FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2001
International political campaign
manager advises COMBA majors
by Jenny Zhang
staff writer
Harry Walter, a public relations
consultant and political campaign
manager from Germany, came to
Behrend to speak to communications
students and faculty on March 29.
Walter spoke of many issues that he
has problems with in today's PR
arena, including his idea that
politicians today perceive
themselves as intellectuals, causing
them to become disconnected from
the voters.
Walter was the guest speaker of
Dr. Ursula Davis, assistant professor
of communication. He has managed
more than 80 political campaigns in
Germany, Austria, Portugal, and
many other countries. Several of
these campaigns were successful
presidential runs. He is the owner
and president of ISAP Institute,
ARE-Kommunication, and a past
president of International
Association of Political Campaigns
(lAPC).
With more than 40 years of
experience in political campaigns,
Walter related his expertise to the
students.
"Political campaigning is like
fishing: the worm must taste good
to the fish, not necessarily the man
[fishing]." Walter explained that PR
consultants want to promote what
will appeal to the buyer, though it
may not appeal to the promoter.
Walter believes that good politicians
must reach out to the public by
interacting with voters and gaining
an insight to their perspective. Then
a campaign that will target the voters
can be constructed. Politicians
should represent the people's
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I Show Penn State ID or mention being a Behrend Student to Receive a 10% dis-
Harry Walter, an international political campaign manacer, visited Dr
lisula Davis' public relations class and spoke with Corimunications
students and faculty on March 29.
viewpoints
According to Walter, in Germany
one of the main fallacies of political
campaigns is that politicians are
unable to communicate their high
ideals so that normal people can
understand.
"Too many 'eggheads' end up with
leadership positions. Once they win
the position, they become selfish and
fail to think of what people want,"
Walter said.
Walter pointed out that one of the
key components of successful
political campaigning is the
understanding of semantics, or the
understanding of the connotations
and effects of words. For example.
the word "China'' would conjure the
image of a country for some people,
while others might associate the
China with the Communist Party or
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the Red Scare era. During
campaigning, one must be aware of
the sensitivity of words apd negative
connotations some vlords may
portray, Walter said.
Through the years Wal r has won
eight presidential campaigns: Willy
Brandt, chancellor of GOrmany in
1969 and 1972; Brun) Kreisty,
chancellor of Austria in 1970 and
1971; Helmut Schmidt, choncellor of
Germany in 1976 and p 80; Luis
Alberto Monge, preside)[ of Costa
Rica in 1982; Mario Sores, prime
minister of Portugal in 1976, 1980,
and 1983 and president of Portugal
in 1986. He also assiited Teddy
Kolek in 1981 and 1983 ond Shimon
Peres in 1984 in becoming the mayor
of Jerusalem. Walter Liso prepared
"Action NO" agaiest General
Pinochet of Chile in 1986.
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