Sherpa (political consultant)
A sherpa is an experienced Washington D.C. political consultant brought on to guide an administration's nominee to Senate approval.[1]
History of the usage[edit]
Sherpa is a word taken from the language of the Sherpa, a nomadic people of the Himalayas. It literally means 'people of the East'.[2] The English word sherpa originally referred to people hired as porters and guides by climbers of the Himalayan Mountains. Sherpas have a long history of helping to navigate difficult mountain terrain. Senate confirmation has been compared to mountain climbing: dangerous and exhausting. Like the Himalayan climbers, nominees need guides "through the obstacle course of interviews and hearings".[3]
Role[edit]
Supreme Court and top Cabinet post nominations have become increasingly partisan and contentious. Nominees for these positions now have designated sherpas with extensive political experience and are reliable.[4] Sub-cabinet nominees are generally handled by department level political staff.[5] The role of chief strategist and stage manager, to get someone confirmed, is unpaid, largely out of public view and without official title.[6] The role has many facets:
- Media messenger – shaping the candidate's image, devising strategies to deal with reporters and coordinating calls with key senators[4]
- Traffic cop – everybody wants a bit of time with the nominee[4]
- Liaison with both the Senate and the administration; act as escort for nominee to meet senators and be an adviser for the president[7]
- Coach – what to say and when to say it and how to have proper demeanor:[5] low profile, suitably humble, deferential, polite and persuasive in answering questions[6]
- Confidant and sounding board[4]
- Counselor[4] and hand holder[6]
Notable examples[edit]
- Kelly Ayotte for Justice Neil Gorsuch[2]
- Jon Kyl for Justice Brett Kavanaugh[2]
- Ken Duberstein for Justices David Souter and Clarence Thomas[4]
- Fred D. Thompson and Ed Gillespie for Chief Justice John Roberts[4]
- Michael S. Berman for Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg[4]
- Doug Jones for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson[7]
- Cynthia Hogan for Justice Sonia Sotomayor[8]
- Tom Korologos for Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and Justice Antonin Scalia[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ McCutcheon, Chuck; Mark, David (2014-09-02). Dog Whistles, Walk-Backs, and Washington Handshakes: Decoding the Jargon, Slang, and Bluster of American Political Speech. ForeEdge from University Press of New England. ISBN 978-1-61168-657-9. p.25
- ^ a b c Zimmer, Ben (2018-07-31). "Why Do Supreme Court Nominees Have 'Sherpas'?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
- ^ Nerozzi, Timothy (2022-02-18). "What is a Supreme Court 'Sherpa?'". Fox News. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lee, Christopher (2005-09-09). "Hill Veterans Light the Way for Nominee". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
- ^ a b Hagedorn, Sara L.; LeMay, Michael C. (2019-06-24). The American Congress: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6581-7. p. 131
- ^ a b c d e Greenhouse, Linda; Times, Special To the New York (1986-08-18). "WASHINGTON TALK: WORKING PROFILE; STEERING NOMINEES OVER CAPITOL HILL: TOM C. KOROLOGOS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
- ^ a b "Biden taps former Senator Doug Jones as "sherpa" to guide Supreme Court pick". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
- ^ "Prepping Sotomayor for hearings: Get your game face on - CNN.com". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2022-05-24.