American Association of Political Consultants Gives Top Awards to Bush-Cheney Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman and Campaign Team For New Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko
1/24/2005 5:29:00 PM
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To: National Desk
Contact: Kevin O'Neill of the American Association of Political Consultants, 202-544-9815
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The opening event of the Inaugural Pollie Awards & Conference featured a double billing that reflected the global nature of politics today. Ken Mehlman received the coveted "Campaign Manager Of The Year" award for his effective management of the Bush/Cheney presidential ticket, while the newly installed government of the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko shared with the American political firm, Aristotle International, the Special Award for "International Campaign Team of the Year" to honor the courageous struggle that against long odds successfully implemented transparent democracy in the Ukraine. The American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), which gives the awards and hosts the largest gathering of political consultants, meets annually to confer special recognition on its members for achievements in the prior election year. Besides the highlighting of outstanding accomplishment, the awards have special significance following a presidential election, both here in the United States and the other on the far side of Eastern Europe.
In presenting the awards at the kick-off ceremony, Wayne Johnson, AAPC President noted that, "our organization recognizes the importance of open and free political processes and communications, as many of our members actively participate in international campaigns. This award is a tribute to President Viktor Yushchenko and the 'Orange Revolution,' and the technological and communications contributions that Aristotle International Team made to his campaign."
Art Hackney, conference co-chair, said,
"Ken Mehlman led an unprecedented presidential election effort that has been hailed as the best planned and executed presidential campaign ever. The AAPC is a bipartisan organization that promotes excellence and ethics among campaign professionals and Mehlman received this honor with unanimous support from both Democrats and Republicans alike." Ken Mehlman, Ukrainian Minister Counselor Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky, and Aristotle International's CEO John Phillips, accepted their respective awards Friday night at the Park Hyatt hotel. In accepting the award for President Yushchenko, Ukrainian Counselor Minister, Sergiy Korsunsky, said "that the recognition was a tribute to the steadfast commitment of his people to the dual principles of freedom and democracy." In accepting the award for Aristotle International, the company's CEO, John Phillips noted, "As the oldest nonpartisan firm dedicated to the success of democracy and human rights in every country on earth, we are especially proud to have had the privilege to stand alongside the people of Ukraine and their fearless leaders, Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko, in exposing voter fraud and supporting the advance of democracy.
On Saturday, the AAPC conference featured top political operatives of both parties in panel discussions looking back at the 2004 election and ahead to the mid-term election of 2006. The Pollie Award banquet Saturday evening -- known as the "Academy Awards of Politics" -- presented awards for best television, radio, newspaper, direct mail, internet and phone categories from a record 1,660 entries from across the country. The conference concluded Sunday with a panel looking at the political landscape ahead that generated the breaking news that Sara Taylor had been named the new Political Director at the White House with the departure of current Political Director Matt Schlapp, who used the panel to heap praise on his replacement's qualifications.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
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