The Forum
January 18–21, 2024
Savannah, GA

ΦΔΘ Tri-Province Meeting
Gamma South, Delta North, Delta South
February 10, 2024
Annapolis, MD

ΦΔΘ General Officers Conference
Visit to Oklahoma Beta, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
February 22-25, 2024
Oklahoma City, OK

ΦΔΘ Pennsylvania Omicron 25th Anniversary
March 23, 2024
Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA

ΦΔΘ Connecticut Delta Installation
April 5-7, 2024
Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ FGRC: Greek Capitol Hill Visits
April 9-10, 2024
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

Close Up Foundation
April 11, 2024
First United Congregational Church
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ Live Like Lou Community Impact Team
April 25-26, 2024
Fenway Park, Boston, MA

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ Pennsylvania Beta Visit
May 10, 2024
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA

I AM ALS – Cures Collective Meeting
May 29, 2024
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ Live Like Lou Wheelchair Presentation
June 1-2, 2024
Atlanta Braves
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
Visits to Missouri Alpha, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
and Missouri Beta, Westminster College, Fulton, MO
June 8-12, 2024
St. Louis, MO

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute
August 1-6, 2024
Miami University, Oxford, OH

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ Pennsylvania Theta Installation
September 6-8, 2024
Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
Visits to Steamboat Springs, CO
Colorado Alpha, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
University of Denver, Denver, CO
Live Like Lou Wheelchair presentation, Colorado Rockies, Coors Field
September 10-15, 2024
Denver, CO

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

<ΦΔΘ Maryland Delta Crab Feast - Live Like Lou (2nd Annual)
September 28, 2024
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

ΦΔΘ Colorado Gamma 100th Anniversary
October 10-13, 2024
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

ΦΔΘ Educational Foundation Board Meeting
October 17-18, 2024
Atlanta, GA

ΦΔΘ Live Like Lou Foundation Board Meeting
December 2-4, 2024
Indianapolis, IN

ΦΔΘ First Thursday
Visit to Kentucky Eta, Western Kentucky University
December 5, 2024
Bowling Green, KY

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
Visits to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Live Like Lou ALS Suite)
Belmont University and
Tennessee Alpha, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
December 6-8, 2024
Nashville, TN

More Events >>

The post 2024 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

The Forum
January 19–22, 2023
Tampa, FL

Bipartisan Dinner
January 27, 2023
Washington, DC

Reunion Weekend
February 3-5, 2023
New Orleans, LA

ΦΔΘ Tri-Province Meeting
Gamma South, Delta North, Delta South
March 25, 2023
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
April 12-16, 2023
Marathon, FL

Close Up Foundation
April 20, 2023
First United Congregational Church
Washington, DC

Autism After 21 Breakfast
April 21, 2023
Congressional Country Club
Potomac, MD

ΦΔΘ 84th General Convention
June 13-18, 2023
Scottsdale, AZ

ΦΔΘ Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute
July 26 – August 1, 2023
Miami University, Oxford, OH

ΦΔΘ General Council Retreat Meeting
September 6-10, 2023
Widener University, Chester, PA

ΦΔΘ California Nu Installation
September 28 – October 1, 2023
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA

ΦΔΘ Maryland Delta Crab Feast – Live Like Lou
October 1, 2023
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

ΦΔΘ Educational Foundation Board Meeting
October 19-20, 2023
Kansas City, MO

ΦΔΘ Arkansas Alpha 50th Anniversary
October 27-29, 2023
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

ΦΔΘ Virginia Lambda Installation
November 17-18, 2023
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Michigan at Maryland – RSK-JDA-DMJW Weekend
November 18, 2023
University of Maryland, College Park, MD

ΦΔΘ General Council Retreat Meeting
December 1-3, 2023
Miami University, Oxford, OH

ΦΔΘ Live Like Lou Foundation Board Meeting
December 4-6, 2023
Nashville, TN

More Events >>

The post 2023 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

Close Up Foundation
February 7, 2022
First United Congregational Church
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ Missouri Beta 140th Anniversary
April 8–10, 2022
Westminster College
Fulton, MO

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

ΦΔΘ North Carolina Eta Installation
April 22–24, 2022
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

Close Up Foundation
May 11, 2022
First United Congregational Church
Washington, DC

Bipartisan Dinner
May 19, 2022
The Palm, Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting & 2022 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award Presentation
June 2–5, 2022
Kansas City, MO

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ Virginia Eta 50th Anniversary
June 10–12, 2022
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

