Has technology replaced the need for shaking hands, kissing babies, making country fairs, often described as "retail politics"?  How should campaign officials and candidates optimize the “retail politics” experiences?  What are some of the issues all politicians should consider when considering whether to employ a pollster and when determining whom to hire? What is the political climate--has it changed over the past year and if so, what should candidates with upcoming races do to position themselves in their next election run?