Paul Manafort Quotes
We're here really to let them know that we're going to run a traditional campaign with them. And when we're the nominee of the Republican Party, you know, it's going to be a Trump brand of the party, but we are Republicans. We're running as team.
Manafort, Paul. Interview with reporters. Republican National Committee Spring Meeting, Hollywood, FL, 21 Apr. 2016.
This is one of the earliest documents articulating methods of campaigning in a democracy.
At the time of this statement neither major political party had a base large enough to win a Presidential election. The winner must get independent votes. However, much campaigning is done to motivate the base as without the base winning is also impossible.
Republican Party primary elections had become very contentious. The radical right and the Tea Party, though a minority of the party, had the power to destroy almost any Republican candidate’s chances. So those Republican political candidates were forced to pander to the extreme right and then try and backtrack to the center for the general election. As a result, few people believed the statements of Republican office seekers as no one knew what they really believed including members of their own party, Bush, no longer running for any political position, found himself with much more credibility and influence in the party than those who were running for office. The problem of appealing to party extremes was not unique to the Republicans at that time, but the degree and extent was unprecedented accounting for the distrust.
Ronald Reagan who had always preached “never attack a fellow Republican” challenged Ford, a sitting President.
While this is generally true, there have been times where one candidate has been so unattractive, corrupt, or unsavory -- or was closely alighted with such an unpopular figure --that the opponent won without a message just concentrating on the negative aspects of the opponent.
Paul John Manafort Jr. is an American former lobbyist, political consultant, lawyer, and convicted tax and bank fraudster. A long-time Republican Party campaign consultant, he chaired the Trump presidential campaign from June to August 2016. Manafort served as an adviser to the U.S. presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bob Dole. In 1980, he co-founded the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Black, Manafort & Stone, along with principals Charles R. Black Jr., and Roger J. Stone, joined by Peter G. Kelly in 1984. Manafort often lobbied on behalf of foreign leaders such as former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, former dictator of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos, former dictator of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko, and Angolan guerrilla leader Jonas Savimbi. Lobbying to serve the interests of foreign governments requires registration with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); on June 27, 2017, he retroactively registered as a foreign agent.