ΦΔΘ Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute
July 29 – August 2, 2022
Miami University, Oxford, OH

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
September 7–11, 2022
Halifax, Nova Scotia

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phi Delta Theta DC (@phideltdc)

Life Guard Society Gala Dinner
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
September 17, 2022
Alexandria, VA

Pioneers of Podcasting – 2nd segment
Newsy TV Interview
September 21, 2022

ΦΔΘ General Officers Conference
September 30 – October 3, 2022
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

Widener University Homecoming
October 13-16, 2022
Widener University, Chester, PA

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

Nebraska at Michigan & Love Tailgate- RSK-JDA-DMJW Weekend
November 11-13, 2022
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
December 1–4, 2022
Montgomery, AL

Bush-Cheney Alumni Holiday Party
December 5, 2022
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

More Events >>

The post 2022 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

Irrigation Association Leadership Summit
“Cutting Through the Noise: Communication Strategies”
Virtual Panel: John Farner (moderator), David Almacy, Johanna Maska
February 10, 2021
Washington, DC

Cincinnati PRSA Chapter
“Strategic Communications in an Evolving and Ubiquitous Digital World”
March 19, 2021
Virtual: Lunch & Learn

Miami University: Inside Washington Program
“Social Media & the Presidency”
May 25, 2021
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ 83rd Biennial Convention
July 17–22, 2021
Pittsburgh, PA

US Soccer-VYSA Soccer Coach Education
July 24, 2021
Ukrop Park, Richmond, VA

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy)

ΦΔΘ General Officers Conference
October 1–3, 2021
St. Louis, MO

Close Up Foundation
“The History of White House Communications”
November 8, 2021
United States Navy Memorial Theatre
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
December 3–5, 2021
Indianapolis, IN

More Events >>

The post 2021 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

ΦΔΘ Presidents Leadership Conference
January 8-12, 2020
St. Louis, MO

Miami University: Inside Washington Program
“Social Media & the Presidency”
Panel: David Almacy, Laura Miller
February 13, 2020
Washington, DC

American University: Rick Semiatin
Guest Lecture
February 18, 2020
Washington, DC

American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
“First 200 days: How technology can make or break the president’s agenda”
Virtual Panel: John Bailey (moderator), David Almacy, Mina Hsiang, Cassandra Madison, Nicole Wong
October 27, 2020
Washington, DC

More Events >>

The post 2020 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

We traveled to Paris and London over Spring Break for a family vacation in mid-April 2019. It’s impossible to put into words exactly what we witnessed in person at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.

After several days of touring Paris, we made our way to the Notre Dame Cathedral around 3 PM on Monday, April 15th but the line was too long so we didn’t go inside. Instead, we grabbed a quick lunch at Le Quasimodo Cafe then toured the Conciergerie where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned and finally, we made our way to see the beautiful stained glass windows at Sainte-Chapelle.

Around 6:30 PM, we debated going back to Notre Dame for the last tour but we were cutting it close because the cathedral was scheduled to close at 6:45 PM. We knew it was a longshot but decided to walk over there anyway. As it turned out, we were walking by just as the fire started.

My daughter was the first to notice the smoke emerging from the top around 6:55 PM. At first, we thought it was coming from a chimney or perhaps from another manufacturing plant in the distance. I took a few photos with my phone then tweeted it out.

It quickly became clear around 7:15 PM that the fire was going to be devastating. Several things went through our minds. How did this happen? Was this an accident or a deliberate act of vandalism or terrorism? The mood surrounding the neighborhood was fairly calm. Some were panicked but most just stopped, looked, pointed, cried and watched helplessly as the fire intensified.

The amount of smoke continued to grow. As it got thicker, it began to turn colors such as green and orange. We thought it may have been a chemical reaction but later learned it was a result of the stained glass and paintings that were burning which affected the color. Our eyes were burning and our throats started to get scratchy from inhaling the smoke into our lungs so we decided to move to safety and walked along the River Seine away from the fire to watch from afar.

Meantime, friends told me that my photos were among the first seen on social media about the fire and that my post was trending on Twitter. Several media outlets who had seen it began to reach out to hear our first-person account. I spent over an hour on MSNBC and was also interviewed by BBC, Fox News, Cheddar, Newsy, ABC, Sky News and 3AW Radio in Australia.

Overall, it was an incredibly sad and surreal day but personally, we were grateful that everyone was safe. Our hearts still go out to the French people after this devastating religious, cultural and historic loss and we hope that they will rebuild. The good news is it looks like they will be able to save some of the building and, more importantly, that no one was hurt.

