Email from LPHQ executive director Wes Benedict:
Dear Friend of Liberty,
I hope you saw our video response to the State of the Union and Republicans last week. We got some feedback on that video, and it was overwhelmingly positive — positive that we need a teleprompter.
I’m serious — we actually do need a teleprompter. We discovered that it’s really difficult to give video presentations without one.
I know President Obama gets made fun of a lot for his teleprompter. But there’s a reason people use them — if you don’t, you look strange on TV. If you don’t believe me, watch the video.
In addition to the feedback on Facebook and the emailed responses we received, I got this response from our Chair, Mark Hinkle: "What does a teleprompter cost? We should get one for the future comments by you or anyone making a video statement from the LP HQ."
Our new staff videographer, Nigel Lyons, was quick to reply with a recommendation: "I used this exact one at my last job. Set it up myself and used for shoots all the time. It’s cheap but a quality teleprompter."
I agree it would be good to have a teleprompter, and it would improve our video presentations. The one listed above costs $789. Unfortunately, we’re already behind on fundraising for 2011. If you want to help us raise the $789 to pay for a teleprompter, please donate today and write "teleprompter" in the comment box. (We’re not going to set up a separate teleprompter fund, but I would like to know how much our donors are interested in this particular item.)
We do our best to raise as much money as we can, and to prioritize and spend our donors’ money effectively. Last December, we put out a call for donations to help hire video staff.
I am pleased that we reached an agreement to hire Nigel Lyons, and he is now on staff. He even brought thousands of dollars worth of video equipment with him.
The day before the State of the Union address, I challenged Nigel Lyons and the rest of our staff to see if we could write and tape a video response to the State of the Union and get it posted right after the address. We worked hard and late preparing our response, including the video, and we got it posted on our website and out to the press by 11:18 PM the same night. Last year, it took until the following day for us to issue a press release, and there was no video.
We have a staff of eight who work for the LP national headquarters, and each of us wears many hats. President Obama and the Republicans have far, far more resources than we do.
We work hard to provide quality, and to improve our message delivery, our websites, our publications, our customer service, and the tools we provide to our activists.
And while Republicans and Democrats often use such evasive language that they can’t be pinned down on any issue, I think it’s important for Libertarians to clearly and unambiguously support the Libertarian positions of minimum government and maximum freedom, across the board.
Anything we can do to improve our professionalism and marketing efforts, and to get our message noticed, is a good thing.
Please help support our video production quality by helping to fund the $789 for a teleprompter. Please contribute today and write "teleprompter" in the comment box.
Sincerely,
Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee
P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.
IPR’s discussion of Wes’s State of the Union response is here
can you spend the extra money on anything but a teleprompter?
I would think so, yes. Unless it’s a dedicated fund, earmarking funds for project just means they should go to that project first before being used for anything else – and even then, that hasn’t always happened in the past.
I’ll drink to that
Wes is one of our greatest assets.
I do wonder if there were $7000 worth of donations marked ” for Teleprompter” as to where they want the money spent…. can you spend the extra money on anything but a teleprompter?
We could have a jumbo teleprompter with lasers and possibly a drink stand and an ice chest attached.
Which actually sounds pretty reasonable to me.
If you have ever sat down and tried to make videos you become painfully aware of the need to have a drink near by.
(especially if members of this party get to critique you afterwards.)
@ 16 see @ 15
As I predicted, it was not really just about the teleprompter.
Wes knows what he is doing when it comes to fundraising.
As Mr. Whitfield said,
Good work, Wes. Keep looking up.
I agree cue cards would be more cost effective.
I also imagine there’s got to be some kind of computer program that can do the same work for less than $789
It appears that the Libertarian Party has raised over $7,000 from the teleprompter appeal! Good work, Wes. Keep looking up.
Ever heard of cue cards? A hell of a lot cheaper and simpler, and no need to waste money.
But, while the LPUS is crying about a teleprompter, a federal judge tosses ObamaCare out on its ear, and not a peep from the LPUS…
In California, meanwhile, the LPC gave a very good response to Jerry Brown’s mess of a State of the state speech. See the response at http://ca.lp.org/2011/01/31/lpc-responds-to-gov-browns-state-of-the-state-address/
I’m betting it will bring in well over $789. Wes is very good at fundraising. Stuff that makes fun of your own goofs and reduces things to a human scale can be very effective. It is not the same thing as the really inept “sky is falling” stuff that they were doing constantly a few years ago.
George is right.
I also donated George.
I agree that asking for just $789 seems a bit small-time, but hey, they’re telling the truth.
As for making one, that’s not what HQ staff are supposed to be doing. It is totally reasonable for them to ask the membership to provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs well.
With that said, if anyone on here knows how to make one for $100, DO SO and send it to LPHQ.
I just donated $100 for the teleprompter. There is nothing to it but to do it. Let’s do it.
I have a feeling this is not really all about the prompter (not that everyone necessarily knew that Ernie Hancock knows how to make his own teleprompters). I think the teleprompter was just an example that was used. Then again, I’m just guessing. BTW, if you are going to call me, you should do so in the next 2 hrs.
“Hello Ernie? I understand y’all down there know how to make teleprompters; do you have an extra?”
To do this kind of vid “on the fly”, you need some kind of promter, did anyone think of cue cards for this? But a telepromter seems like it would be a wise investment for a National Political Party to make.
It is rather odd that they would use their “Monday Message” to try and raise less than 800 bucks. OK everyone, tape a quarter to a piece of paper, and send it in! Of course it will cost more than that to mail it…
You are absolutely right about the need for a teleprompter though. The video is horrible. And if a paid staff made it… they should be fired.
No need to be so harsh. It was the firs time that I know of that they made a video response and the first time (as far as I know) that they responded the same night. I count both of those as big wins. The text was great. The execution of the video needs to be improved. There’s a learning curve.
$789 is chump change on the scale on which the LPHQ raises money, so it does make them seem a little small time to ask for that small an amount of money in a fundraising letter. On the other hand, maybe it will bring in several times that amount and can be used for other things as well. Explaining that the LPHQ is not a huge operation, like many people assume it is, is a good thing to do.
I don’t know how much time it takes to assemble one of these under $100 teleprompters. It could easily be $689 or more of staff time compared to ordering the $789 one.
@Hank
Right, the LP needs to fire more staff. That’s a fantastic solution.
You reveal your own ignorance by even suggesting that the National office wastes money.
This is precisely the kind of attitude we need to avoid. “We have a need to fill, let’s tap what few donors we have and throw money at it.”
Did anyone make a cursory search on the internet about how to make a DIY teleprompter. There are video tutorials that explain exactly how to get it done for under a hundred bucks. You are absolutely right about the need for a teleprompter though. The video is horrible. And if a paid staff made it… they should be fired. We can do better for much less money.
The LP is not in a position to adopt the spending strategies of the R&D. Walk your talk. We always talk about fiscal responsibility and cutting spending and when a perfect opportunity arises, the first thing people think is SPEND MONEY!!
@NewFederalist
God forbid that the national office ask for money. You’d think that it was their responsibility to raise funds or something.
Also, if you read the article, you’d realize that the videos are put out by paid staff, not volunteers.
Perhaps the next beg email will be for lunch money so they can feed the volunteers making the video with the really cool new teleprompter. This kind of crap is embarrassing.
Earnest Hancock made his own didn’t he?