In a Politico article they quote GOP strategist and Romney 2008 campaign veteran Terry Sullivan talking about one of LI's Laws of the Public Policy Process--"They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."Politico's Alex Isenstadt wrote, "Some presidential hopefuls — like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — have spent much of the last year lavishing praise on congressional candidates. Others are starting to ramp up their outreach: This week, House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) sent contributions totaling $105,000 to 70 candidates across the country — including a handful of contenders in the critical early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.“There's an old Morton Blackwell saying: ‘They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care,'” longtime South Carolina-based GOP strategist and Romney 2008 campaign veteran Terry Sullivan said, referring to the prominent conservative activist. “Voters want to know that you care. It's not just about running for president — it's about helping out guys who are running in 2010.”To read the full Politico article, please visit here. >

The Roanoke Times mentions Conservatism 101, a project of the Leadership Institute and the Burke Society, on the campus of the University of Virginia that has expanded curriculum by introducing a course on political conservatism.To view the article, visit here or read the story below. "Conservative students at the University of Virginia (UVA) successfully introduced a course on political conservatism to their curriculum and now will expand their efforts to other colleges. Conservatism 101, a project of the Burke Society at the University of Virginia and the Leadership Institute, will help students and professors introduce courses to their schools.“Too often, the campus left uses its power to monopolize the curriculum and indoctrinate the next generation,” said Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute. “Conservatism 101 will provide intellectual diversity to colleges that sorely need it.”The UVA course, American Conservatism in the 20th Century, introduces students to the principles and history of the conservative movement. Members of the Burke Society, a UVA campus conservative group, designed the course with assistance from conservative professors and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.“I am excited to build on our success at the University of Virginia,” said Wes Siler, Executive Director of Conservatism 101 and an alumnus of UVA and the Burke Society. “Conservatism 101 empowers students to start conservative classes at their university. The conservative perspective deserves to be taught alongside a liberal or ‘progressive' perspective to give students the full education that they deserve.”This fall, Conservatism 101 will identify conservative students and professors across America who want to introduce a course on conservatism to their campus curriculum. For more information, please visit Conservatism101.org.Conservatism 101 (conservatism101.org) is a new, student-led initiative that empowers students to start classes to teach about conservative principles at their colleges. For more information, contact Executive Director Wes Siler at 901-569-6424 or wsiler@conservatism101.org.Founded in 1979, the Leadership Institute (leadershipinstitute.org) is one of the nation's largest and most experienced political training organizations." >

Are you a conservative trying to break into journalism? Do you want the tools necessary to more effectively combat the liberal media. The Leadership Institute's Writing Workshop on October 19-20 is ideal for both conservatives who are looking to work in journalism and those looking to hone their craft. If you are interested in working for a conservative publication - online or offline - or in the press department of a congressional office, think tank, or a non-profit, this two-evening workshop is for you.Top-notch professionals will teach you the ins and outs of journalism so that you can succeed! Topics covered, include: • Professional writing techniques for publication• Writing an op-ed and press release• Breaking into conservative journalism• Getting others to read your workRegister now and take the first step to break into journalism! The workshop is $75, and with the early registration discount until October 8th, you can register today for only $50! >

TeenPact students receive a complimentary copy of Ronald Reagan's Hand of Providence after a full week of Leadership Institute campaign training.September 22, 2010, Arlington, VA—This past week the Leadership Institute hosted and trained 64 high-school teens in the public policy process in order to become effective campaign activists.The Road to the White House training series consisted of lectures and applied exercises. Exercises included: Developing a campaign organization through selection of effective staff; Creating a message and campaign theme based on candidate bios; and How to design effective campaign literature.“LI's role was to design and tailor the curriculum to fit the needs of teenagers, providing them experience in political techniques and strategies,” said LI Coordinator for TeenPact Tyler Foote.LI's Steven P.J. Wood Building houses in its bottom floor several dormitories where these teens stayed throughout the duration of their training. Students were from over 15 states.Participants traveled throughout the District of Columbia to sight see in the morning and returned to LI for lectures in the afternoon, hands-on exercises in the evening and a devotional at night.TeenPact Vice President of Operations Lydia Shanks said, “As I talked to the students and observed them over the week, the students walked away with accessibility to politics. LI's grassroots training is something unique and we are very grateful for it.”“We aim to mobilize students to be good leaders wherever they are,” Shanks said. “When we have 65 students excited and jazzed about what God can do through them, we are thankful. This week gave students the tools for action and involvement in the future.”On the last evening, teens participated in a mock election where six presidential candidates with the help of their campaign staff gave speeches and answered questions from mock voters. The voters—LI staff—voted for Stephen Morrison, a 19-year-old from Savannah, Georgia who is a sophomore at Liberty University and a fourth year veteran at TeenPact.“One of my goals is to run for office one day, and this week is an encouragement thing—it makes me realize that this is really doable,” Morrison said. The lecture on campaign literature was really helpful to him in learning how to design things like a door hanger. “It taught me how to think outside the box, to think creatively while also standing firm in my principles.”For more information about TeenPact, please visit: http://www.teenpact.comTo request information about scheduling political training for teens at the Leadership Institute, please call: 202-247-2000.-30->