At 3 PM Paris time, this is one of the last photos taken of the Notre Dame Cathedral before the damage, a little over three hours before the fire started.

Here are some of the analytics from my initial tweet which generated over 1.5M impressions. In addition, the engagement was quite extensive in the form of comments, retweets, likes and embeds.

RELATED

Scripps News, 4/15/19
Witnesses Watch As Notre Dame Burns

Fast Company, 4/15/19
Notre Dame fire: Videos show 850-year-old Paris cathedral ablaze

Fox News, 4/15/19
Notre Dame fire witness: ‘The smoke turned orange, then green, then dark black’

Cheddar, 4/15/19
Tragedy in Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral Engulfed in Flames

The post Notre Dame Cathedral Fire first appeared on CapitalGig.

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
December 5-8, 2019
Mount Vernon, Alexandria, VA

ΦΔΘ Leadership Meeting
November 21, 2019
Widener University, Chester, PA

WPS Health Employee Meeting
October 17, 2019
Madison, WI

2019 ΦΔΘ General Officers Conference
October 11-13, 2019
Cincinnati, OH

American University: Rick Semiatin
Guest Lecture
October 8, 2019
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
September 23-26, 2019
Asheville, NC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Sep 24, 2019 at 4:30pm PDT

Bush-Cheney Alumni Reunion
September 7, 2019
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Sep 7, 2019 at 9:54pm PDT

2019 ΦΔΘ Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute
July 26-30, 2019
Miami University
Oxford, OH

PR Summit DC
“Newsjacking: Riding the Headline Wave”
Panel: David Almacy, CapitalGig
Sarah Simmons, Fox 5
Scott Stanzel, Capital One
Robert Bluey, The Heritage Foundation, Daily Signal
July 18, 2019
The National Press Club
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Jul 18, 2019 at 6:15pm PDT

White House Social Media Summit
July 11, 2019
The White House
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

Good conversation at The White House Social Media Summit with Members of Congress including Rep. Dan Crenshaw, GOP Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy about fair and free speech online followed by remarks by the president. Executive Order announcement in Rose Garden about obtaining accurate citizenship data in 2020 census and a closer view of Baron’s soccer goal in the East Garden.

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Jul 11, 2019 at 3:39pm PDT

Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
“The Relationship Between the Media and the White House”
John Maynard, David Almacy
June 18, 2019
Freedom Forum Institute
Newseum, Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

?Excellent discussion with students from the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference on the relationship between the @WhiteHouse & the media. Thanks to @Newseum’s John Maynard @johnnyfm2014 for moderating.?

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Jun 18, 2019 at 11:29am PDT

Miami University: Inside Washington Program
“Social Media & the Presidency”
Panel: David Almacy, Laura Miller
June 4, 2019
Washington, DC

Senior Seminar: Greek Life
May 30, 2019
Dominion High School
Sterling, VA

Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
Guest Speaker: Circles of Influence
May 29, 2019
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Alexandria, VA

2019 USCCF Digital Empowers Summit
“Cyberheroes: Leadership in the Digital Community”
Panel: David Almacy, CaptalGig
Jacqueline Beauchere, Microsoft
Lauren Culbertson, Twitter
Nneka Norville, BET
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
May 10, 2019
Washington, DC

The @USCCFBiz4Good #DigitalEmpowersUs Summit is exploring ways to advance business and social good. @lculbs spoke today on @Twitter's efforts to combat the opioid crisis, "Twitter’s superpower is connecting people, and connectivity is key to addressing the opioid crisis." pic.twitter.com/DyXvJJmTdT

— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) May 10, 2019

Close Up Foundation
“The History of White House Communications”
May 8, 2019
United States Navy Memorial Theatre
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ General Council Meeting
April 26-28, 2019
Baseball Hall of Fame
Cooperstown, NY

American University: Rick Semiatin
Guest Lecture
April 23, 2019
Washington, DC

Close Up Foundation
“The History of White House Communications”
January 21, 2019
United States Navy Memorial Theatre
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

Thanks so much to @closeup_dc for the invitation to speak on the influence of media on politics. Great student audience and excellent Q&A discussion!

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Jan 21, 2019 at 12:54pm PST

ΦΔΘ Presidents Leadership Conference
January 2-6, 2019
St. Louis, MO

More Events >>

The post 2019 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

He was one who spoke his mind and wasn’t afraid to stand up against his own party from time to time as a “Maverick.” He was an especially fierce advocate for military and veterans issues. Although he fell short in both of his presidential runs, he earned the admiration and respect of many on both sides of the aisle.

