It's February 2007, and everyone wants to talk to me...
At least, everyone who's running for president. While I certainly feel special, I'm not sure if all this talk is a boost for the election or a bullet to the foot.
Truth be told, I'm a little worried for our candidates. Check any blog, semi-political website, and now even some magazines, and Bill, Obama, Hillary, Mitt, John and that other John all want to have a conversation with you. Gee, I'm sure we all feel special, but I can't help but wonder. The confetti is barely swept up and the ballots have just been shredded, and already the gate's opened back up and they're off again. Anyone else feel like we barely had time to catch our breath?
For those of us reading this site, we're not your average American group of people. While we enjoy politics and all the mysterious inner-workings of it, most others develop a rash just thinking about it.
We are not representative of the majority of this state or this country. Try as hard as we might, but most Americans don't do politics. Voter registration and turnout is worse than pulling teeth because most Americans have to be shamed into voting.
Here in Michigan we've already seen the nasty backlash that over-advertising and promotion have on election results. Amway Guy was way up in the polls in June and July, but come August his numbers started to drop. The constant bombardment of his TV, web, and print ads were more than even the most die-hard Republican could handle. Dick wanted you to have a conversation with him when you read the morning paper, checked the weather on TV, and received a text message on your cell phone. That flush of $30 million down the toilet was music to the Democrats ears. Simply put, that can't be us next year.
I have no doubt that there is a fine line to walk between voter outreach and over-advertising. I need to ask though, because as someone who both enjoys politics and is excited for what November of next year will bring, I'm already beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. Just imagine how most of America is starting to feel.
If you could give our candidates a couple words of wisdom, what would you advise? After all, we're the people they really want to talk too...
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3 comments:
They do want to talk to us. But mostly right now they need money. So they have started talking now to anyone who will donate money to them.
In fact, there's an article in today's Chicago Sun-Times about how Clinton and Obama are splitting the Hollywood crowd.
DeVos was more than overexposed, overhyped and overfunded - he was underqualified!
My advice is take a page from the Republicans. Do opposition research on potential candidates. Use our vast network of bloggers and progressive blog readers. Push each District to have Watch blogs and get volunteers to comb local media for information and to attend events. Share our research with the Democratic candidates in each District and use our own blogs.
And that's my two cents.
I think that the two major party nominees aren't even running yet. Hillary will use up a lot of oxygen, but there's no way she can win.
My guess, Gore and Gingrich get the respective Democratic and Republican nominations.
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