When principled leaders decide to challenge establishment candidates and advance the founding principles that made America great, they turn to the Leadership Institute for the very best political training.Leadership Institute trained candidates and campaign managers have shocked the political establishment. Sharron Angle in Nevada and Christine O'Donnell in Delaware personally attended LI training. The campaign manager for Rand Paul in Kentucky and Joe Miller in Alaska are both graduates of the Leadership Institute's campaign schools. These Senate candidates and their senior staff have benefitted from Leadership Institute instruction in the areas of:• Grassroots Campaigning• Public Relations• Fundraising• New Media Communications• Candidate Preparation.Founded in 1979, the Leadership Institute is one of the nation's largest and most experienced political training organizations and is uniquely equipped to handle the challenge of training conservative Americans to directly change public policy by first winning elections and then holding politician's feet to the fire. >

The Leadership Institute will host a campaign school in Radford, Virginia this Saturday, September 18 at 8:30 a.m. for volunteers, community activists, elected or party officials, current or future candidates, and campaign managers training them to win a campaign.The campaign school helps activists to “be more effective and energized in the 2010 elections,” LI's Grassroots Activist Schools Coordinator Chris Doss said.Sessions are taught by experienced professionals, including Morton Blackwell, founder and president of the Leadership Institute. LI hosted a similar campaign school this past Saturday, September 11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Thirty-four students were trained on how to present a compelling message, conduct direct voter contact through door-to-door efforts, handle negative information, and get out the vote.Registration includes a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. with presentations beginning at 9 a.m. Students can register free with the discount code “liberty.” Join us in the fight to restore limited government and the vision of our founders. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org/training/School.cfm?SchoolID=16721 >

The 2010 Values Voter Summit (September 16 -19) brings together well-known Christian conservatives to headline speeches, panels and breakout sessions in Washington, D.C. The Leadership Institute will host Getting out the Vote on Election Day training on Saturday from 4:15-5 p.m. at the conference.FRC Action has brought on many distinguished speakers, including: Representatives Michele Bachmann and Mike Pence; Senator Rick Santorum; Governors Mike Huckabee, Chris Christie, Bob McDonnell, and Mitt Romney; Drs. Bill Bennett and Ergun Caner; Senators Jim DeMint and Rick Santorum; The Duggar Family; Genevieve Wood; Herman Cain; Sean Hannity; Lila Rose; Newt Gingrich and many more. Family Research Council Action is hosting the event along with sponsors—American Family Association Action, American Values, The Heritage Foundation, Liberty University, and Liberty Counsel.The Values Voter Summit will be held at the Omni Hotel at 2500 Calvert Street, NW Washington, D.C. For ticket registration and more information, please visit: http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/>

The Leadership Institute's television training workshops are the premier training grounds for conservatives who seek to improve the quality and effectiveness of their on-air media strategy. Attendees learn how to look good, sound good, and tailor their messages for tv. Take advantage of LI's Introduction to Techniques and On-Camera Workshops on September 17th. Register today!>

Nearly 40 participants from the greater Washington, D.C. area turned out on Saturday, August 14, 2010 to hear LI founder and president Morton Blackwell present his "war horse" lecture on Handling Negative Information. This special treat was part of a tailored Campaign Communications Workshop that LI's Grassroots Department is putting on in the three corners of Virginia: Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, and Hampton Roads (the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area). In addition to Mr. Blackwell's lecture, attendees will also enjoy presentations on The Real Nature of Politics, Communicating a Persuasive Message, and Optimizing Door-to-Door Campaigning. The first of these workshops, here at L.I.'s training facility in Arlington, included staffs and volunteers from local Congressional races, veteran activists (including a veteran of the Reagan administration), and new activists, campaigners, and Tea Party members.Click here to learn more about these trainings coming up on September 11th and 18th.>

Join thousands of conservatives as they descend on Washington, DC for four full days of liberty and learning. Unite in Action invites you to participate in events from September 9-12, 2010, including a march down Constitution Avenue and rally on Saturday, September 11th. Other festivities and events include the Liberty XPO and Symposium, the Young Patriots Symposium, the Religious Leaders Roundtable, and the Remember the Ladies Banquet. Your Leadership Institute will hold trainings at both the Liberty and Young Patriots Symposiums. For more information on this exciting four-day event in the Nation's Capital visit www.marchondc.org.>