He was also known for his witty sense of humor. One of my favorite lines occurred frequently on the presidential campaign trail when Senator McCain was describing the dismally low single-digit approval ratings of the U.S. Congress. He often joked that the only supporters left were “paid staffers and blood relatives.”

If you have worked in Washington, DC political circles for any significant period of time over the last several decades, chances are that you have a story about an interaction with Sen. John McCain. I have a few but here are my top two.

Don Imus Roast
In October 1999, there was a dinner in Washington, DC to benefit the Spina Bifida Association. Several U.S. Senators (including Sen. McCain) and media personalities were on hand to roast Don Imus and the fundraiser was covered live on C-SPAN2. I was working at C-SPAN at the time and went to the dinner to meet up with my friend Jeff Green who was a producer for the MSNBC simulcast of the Imus in the Morning radio show.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) roasts Don Imus at a dinner in Washington, DC in support of the Spina Bifida Foundation. Video courtesy of C-SPAN. (10/26/99) Click to watch

I didn’t really think much of it at the time. After all, he was a household name. He was an American war hero and a powerful sitting U.S. Senator in the middle of a presidential campaign. Of course his attentions would be needed elsewhere. I moved on and continued chatting with others in the room.

About a half hour later, as the evening was winding down, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I was shocked when I turned around to see that it was Sen. McCain. Before I could say anything, he jumped in right away to apologize profusely for how he was rudely pulled away earlier and that he wanted to finish our conversation. He thanked me for the role that C-SPAN played in the media landscape to advance the political discourse in the country. We talked about my friends Grant and Heidi Seiffert. Grant was a McCain staffer and Heidi was a C-SPAN colleague and, of course, his face lit up when I mentioned them. It truly is a small world. Then, we wrapped up by talking a little about the campaign before saying goodbye.

All in all, it was about a five minute conversation but I felt on top of the world as I headed home. The fact that he took the time to seek me out a second time was beyond impressive. I was a lowly junior staff person at a cable network but something notable had just happened. In a town filled with some self important, egocentric and power hungry people, Sen. McCain demonstrated the true power of genuine kindness and respect. It was a terrific lesson that one should always strive to be kind to everyone and take the time to learn about others, no matter who they are. He certainly didn’t have to do that, but he did. And I will never forget it.

2004 GOP Convention
A few years later, I was working at the U.S. Department of Education. I took time off in August 2004 to volunteer for the Republican National Convention in New York City in support of President George W. Bush’s campaign to serve a second term.

On the night that President Bush was slated to accept the party’s nomination, I was working on the floor of the convention hall and was in charge of the VIP seating for all the states that begin with A. As is tradition, the president’s home state is in the middle front and center. So, in this case, seating for the Arkansas, Arizona and Alaska delegations was just behind the Texas section.

As the start time for speeches grew closer, the seats began to fill up. I had to double check credentials of many to make sure reserved seats were properly filled but I did recognize some of the VIP delegates because they were either current Members of Congress or Governors. During that time, I had a nice chat with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and his wife. I worked with their daughter Sarah, now White House Press Secretary, at the U.S. Department of Education. As we were talking, I noticed a large media scrum had started to form at the back of the convention hall. I would estimate that there were about thirty reporters gathered around someone and they were all steadily moving our way accompanied by more than a dozen video cameras with scores of lights and microphones dangling above.

The crowd quickly doubled in size, picking up fans as it moved down the aisle. At one point, I could clearly see that it was Sen. McCain and his wife Cindy who were the center of attention. Then, as I looked at the Arizona sign that was next to me at the end of the row, it suddenly dawned on me that they were heading my way — and fast!

I tried to position myself so that I could easily help them to their seats but the crowd was quickly upon us and people jostled to get into various advantageous positions. Somehow, I’m still not quite sure how, I found myself in the middle right next to Mrs. McCain and the senator was completely outside the circle. I mean we were literally face-to-face, our noses just inches apart. She saw my volunteer credentials, smiled and said, “Hi, I’m Cindy.” I introduced myself and helped her inside the row close to her seat but we were still awkwardly crunched together by the mixed crowd of media and well-wishers.

We both looked up to see where Sen. McCain was. He was a few people away in the aisle, laughing at the situation while trying to squeeze by. He shouted, “Having fun? Mind if I join you?” I replied, “Of course, sir!” Then, I reached out, grabbed his hand and successfully pulled him through the traffic. He thanked me then the three of us stood there and chatted for a few minutes, smiling at the craziness surrounding us. We had a moment and although it was surreal, I will always treasure it.

