A recipe for success?

It’s been a good few weeks.

Not just for President Obama — but also Democrats and Republicans — as “Washington”
demonstrated that it actually can compromise, agree, disagree and move forward on
the nation’s business.

In the long run that is good all around.

Hopefully the GOP will remember that when it takes over the House of Representatives
in January.

But just in case the good feelings of the “season of peace” wear off in the
cold (yes, it will get colder, folks) winds of January, there are a few recipes
for success that should be followed over the next two years.

For starters, let’s not forget that despite the successes of the last few weeks,
working more closely with the GOP has largely been impossible over the past couple
of years, as many of the very same Republicans made it clear that they were just
not interested or willing to listen to, work with, or bargain with President Obama.

(On this point the meeting in which Boehner announced that his caucus would not
support Obama on healthcare reform before even meeting with him comes to mind.)

Didn’t we all learn in junior-high phys-ed class that “participation” counts for
a substantial part of the overall grade? Clearly it took the electoral successes
of the midterms to remind the GOP that it is accountable for participating, not
just criticizing from the sidelines, which created the initial conditions for a
willingness to even consider making a deal.

All of that being said, it was not only the substance, but also the style or overall
strategy — whether intentional or not — that Democrats engaged in which also likely
played a factor in the successes:

First — from the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” to ratification of New START
and the 9/11 first-responders measure — the issues were fought not only on the merits
but on the underlying values that most Americans agree with: integrity, serving
our country with honor, keeping our nation and the world safe from nuclear weapons
and honoring our responsibilities to our 9/11 heroes.

Second — while the intellectual arguments were made with relevant facts and figures,
hearts and minds were won with clear, concise messages that connected to people’s
everyday lives, using a human face or personal narrative where appropriate.

Third — the messages were amplified and repeated by a bipartisan cross-section of
trusted sources ranging from members of Congress to current and former Cabinet secretaries
and well-known, respected outside experts and grassroots leaders.

Fourth — along with the grass roots of the Democratic Party, key progressive groups
were engaged and included as partners, not adversaries;

Finally, the president led the debate as a chief executive, with passion, vision
and clear determination.

This is the kind of inclusive strategy we ought to see much more of over the next
two years.