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The keys to victory
This blog is not about a preference for either John McCain or Barack Obama. It’s about how Obama won by recognizing the new paradigms of campaigning in 2008. As a part-time political junkie, I am as much interested in the “how” as the “what” of a campaign. And the differences in how the two candidates planned their campaigns was staggering.
Obama used people who were more attuned to public relations, branding and social media than the old line political strategist personified by Karl Rove in 2000 and 2004. An online magazine called BNETS contrasted the differences in the two candidates’ web sites. Obama’s was a calming blue, simple to navigate with the important actions colored in a bright red. McCain’s was okay, but somewhat jumbled with lots of different type styles and no continuity.
A nice web site, however, probably doesn’t get a candidate elected. Obama’s brain trust recognized that there were new ways to reach people, solicit donations, recruit volunteers and spread his message. Can you imagine George Bush in a YouTube video other than a satire? Obama was all over the social networking sites, many of which I’ve never even heard of like Glee, Linkedin and MiGente.
Obama did have a message that resonated but getting it to millions of new eyes and ears through new media was genius, according to an article by Peter Snyder in the online edition of Advertising Age. McCain’s staff should have seen how Obama beat Hillary Clinton for the nomination, contesting the selection process in all 50 states and showing voters how they could be involved. They didn’t, however, following the old strategy of believing they’d carry the traditionally red states like Virginia and North Carolina leaving the campaign to fight in the battleground states of Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.
McCain was certainly hampered by Bush’s failures. Whoever got the Democratic nomination was going to start with a huge advantage. As the Advertising Age article and comments pointed out, the financial crisis and stock market crash was the final nail in the Republican coffin. It took the momentum out of McCain’s campaign by pushing it out of the headlines. It’s a tribute to McCain’s sheer will that he didn’t get whitewashed as another Arizona senator, Barry Goldwater, did 44 years ago.
Just as newspapers are undergoing a transformational change, this presidential election will be viewed as the one that changed how politicians campaign.
Comments
By ken
November 22, 2008 4:20 AM | Link to this
The election McCain vs Obama. Couple thoughts on this one. Obama having the support of his own group plus that of Clinton’s base sure brought out the numbers—once he won the Democratic nod and then Obama/Clinton reached agreement on mutual support (he for the Presidency—she for ‘reward’ of some position in the administration in return for her voters— the combined efforts turned out enough voters to win.
How about another angle?… far out, our maybe not—what do you think?… Early on I thought President Bush wasn’t out on the political trails for McCain like former Presidents usually are. Remember, they were rivals for the highest office just a few years ago, not always the best of friends. Bush didn’t go to the Republican convention due to being in Texas getting ready for disaster response (Hurricane Ike).
Many say Bush didn’t go on the campaign trail for McCain due to not wanting to have his unpopular Presidency negatively affect McCain.
Well, many know in following election trends that whichever party has held the Presidency for two terms is likely to lose out to the other party in the next election for one major reason— voters want ‘change’… change in administrations/political party— that part doesn’t have much to do with how good either of the candidates is… just that voters will opt for another view in that election (someone taught me that back in the early 1980’s when I was involved with some light political lobbying).
Now for the ‘way out’.. or maybe not… what are the chances that President Bush REALLY wanted to see Obama win rather than McCain? Bush is an honorable man— one who took the brunt of 9/11 on his shoulders—- a very scary time for many of us.
Why would I even think that Bush could favor Obama for the White House? OK, he didn’t go out and politic for McCain aggressively. He showed the best of ‘class’ when he invited Sen. and Mrs Obama in for the tour of the White House and announced intentions of trying to help for the smoothest of transitions.
20 years after the Martin Luther King fiasco (1968—Memphis) there is someone to carry on the Dream, and a candidate who with much support would bring much talent into his administration (similar to how Pres Reagan pulled in the best team around him).
Did President Bush think McCain’s pick for Vice-President couldn’t be as likely to carry the torch as Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, who knows.
If my thoughts on this one weren’t totally wrong, they seemed to be supported just a little this week when a cable news channel political discussion group brought up that Bush’s taking a position with Iraq on troop pullouts and timetables in fact undermined McCain’s campaign and chances of winning. How about that?
Right or wrong, I would like to think that Bush did in fact indirectly help Obama to win— knowing that trends would favor the party out of power and wanting the new man to have a better political environment than he’d had the last several years.
How will history judge Bush— in the short term, many are judging him harshly… in the long term, I’ll bet he gets acknowledged for much more than we’ve seen lately.
OK, maybe that’s wishful thinking or thinking that Bush can be the best of the best and even admire someone from another party but, maybe he watched Cosby like many of us and thought the Huxtable effect could work for Obama in the White House.
Nice piece of fantasy/fiction, huh, or not.
By d sue flynn
December 1, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
Mr. Woodin:
Justin Boulmay (see Dec 31, 2006 article) contacted me, in 2006 when he did an article about our foundation in California in the memory of my 10 y/o son, Mac.
www.macflynnmillerfoundation.org
We assist kids/families with celebrations of life and funerals for kids with pediatric cancer and grant wishes for kids with cancer in conjunction with Mr. Pop who does a yearly celebration of life in N.C.
I need help with a little kid named Hanna in Smithfield who has been sick her whole life with cancer. It is the end of her life and for her celebration of life they want a banquet, etc. at her funeral/celebration of life.
Please help us as I just opened a house for kids with cancer in Mac’s memory specifically for families upon the death of their child and I just do not have the resources for this celebration of life.
I am assisting a family with a funeral for a 4-year-old boy in Florida named Emmanuel who died last Sunday the 23rd of Nov as well, so I need help with Hanna’s please!!