Little did I know at the time that all of this was being broadcasted on national television. The live convention pool feed had captured the entire thing for the world to see on all the networks. This was before the era of smartphones and social media but several of my friends who were watching at home or on closed circuit TV emailed me after witnessing it. My BlackBerry was buzzing almost nonstop. I have since looked for a clip of it online but can’t seem to find it anywhere. However, I have the memory and it’s one of my favorites.

Thank you, Senator McCain
Washington, DC can be a rough and tumble town. As they say, “Politics ain’t bean bag.“ However, every once in a while, along comes a person who is special — one who sacrifices and steps up to serve others, who is tough but fair, fights for what’s right, stands on principle, works to create a better future for one’s country and the world, values friends and partnerships, earns the respect and admiration of colleagues and inspires generations to come.

John McCain was such a person and we are all better off for his service.

The post Remembering John McCain first appeared on CapitalGig.

The Big Picture with Olivier Knox
SiriusXM, POTUS Ch.124
December 10, 2018
Washington, DC

View this post on Instagram

Thanks for the invitation, @olivierknoxsiriusxm. Really enjoyed the conversation. @siriusxm POTUS Ch.124

A post shared by David Almacy (@almacy) on Dec 10, 2018 at 4:05pm PST

ΦΔΘ 2018 Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute
August 4-7, 2018
Miami University
Oxford, OH

ΦΔΘ 82nd Biennial Convention
June 21-24, 2018
San Antonio, TX

Miami University: Inside Washington Program
“Social Media & the Presidency”
Panel: David Almacy and Laura Miller
June 13, 2018
Washington, DC

Close Up Foundation
“The History of White House Communications”
June 4, 2018
United States Navy Memorial Theatre
Washington, DC

Thanks David @Almacy for sharing the history of White House communications with @CloseUp_DC students—from the early days of radio and TV, to the first Presidential web sites, to today’s social media, to your own work in the G. W. Bush administration! pic.twitter.com/3sMhp6gnvC

— Dennell Reynolds (@CUDennellR) June 6, 2018

Senior Seminar: Greek Life
May 31, 2018
Dominion High School
Sterling, VA

Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
Guest Speaker: “Circles of Influence”
May 30, 2018
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Alexandria, VA

“You are here today because of your ability to network.” – @almacy

David Almacy shares advice for building your network and establishing meaningful professional relationships. #MVLF pic.twitter.com/r3JxxbIJXn

— Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows (@GWMVLF) May 30, 2018

Gerrit Lansing on “The Internet’s Disruption of Politics & Government”
The University of Chicago, Institute of Politics
April 4, 2018

“Fast Track to an Integrated Digital and Marketing Strategy”
Panel: Seth Goren, Meredith Conte, David Almacy and Lisa Villano
Hosted by Digilant
March 6, 2018
Washington, DC

PAN Women Candidates Conference
February 28, 2018
Mexico City, Mexico

Miami University: Inside Washington Program
“Social Media & the Presidency”
Panel: Jared Benoff, David Almacy and Laura Miller
February 21, 2018
Washington, DC

University of Virginia, School of Continuing Studies: Rob Pasquinucci
Guest Lecture
February 21, 2018

American University: Rick Semiatin
Guest Lecture
February 20, 2018
Washington, DC

ΦΔΘ 2018 Presidents Leadership Conference
January 3-6, 2018
St. Louis, MO

More Events >>

The post 2018 Events first appeared on CapitalGig.

First, the White House website comes to mind. When President George W. Bush arrived in office in January 2001, there was a basic blue-framed temporary website with a handful of pages that was developed while the ultimate website was being built. Eventually, a more advanced site was launched complete with an unique content management system and several new features which served the administration well for over six years until a final WH.gov re-design was launched in March 2007.

Several months before January 2009, to avoid similar delays for the incoming president, the Bush 43 team embarked upon a comprehensive project to ensure that whoever won the presidency (Sen. Obama or Sen. John McCain), there would be a new, capable website ready and waiting for them on Day One. At 12 PM ET on 1/20/2009, President Obama’s inauguration day, the Bush site was archived and the new site for President Obama was launched.

