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Government and Public Administration

Political Strategist

Real-Life Activities

Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution

You tell your candidate to defend her position.

In the morning, James stands up and explains her situation to the voters. She says that it was 25 years ago, that she eventually paid back the money and that she always meant well. She goes on to explain other business deals that have been successful for her and that she's never had any credit trouble since that time.

After the conference, the media ask people on the street what they thought of her speech. Most say they wonder about her honesty. "If someone has to explain too much, you've got to wonder what she really did and what else she's done," says one person.

The last thing you want is for voters to question your candidate's honesty. Is it time to bring up a new issue and deflect the criticism from your candidate?

"When you're making a decision like that, you have about seven other factors to think about," says Holly Schoenke. She is the executive director of the American Association of Political Consultants. "It comes down to timing and how to best present your candidate to the public."