Those are the words of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on July 6, 2015 in a private e-mail to Clinton adviser Cheryl Mills. I’m going to post the e-mail in full below and let you consider whether it hits home today:
Good morning Cheryl,
For what it's worth some respectful thoughts for consideration...
From the outside looking in, I see an old style start to the campaign that feels stale with very few signs of the kind of freshness and transparency that the American people (especially millennials) will need to trust and ultimately elect HRC as President.
It's also becoming very apparent and concerning that the media is not on her side. This will get only worse and not bode well for her as time goes on.
She desperately needs the people on her side. And, although it's early, the imprinting process has begun... And, I don't like how it feels.
Her inner circle and the powers to be, need to reject the status quo, and understand how brands (and she is a brand) in the world we now live in are built. It requires a vision for the future that is steeped in truth and authenticity and builds an enduring emotional connection with the voters.
The rules of engagement for running for President have dramatically changed, accept it. Substance absolutely matters, but so does the form it takes. The campaign feels "yesterday." It's too packaged and prescribed. The American people are longing for truth and someone to believe in.
Reboot the look of it all and the overriding message before its to late. The answer is not in the polls, it's in her heart and her conscience. When she begins to truly trust herself and find her inner voice, and has the courage and conviction to share it with the world, things will change and change rapidly.
Encourage her to be herself. And, to embrace her core purpose and reason for being. That's the lens it all needs to go through.
It's not politics as usual. Especially as it relates to technology and social media, but that's a whole another story.
I'm not a politician and certainly not a pollster. Just one person with one vote, who cares deeply about the country and the dire need for authentic leadership.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Howard
You may think America has changed since it elected Barack Obama, but it really hasn’t. Voters are more supportive of liberal policies, more open to criticisms of the reigning economic elite, and more integrated and socially progressive then at any other time in America’s history. Everything you thought you knew about America is still right.
We just nominated one of the worst political candidates that we could possibly run in this election. She started out with sky-high unfavorables and immense political baggage. Either because of poor strategy or poor communication skills, she could never deliver. Mr. Schultz could see it back in July, and he is a close friend to Hillary Clinton.
Many Bernie supporters could also see it during the primaries. He delivered “a vision for the future that is steeped in truth and authenticity”, and he made an emotional connection with his supporters that has endured. I’m not saying that I know he could have won, but I know he would have generated enthusiasm and excitement within a broader coalition of voters.
The Clintons have always driven close to the ethical line. Unfortunately, as a result of Wikileaks and the DNC leaks, Hillary was never able to drive the narrative of the campaign in a way that successfully concealed her ethical failings. In the future, it would behoove this party and all supporters of progressive policies, to carefully consider the nature of the messenger.
We need candidates whose public positions are also their private positions. We need candidates who spend their time with the voters, not with their donors. And, we need candidates who understand that public office is a sacred trust, not a chance for personal enrichment. This site, and her supporters, appeared ready to rip out their eyes rather than see the truth about Hillary’s campaign and the Democratic Party.
We won’t win back the House and Senate until we come to the truth. It’s staring you in the face, but you’ve refused to open your eyes.