Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

May 27, 2009

Insider Tips for a Smooth Confirmation Process

Former Reagan Chief of Staff Ken Duberstein -- who also guided Justices William Kennedy, David Souter, and Clarence Thomas through their Senate confirmation process -- shares 10 secrets for a smooth trip to the High Court.

• Personal stories are compelling every time.
• Begin your senatorial courtesy calls almost immediately.
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Be prepared for the kitchen sink at the hearings.
• The Constitution stops at the foot of Capitol Hill.
• Tell the truth, always.
• Senators welcome mea culpas in your oral testimony.
• Pause for seven seconds before you answer any question.
• Have an answer for the one question you didn't want to be asked -- because you will undoubtedly be asked that question.
• Senators usually depart when the cameras are turned off, but remember: The microphone will still be on.

He adds a bonus: "You have the best lobbyist in the world at your disposal... the president of the United States, and a popular one at that. Use the president's influence judiciously -- but use it."

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Taegan D. Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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