Ed Goeas - A Question of RESPECT: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation

A Question of RESPECT

A Question of RESPECT

It is entirely fitting that Ed Goeas and Celinda Lake, two of the nations premier pollsters and founders of the Battleground Poll, a bipartisan project that has survived and thrived during three decades of worsening polarization, would together write such a wise and thoughtful book as A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation. For Goeas, a Republican, and Lake, a Democrat, deepening partisan hostility is a constant presence in the work they do for candidates, advocacy groups, political parties, and other clients. Both authors understand the corrosive forces that have so weakened the pillars of democracy, and together they have produced a substantive strategy to pull the system out of a nosedive to disaster. This book provides sustenance and encouragement to both the political expert and the ordinary voter whose faith in politics has been sorely tested.

Thomas B. Edsall,

New York Times columnist

Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation is a herculean taskmassive in scope and in its expectation, yet fundamental to the survival of our democracy. Who better to address this threat than the team of Celinda Lake, a woman of intelligence and integrity, and Ed Goeas, a man of principle and purpose? Each brings a nuanced perspective to the reader that elicits thoughtful discussions and a call to action to respect one another. Politically, it affirms there is no other way to preserve and maintain the United States of America. Personally, it is a nod to empathy the connective tissue in our humanity. When we embrace empathy, we will be on our way to fixing what has been brokentrust in the ideals and values of America. It is indeed A Question of Respect.

Valerie Biden Owens,

Campaign strategist and author of the NY Times best-selling book Growing Up Biden

With over 30 years of successfully working together despite their political differences, Ed Goeas and Celinda Lake are the ideal two people to explain not only how we got into this mess, but how we can get out of it. Their careers are a vivid testimony to the ability of people with divergent views to thrive in partnership. And this brilliant book is testimony to the sorts of things that people can accomplish working together through their differences. Ed and Celinda cite respect as the key ingredient in the elixir that can heal our fractured nation. This timely and important book earned my respect, and Im sure it will earn yours.

Donna Brazile,

Former chair, Democratic National Committee

Ed Goeas is not only a premier pollster, but he is very savvy about strategy, operations, and tactics. Ive used him many times, and he is as good as it gets in his profession. His continued work with Celinda Lake at Georgetown Universitys Institute of Politics & Public Service, and their writing of this book together, is a testament to the great things that can be accomplished when people on opposites sides of the political spectrum work collaboratively, thoughtfully, and most importantrespectfully. A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation reminds us of a very important lesson: that we can disagree without being disagreeable. Politicos and people everywhere can learn a lot from this book. Instruction on civility couldnt be more significantnow more than ever before.

Governor Haley Barbour,

Governor of Mississippi 20042012, Former chair Republican National Committee

As the story was told and retold on the House floor, Franklin was walking out of Independence Hall after the Constitutional Convention in 1787 when someone shouted out, Doctor, what have we got, A Republic or a Monarchy? to which Franklin supposedly responded: A Republic if you can keep it. In the easy-to-read new book, A Question of Respect , noted bi-partisan pollsters Celinda Lake and Ed Goeas reflect on todays societal fractures, the causes, and effects of our broken state of politics/government, and the actions necessary to preserve this experiment in self-government known as the American Republic. Rich in substance, this must-read book is timely and important for anyone who values freedom and longs for a political and cultural landscape free of todays dangerous acrimony.

Zach Wamp,

Member of Congress 19952011

Many of usgrizzled veterans of Capitol Hill and political novices alikeyearn for more thoughtful and effective governance of our democracy. Now comes a blueprint for breaking through the deeply partisan gridlock currently afflicting our national, state and local political landscapes. Drawing from their decades of polling experience and bi-partisan partnership, Ed and Celinda astutely provide the diagnosis AND prescribe the cure for what ails usand it starts with respect. Filled with anecdotes, data, lived experiences, and personal introspection, A Question of Respect inspires and gives us hope for a better way forward. I am heartened by the optimism that shines through in this book, and eager for our political class to apply its lessons!

James Conzelman,

President/CEO, Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange

John Kennedy joked that Washington is a town of Southern efficiency and Northern charm. I believe it is most fortunate and encouraging that, even in this moment of high political temperature and low behavior, some people are able to successfully work together across the partisan divide. In this remarkable book, A Question of Respect , Republic-based Ed Goeas and Democrat-based Celinda Lake, who have been polling partners and friends for decades, use lessons learned from their bi-partisan immersion. Taking the publics temperature in their highly respected joint Battleground Polls, they are uniquely able to diagnose our current civic ailmentsand prescribe cures.

George F. Will,

Author and columnist for The Washington Post

While our politics and the campaigns that shape them are growing more turbulent and intense, there is no one better suited to diagnose what is driving this phenomenon, and how to bridge the divide, than elections veterans like Ed and Celinda. They speak with authority and expertise on public opinion because they have dedicated their entire careers to understanding it. In my own experience, Ed has been a trusted advisor who not only talks about restoring our countrys civic life to a healthy, vibrant, condition he lives it. I cant recommend highly enough the framework he and Celinda provide here to mend our public discourse.

Senator John Boozman ,

Arkansas

Anyone who has spent any significant portion of their life enmeshed in American politics knows that the tenor of todays political debate--the viciousness, the contempt, the anger--has plummeted to a new depth. Theres simply no way our country will address its biggest challenges if Democrats and Republicans are more inclined to undermine one another than to solve real problems together. In A Question of Respect , two people who really know the ins and outs of Washington unpack whats gone wrong and how we might right the ship. Every challenge we face today as a nation depends on our finding a solution to this problem first. If you want to understand the underlying dynamics, read this book.

Nancy Jacobson,

CEO & Founder No Labels Helped establish Problem Solvers Caucus

Our democracy is facing a crisis. At a time when a growing number of Americans are losing faith in government, politics, and the media, A Question of Respect: Bringing us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation offers a comprehensive blueprint for restoring confidence in the institutions that are the very fabric of our democracy. With the expertise of Ed Goeas and Celinda Laketwo political veterans who understand the nuances of messaging and media in our politicsthis book offers a keen understanding of how we reached this point and some of the key figures responsible. Historically, our country was forged on fierce debate, followed by compromise for the common good. Ed and Celinda chronicle the seismic changes in our politics from the 2nd half of the 20th century through today, while also giving us hope that our politics can move to a better place. Now more than ever, this book is vitally important.