As a side, when the Obama site debuted, the title of one of the first posts on the newly minted White House blog was “Change comes to WhiteHouse.gov” which, of course, was borrowed from Obama’s “Hope and Change” 2008 campaign theme. Similarly, when the Trump site was launched on 1/20/17, the front page also featured a familiar “Make America Great Again” campaign message from 2016.

Almost a year later in October 2009, the Obama digital team eventually replaced the original site with a new one powered by Drupal. Despite Slate’s attempt to frame this move as a partisan “repudiation of its predecessor,” I looked at it more as an evolution in the adoption of new technology and the hope that the Drupal community would be able to better collaborate and crowdsource new innovations. Plus, it was rumored at the time that the U.S. House and U.S. Senate were also considering Drupal, thus increasing the ability for government to better connect online behind the scenes through a compatible CMS structure and uniquely designed plugins.

So, fast forward to January 2017. This piece, Trump needs time to make whitehouse.gov great again by Darren Samuelsohn, Politico, was published on 1/19/17 just before inauguration. It is unclear as to whether the Obama team prepared a new website for the incoming Trump administration but I highly doubt it. The template looks almost identical and the article points out that a new site will be months in the making. We will have to wait to hear from Trump’s new Chief Digital Officer Gerrit Lansing to learn more about what’s in store.

There has been some chatter about the “scrubbing” of content from WhiteHouse.gov which I personally believe is unfair. In my opinion, the website belongs to the sitting president for as long as that president is in office. The content should reflect the current president, especially when it comes to policy. I don’t recall anyone complaining that the Obama administration was “scrubbing” content or themes from the Bush White House website such as No Child Left Behind, The Freedom Agenda, Global War on Terror, Strengthening Social Security for Future Generations, Renewal in Iraq, etc.

All of the Bush content is archived — and now, so is the Obama White House website. Someone recently told me that they heard that 400 programmers were scouring the Trump site for comparisons with Obama’s to see what was removed or replaced. Here’s the link: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ Have fun with that!

The next issue is social media. Nancy Scola, also with Politico, published a balanced article on 1/25/17 about the struggle that some federal social media account owners are experiencing as the Obama team moves out and the Trump Administration transitions in. Similar to the website, some are having problems accepting new policy differences on issues such as climate change, immigration, health care, etc.

Again, the policies of each administration are unique and like it or not, the channels should reflect the views of the current officeholder. Elections matter and they have consequences. I’m sure that many Republicans weren’t huge fans of Obama policies or some of the content posted on official accounts, but all that changes now.

For the first time ever, social media accounts also have to transition. It wasn’t much of an issue in 2009. The Bush White House General Counsel established that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the like were not approved for usage among federal employees at the EOP. Only a few accounts were beginning to pop up in the administration at cabinet-level agencies and on Capitol Hill during the 2008 campaign cycle.

Now, it’s a completely different story. According to CRS’s “Social Media in Congress” study in May 2016, all 100 U.S. Senators had Twitter accounts by 2013 and just about every Member of Congress had at least one social media profile. Trump inherits a digitally engaged government built by Obama staffers over the past eight years and there’s no doubt that he plans to exploit it — especially since he is such an obsessive and prolific Twitter user himself.

However, these official accounts are not for personal opinions. They are for government communications. As harsh as it sounds, federal employees have a choice. Either they abstain from posting personal comments or they should relinquish control of the accounts. If they are further conflicted, they always have the option of resigning. In the meantime, while communications posts are still being filled, there was a request to halt the use of some social media accounts which is a good strategy regardless of politics. If a House seat is lost, should the incoming Member still retain all the staff from the previous officeholder, especially if from different political parties? Shouldn’t there be a slight pause until a new team is in place and an approval process is established? Glad to see that the idea seems to have some bipartisan support.

Some defenders of the social media hiatuses noted that federal Twitter accounts are supposed to speak for the agencies, not serve as individual employees’ political platforms. And even some Obama-era digital experts say it’s somewhat reasonable for the new administration to hit pause. — Source: Federal workers’ Twitter brushfire burns Trump by Nancy Scola, Politico, 1/25/17

Certainly, there have been several bumps already and it is going to be at least a few months before the digital operations across the federal government starts to hit its stride. That, coupled with constantly evolving technology will make it increasingly more difficult to stay ahead of the curve.

In any case, the Trump team has indicated that digital will play an integral role in their communications strategy so it will be interesting to see what innovative changes they make and — more importantly, how effective they are in positively influencing policy and improving public opinion with a hostile media in a divided political environment.

Pretty sure there isn’t an app for that.

The post Making WhiteHouse.gov Great Again? first appeared on CapitalGig.