Ahh the media is finally beginning to pay some attention to this Rezko mess that around Barack Obama.

Here’s a new blog from the Chicago Tribune following the day-by-day Rezko trial updates.

Add it to your daily reading list.

With the STORM network readying to launch, we are extremely excited to launch a new and powerful SMS recruitment system nationwide. Now signing up for your local CR chapter isn’t tied to a recruitment table or event, every CR across the country is empowered to sign up their friends and peers with nothing more then a smile and a cell phone.

If you have someone who wants to get signed up for College Republicans is as easy as texting CRNC Full Name Email (school email preferred)  and Zip to 30364

Chapters across the country have a great opportunity to find some new faces in new places (pardon the rhyme). Email this code out to your members and ask them to invite one student from a class they have to sign up using their cell phone.Then, on Feb 4th when Storm launches you’ll have a head start with some new, excited activists on campus.

Anyone who watched the campaign for National Chairman last year knows that an important voice throughout was the most famous (or infamous depending on your take) of CR blogs, Truth Caucus. While I’m not sure it was a compliment, he threw up one of my favorite photos of the National Officers.  And he’s right, the times are changing: being youthful, positive, and inspired is good for us and good for the party.  

CR Nation has a good post, mentioned below by Ethan, on recruitment on campus.

It’s worth the read, and I’d like to add a few little tips and reminders just to keep the conversation going and maybe add a little spark to your recruiting efforts on campus.

1) Spring recruitment is often something that is discounted in importance by many chapters because the fall recruiting wave was either so successful that we choose to ride the wave through until the next year, or so uh…bad…that we give up and assume things won’t be different in the spring. It’s vitally important that we don’t make this mistake for a few reasons. First, there are many new students that show up in the spring after transferring schools that would not otherwise know about your organization if you didn’t tell them. Two, as is the case right now, campuses come alive as we approach campaign season and now is an excellent chance to capture the people who catch the political fever first. Lastly, we’re going to need as many people as possible in the fall and we do not have the luxury of waiting all summer long to begin building our ranks in the fall - we need them plugged in now!

2) No matter the season, we have to show some energy and enthusiasm while recruiting. Sitting behind the table, or recruiting via hopeful gazes doesn’t do much to build our chapters. Get up, move around, have some music playing, throw some things (preferably not very hard), and get some attention! Go get people and bring them to the table, or have two people walking around together with a clip board while two others are at the table. Don’t be afraid to joke around and have a good time. Remember: college students want to have fun, even while practicing politics.

3) On the CR Nation list, they list some things to have at the table. Those are all good ideas, but I would like to emphasize the flier for your next meeting. Some new members might not get entered into your email list right away, or are simply forgetful, and this is a great way to leave them with a little reminder about the meeting coming up tomorrow. Make sure to have a funny slogan, all the details, and a reason to come (pizza is a good start).

4) Recruit at events! When people are streaming in to see your speaker, are sitting in the rows before the movie, or are leaving the BBQ you had setup - grab their info!

5) Recruit often! One table a semester doesn’t get everyone. Move the table around for the next time your recruit, and have one up at least once a month but try to get as close to once a week as possible.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for right now…

If you have suggestions about tips to include email them on over csmith AT crnc.org

Citizens United has put together quite a movie it looks like here. Below, find two trailers for Hillary: The Movie:

CRs everywhere should embrace movies like these as great opportunities to rally the conservative base on campus. Advertise the heck out of it and hold a movie night. To add something more, bring in a speaker who is an expert on the topic to give a little intro to the film and take questions afterwards.

“I know that Congress has low approval ratings. I wouldn’t approve of Congress, because we haven’t done anything.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D)

This video is hilarious and informative at the same time.

Rep. Eric Cantor’s (R) new media team has been very active. These are things that CRs could be making constantly to fill a major void in the GOP’s campaign apparatus. I really encourage CRs around the nation to go grab iMovie, Final Cut Pro, or some other video editing software, and start cutting some clever YouTube videos.

We all remember the giant Flip-Flops and Flipper the dolphin trailing John Kerry around to his fundraisers, speeches, and rallies. They were so eager to help the good Senator, that they seemed to never leave his side and were constantly appearing on TV to represent his positions.

Of course, Flipper couldn’t have done it all by himself, he needed CRs to don the costume and trot into enemy territory - but hey, that’s what we’re for! CRs are made to do bracketing events!

The post below captures a perfect example of the Rhode Island CRs pulling off a spectacular bracketing event. They took an issue that Hillary really didn’t need to have in the press, and made it the story of the event by injecting some dry humor into the situation and having a few dozen CRs there to make he point. Congrats!

Bracketing is like putting bookends on either side of an opponent’s event to make sure that the story coming out deals not with how great a fundraiser Hillary had, but instead that she has always been a supporter of the war and will continue to be. The purpose is to expose the truth to the people watching at home, and humor usually is the most effective way of accomplishing this in a short 10 second shot on the nightly news.

College Republicans nationwide should be engaging their local political scene with such bracketing events. Don’t wait until next fall to get started; now is the time to excite your membership, dust off that old Flipper costume, and storm the enemy’s barricades! The public deserves to hear the truth!

PS: Remember to always bring your video camera (or digital camera at the very, very least) and capture the whole thing on film. Do a little editing for quality’s sake and throw it up on YouTube for the world to see. You can then include the link in any post-event press releases.

Every now and then, an inquiring reporter calls up the office and I’m able to give some answers about the direction of the GOP, the youth movement, or current events. I enjoy this because it gives me a channel as the representative of the organization to speak directly to thousands of people and, of course, I encourage all local and state CR leaders to seek out as much positive media attention as they can find.

Here’s a segment I did with XM Radio on their POTUS channel (dedicated to politicis in 2008 24/7) along with Chris Brooks from GWU and some of our friends across the aisle. You follow the link and then download the podcast for free through iTunes.

Plus, it’s fun to rag on the lefties with everyone listening…