Can't 'out-Trump Trump': as Philly lawyer heads to White House, firm sets D.C. lobbyist 'Rules'
Talk 'power back to the people,' Cozen urges
A day after James D. Schultz, the Shore native who advised ex-Pa. Gov. Tom Corbett and U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-Pa., stepped down as head of Philadelphia-based Cozen O'Connor's Government Law group to be President Donald Trump's White House lawyer, Schultz's ex-partners Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman and Robert Freedman have posted Cozen's common-sense Rules of the Road for Advancing Your Cause in the New D.C. Order. Highlights:
- Listen carefully to Trump's message — power back to the people, job growth, and questioning the status quo — and wrap your message in those contexts.
- Look for points of stability in the administration — political appointees who already understand the government, the issues, and have the clout to drive decision-making.
- Don't forget the bureaucracy. Career [civil servants] are wary of the new administration, but things will normalize so understand the role that bureaucrats play.
- Don't make the mistake of thinking that the same Republican Party controls the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives.
- Don't underestimate the power of the Senate Democrats and Trump's willingness to work with them.
- Don't overestimate House Republicans and Trump's willingness to buck them.
- Don't try to out-Trump Trump by bullying the administration. When you do need to confront the administration, think very carefully about an attack from their flank rather than a full frontal assault.
- Love or hate Trump's persona, he's not an ideologue, and he's going to be much more approachable and transactional than President Obama.
- Don't overlearn the lessons of the election, the transition, or even the early days of the administration. This is a never-seen-before motion picture; not a traditional portrait.