[dixie sass]

How an audience judges you: 55% is how you look 38% is the vocal quality of your voice--tonal 7% are the actual words you speak !!!!! We tend to judge ourselves by our intentions. Audiences judge us by results. He suggested we study Ronald Reagan's speeches to learn how to be conservative and positive (most conservatives are conservative and negative). In politics, perception is reality. I have to add that to my notes. There was so much information verbally as well as handouts, I still missed things. It was extremely intense - but now that I am finally relaxing and starting to write my report, bits and pieces are surfacing. If I have any questions about what I remember, I'll check what I have written with y'all to make sure that I have been accurate. What a weekend - I need more!!!! Again, to the committee - Job well done!

[strela]

Controversial Appointee Knew How Not To Get "Borked"

(excerpts from Newscom article handout, by Steven Holt, Photo by Henny Abrams)

How did Solicitor General Ted Olson buck the conventional wisdom that says conservative nominees - like Robert Bork and John Tower - get trashed in the press while liberal nominees get a pass?

...

Olson's secret, Supreme Court reporters say, is that the veteran litigator has assidiously cultivated media friendships for the last 20 years. He rarely fails to return a phone call from the press and has been known to take hours to make sure reporters understand the nuances of a complicated Supreme Court case, even one in which he is not involved.

...

Olson has cultivated "liberal" media friends for two decades. You would be hard-pressed to find any other lawyer in Washington who has been a bigger friend of the press than Ted. It just goes to show that being a good source can trump being a good liberal.