Blog P.I.

I am happy to announce the debut of a new recurring feature here at Blog P.I. — The Benchmark Poll — short, offbeat Q&A-style interviews with political strategists in their 20’s and 30’s. Each week we’ll profile a different consultant, alternating between the Donkeys and the Elephants, asking them the same ten questions about their background and various points of view. It’s supposed to be fun — if anything here makes news, we’ve done something very, very wrong.

Not entirely unlike a benchmark poll in a political campaign, The Benchmark Poll seeks to learn a little about these people before they become “Meet the Press” famous. But don’t make too much of the name; it only beat out “Operative Questions” by a last-minute shrug.

If you’re familiar with the Hotline’s Friday Feature — or the Blogometer Spotlights I started and Conn Carroll continues today — then the concept should be familiar. If this is all news to you, well, I think you’ll manage.

Thanks are indeed due to the Hotline for making me familiar with this beautifully simple and beautifully un-trademarkable concept. And props to Mayor of Guytown for proposing that Blog P.I. take up this series.

Margie Omero is president of Democratic public opinion research firm Momentum Analysis. Her clients have included the DNC, DCCC, Emily’s List and numerous campaigns for federal office. She appears regularly on cable news and in 2000 led focus groups for ABC News. Prior to founding Momentum Analysis she was a VP at The Mellman Group where she conducted research for the DSCC and for Democratic officials, including Tom Daschle and Dick Gephardt. Originally from New Jersey, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin. She’s the subject of our first Benchmark Poll:

How do your parents’ politics compare to your own?

They are both pretty liberal-leaning. I remember my mom explaining early on why it was important to be pro-choice. And my dad once explained the difference between the political parties this way: “Democrats want to help people, while Republicans believe people should help themselves.” My response was, “then why would anyone be a Republican?”

Did you run for class office in high school or college? Did you win?

I haven’t talked about this in decades! I ran in junior high and lost. An exploratory poll would’ve been helpful.

When you first moved to the District, what food did you miss most from home?

I used to miss great bagels and smoked fish. And unlike New York and New Jersey, it’s hard to just stumble upon great Italian food. But you can find anything in DC if you know where to go.

Once you were here, did you work any non-political jobs did you work to get by?

Nope. My first paying job was as a pollster, and I had two great internships, one on the Hill, and one at Roll Call. I’ve been lucky.

What’s your favorite bar in DC? Favorite outside the Beltway?

My list is always changing. I just moved around the corner from Rumberos on 14th Street, so that’s a new favorite. Sonoma. Wonderland. Outside of DC, either of the Standards in LA, or at any Ian Schrager hotel.

Whether in a campaign or in government, you’ve surely had to work with someone who drove you crazy. What were they like?

There was once a campaign manager who wouldn’t call anyone back for days… neither consultants nor the candidate. When somebody got him on the phone they’d patch in the rest of the team since we never knew when we could talk to him again.

If you had your own blog, what would you call it and what would you write about?

ScooterGirl.com. I’d write about the fun food, shopping, and adventures I can have on my red Stella scooter. It would be like Daily Candy meets travelogue, with recipes, and more snark.

So, who do you know? That is — who is most responsible for you being where you are in politics now?

I would say the late Ann Richards really motivated me to go into politics. I grew up in New Jersey, but in high school I wrote a paper about her campaign against Clayton Williams, and ended up going to the University of Texas when she was Governor. I loved seeing a woman with such a unique, vibrant personality live a public life. So she was a big influence. As far as the trajectory of my career, there have been so many influential people. Eve Lubalin, who was Senator Lautenberg’s Chief of Staff, was one of the first people in Washington to be helpful to me. Mark Mellman, my former boss, was a good teacher. There are lots of others; I consider many people both friends and mentors. Folks in this industry have been very helpful to me, and I try to pass that help along to others.

If you could be or any politician, past or present, for one day and one event, who and what event?

I don’t want to be a politician. An election night when your candidate wins is pretty fantastic, no matter what the race.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself doing the same thing I’m doing now, just more of it.