🔥From AI to Alabama football, James Carville delivered an unfiltered masterclass on winning elections at AAPC’s Southern Regional Conference. For consultants: forget moral posturing, focus on powerful stories, and never underestimate the weird, wonderful bonds of campaign life.

Catch the highlights from his unforgettable speech below.

In politics, no matter your role or experience level, you’re in the business of persuasion. Everyone’s a pitchman—or woman—whether you’re rallying voters on the trail, strategizing behind the scenes, or crunching numbers in the data trenches. And few understand how to sell a message better than James Carville.

At our Southern Regional Conference in New Orleans, the AAPC Hall of Fame inductee didn’t hold back—he rarely does. In a conversation that spanned everything from AI to Alabama football, Carville delivered a masterclass in political messaging, blending hard truths with wild anecdotes, all wrapped in his signature mix of irreverence and insight.

Here’s what consultants should take away:

Cut the Moral Superiority—Win Instead
Carville lit into (in his view) Democrats’ tendency to chase moral high ground over power: “There’s been an element of the Democratic Party that just wanted to feel morally superior… That’s how you come up with this jacka** identity politics.” The takeaway for consultants on any side of the aisle–build coalitions around real, kitchen-table issues.

Inspiration Still Matters
In a media-saturated era, charisma cuts through. On the Dem side, Carville asserted that “We haven’t had an inspirational candidate since 2012… People want someone they’d charge a hill with.” Translation: your candidate needs to feel like a leader. Build the narrative around that energy—not just the issues.

Campaigns Are Family (Dysfunctional, Maybe—But Family)
Carville got nostalgic about the grind: “The relationships you make in campaigns are the most lasting… you drink, eat, make out with the same people.” It’s a brutal business—but the highs are unmatched. If you’re in it, you’re in it for the war and the weirdness.

His bottom line: adapt, be honest, and never forget—“There’s nothing more powerful on Earth than a reason.”