Remarks from Jo Cooper

Thank you, Fred Upton.  To receive that generous introduction from you means the world to me.  In a town characterized by harsh divisions, you are a consensus builder – and I know I speak for everyone here in saying we respect and salute you. Thank you to my colleagues in the Foundation.  That people I hold in such high regard have chosen me as worthy of their recognition is gratifying beyond words. I would also like to say congratulations to the Foundation’s fellows.  It gives me hope to see men and women of such talent entering this profession. And thank you, Linda Dooley.  I am sure you agree with me we all owe Linda a big sign of our thanks.  In addition, I would like to express gratitude to my family, friends, and colleagues without whose help, mentoring and support I could not have done anything in this life.  Finally, let me add my congratulations to Senator Lieberman for his award this evening.  Senator, I believe accounts of Congressional history will confirm your name among the Greats.  It fills me with humility to share this platform with you.

It is an honor and pleasure to accept this year’s award.  I have learned from the best, been taught by the finest, and follow in the footsteps of the enlightened and successful!  What an incredible experience! In the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life, we in our profession do not often have the time to reflect on the significance of our role here in Washington.  Let’s face it, we do not build things… we do not create new technologies… we do not unearth scientific discoveries. BUT… We clear the path for those who do to accomplish their jobs.

I was recently speaking with a group of visiting foreign executives.  They quizzed me on what it means to be a lobbyist. It is simple: we help preserve the freedom for first-class people and high-quality organizations to perform excellent works for all humanity. This is my message tonight:  professional advocacy — lobbying — done well is a worthy, admirable, and essential occupation.  Our gathering here affords us an opportunity to showcase advocacy as an irreplaceable contributor to the national welfare… to highlight the diverse and far-ranging information, skills, and talents required… and to celebrate what all of us accomplish.

Our nation’s Founders understood the essential role for articulate and knowledgeable people – not just elected officials — to step forward and present the needs of the people to their government.  That is why they protected this function in the First Amendment to the Constitution:

Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech…or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Lobbyists have been characterized in many ways:  Honest brokers… manipulators… visionaries… obstructers… leaders… liars… crisis managers… crisis exploiters. And many more terms – some of which reflect a profound misunderstanding of what we do and of what government in a free society means.  There is no way to succeed long-term in this profession without an unsullied reputation for honesty. There is no way to serve a client without bringing vision to the halls of government… often a vision for how to adjust contentious legislation so it commands a broad consensus and serves the greater good. Thomas Jefferson wrote: “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”  We carry forward Jefferson’s spirit. This is a profession that requires leadership and crisis management skills every single day. Sometimes convincing our own colleagues and leaders of the best course forward is the most difficult challenge we face.  We have all been there.  We all know. This reality is not new.

The thoughts I share with you tonight were the life principles of the man for whom this foundation is named….Bryce Harlow.  Bryce Harlow taught that trust and respect are the foundation of our world. He insisted on remembering every minute of every professional day what it means to walk in the shoes of those we seek to persuade and assist. He set an example of reaching across the political aisle and to all parts of the ideological spectrum, creating out of whole cloth public policy advances and solutions that truly made a difference. He celebrated the hard work of building relationships and taking risks to construct workable coalitions… of providing answers and credible ideas and demonstrating the wisdom of finding a common path forward… not sinking into a swamp of hostility and division.

It is that role… the role he defined… the role he exemplified… the role for which he set the standard… that all of us in this profession are so proud to play. And in these contentious times, it is that role of consensus builder and peacemaker that is so often under attack. And because it is under attack, it is all the more essential for all of us to work even more conscientiously and thoughtfully to fulfill our mission and maintain our integrity and credibility.  When process breaks down, all parties, all players, all sectors of our national life suffer.

Like you, I must frequently remind my clients — Washington does not work like business works.  Often in this business, there is not a perfect translation or sound logic for actions taken to the outcomes that follow.  Devising the appropriate response from a company or an industry to the clarion call of the legislators and the regulators can be a daunting task.  We have to interpret Washington for our corporate leaders and colleagues, so there is no misunderstanding and misinterpretation.  Many of us work for organizations that struggle to understand Washington and what we do here — from engagement with elected and government officials to working with special interest groups to co-exist and build working alliances. The bottom line is, that as government has grown, advocacy and lobbying have necessarily played an increasingly crucial role in public policy development.

We labor to advance our company’s goals and our industry’s objectives as part of solving global problems …which requires good ideas, credible data and information to educate and be an honest broker. And with social media, blogs, and the 24/7 global market place always on the move, lobbying takes on an even more dynamic dimension than before.  And yet, while information matters, it is not a substitute for deliberation, dialogue and reality checks… for people talking with people in an atmosphere of respect and trust. We also all know that our profession requires more than a passing taste for combat. And when crisis overtakes us, we have to protect and defend our companies as warriors would.  Be fearless.  Be a samurai.  We have to have courage, get the facts and manage the crisis, overcoming interventions from the media, from our friends, our allies and opponents.  We have to exhibit clear vision and give levelheaded responses.  And keep moving forward against sometimes- incredible challenges, while maintaining our honesty, integrity, and credibility.

We… all of us in this room and this profession… have our own personal lists of challenges met and outcomes achieved.  And we all know that these results and accomplishments were not obtained in a vacuum.  Every one of them takes a team… an ethos… a dedication to the common purpose and greater good that brings us all together. I want to thank all of you here tonight who make this process work and work so well.

Let me share with you my vision for the future of our profession and of the political process we serve.  It is for:

  • A world where we can work successfully across the political aisle.
  • A world where government, the private sector, and special interests. compromise to create win-win legislative and regulatory outcomes.
  • A world where civility and trust return.
  • A world where lobbyists are appreciated!
  • A world with a bright future and a golden path onward for our nation and our world.

Thank you for this honor.  I accept it, not for myself, but on behalf of everyone in our essential…and noble profession.