controversial tactics. He does, however, provide cautionary tales from his personal experiences, along with his success stories.

The last section is called (appropriately) losing power. Whether through scandal or retirement, Rauch has advice on gracefully accepting the inevitable. Then he outlines some options for out of work politicians, like becoming an elder statesman or, for those who haven't had enough, the comeback.

In addition to being an excellent blueprint for your career in local politics, it's also a fascinating collection of Rauch's political war stories. If you want to be a part of what goes on down at city hall, or even if you just want a peek, this book is a must read.