The Leadership Institute's Department of Political Training implemented its annual Advanced New Media Workshop on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. Students learned how to communicate via text messaging to their supporters, how a cell phone application can be useful for a campaign/organization, online marketing techniques on Facebook and Google, and how to strategically place ads on the Internet. The outstanding cast of trainers consisted of Chris Taylor from Tusk Mobile, Lyndsi Thomas from the David All Group, Allison Griffin from Mobilize Me, and Josh Strange from Intermarkets, Inc.>

Vicky Hartzler, Leadership Institute graduate and volunteer faculty member, won the Republican primary for Missouri's 4th Congressional District on Tuesday, August 3rd. She credits "the grassroots partnership of people across this district" for her win. Hartzler, former state representative from Harrisonville, MO, defeated eight opponents, and now faces current Congressman Ike Skelton in the November general election. To read more about Vicky's primary win and congressional race, read the Kansas City Star's article with all the details.>

On Monday, August 2, 2010, the Leadership Institute and Liberty Central announced the launch of www.LibertyCentralTraining.org, a FREE online training initiative to provide everyday citizens the tools they need to hold their elected officials accountable.“Liberty Central has declared that August is ‘Accountability Month,' so we hope the resources available at LibertyCentralTraining.org will encourage, educate, and empower everyday Americans to meet, question, and generate a dialogue with their representatives,” said Sarah Field, Director of Policy and General Counsel of Liberty Central.As many representatives attempt to set a more conciliatory tone for their return home during this year's August recess, the citizens they represent are still concerned about unrestrained government in Washington. David Fenner, Vice President of Training Programs at the Leadership Institute says, “The mission of the Leadership Institute is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists in the public policy process. The tools available at www.LibertyCentralTraining.org will equip average citizens with the tools they need to impact their government.”For more information about Liberty Central Training, powered by the Leadership Institute, please visit www.LibertyCentralTraining.org. >

As federal government spending continues to spiral out of control, the Independent Institute has created a new interactive website to help you understand where your tax dollars go each month, each year, and over the course of your lifetime. MyGovCost.org features a personal cost calculator so you can can see how the government spends your hard-earned money. Visit MyGovCost.org today to see what Washington DC is really costing you!>

Almost 40 young adults between the ages of 17 and 24 gathered at the Leadership Institute to take part in the inaugural EAGLES Leadership Initiative/DC-'10 Experience from June 30-July 4. The Initiative, sponsored by the American Bible Society, equipped students with skills and motivation to be leaders in their communities and on their college campuses. Attendees learned specific leadership skills and techniques that will help them reach and teach others. To learn more about the EAGLES Leadership Initiative, please check out the article linked here.>

One of the Leadership Institute's most popular faculty members, Nancy Bocskor, has written a book on fundraising. Go Fish: How to Catch (and Keep) Contributors is a practical guide to fundraising. In her book, Nancy addresses the most important aspect of fundraising: relationships. If you want to exceed your fundraising goals, visit www.nancybocskor.com and order your copy of Go Fish today!>

The Young Americans for Liberty put together their 2010 North Carolina Campaign Bootcamp this past week in Durham, N.C. More than thirty students and recent university graduates from around the country were joined by local activists to participate in training provided by the Leadership Institute. Our own Grassroots trainer Christopher Doss was joined by North Carolinian Nathan Tabor, an accomplished activist, candidate, and social media expert , and one of the Leadership Institute's most popular guest lecturers. Most of the students availed themselves of the opportunity to put their new skills into practice as they spent several days following the training actually working on the campaign trail for one of the liberty-minded, conservative candidates of their choosing.>

The July 9 Public Speaking Workshop welcomed 21 participants including Communications Directors from Capitol Hill, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from California, a candidate for the Delaware State Senate, a research assistant from The Heritage Foundation, and several interns from Capitol Hill, The Heritage Foundation, and the Leadership Institute. Ian Ivey led the morning session during which he addressed Elements of Effective Delivery and the Utility of Visual Aids, while Dr. John Shosky focused on the Goals of a Speech and Message Construction. Overall, the workshop was found to be of great value as one attendee noted that, "although it was a full day, I could have stayed around for more.">

Are you thinking about running for office? What does it take to be a community leader? The Future Candidate School will equip you to successfully run for office and become the grassroots leader you want to be. During this intensive four day training, experts in politics and policy will show you what you need to be effective before and after election day. Register before July 22nd to receive a discount of $50.00 off of the regular price of $250.00.>

Nearly thirty Floridians ranging from college students to retirees gathered at a beautiful Clubhouse lent to the Leadership Institute for a two-day Campaign School in Margate, Florida on July 10-11, 2010. The school was oriented toward voter contact and communications, expanding the favorable vote and getting favorables to the polls. The school was sponsored, marketed, and put together by the Florida Young Americans for Freedom.>