Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Media Coverage of Stump Campaigning - September 12th
Why does stump campaigning remain an important part of the political process? How are the media framing their coverage of each campaign’s cross-country travels? Refer to at least one of the class readings for this week to support your response to the first question and offer examples of media coverage from two outlets (your assigned outlet and a second outlet of your choice) of both the Romney/Ryan and Obama/Biden campaigns when answering the second question.
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Stump campaigning remains an important part of the political process for numerous reasons. Simply, candidates want to reach out to the individuals who have the deciding factor in their future. They target areas that have the most potential for gaining votes. “Typically, they will write off about 30 percent of the district as hopeless…Candidates then target the remaining 70 percent, those precincts where their party runs strong, where a close election is likely, or where ticket-splitting is common” (Trent et al 181). Candidates focus on specific locations where supportive individuals live. They also speak in areas where voting could go either way. By campaigning in these swing areas, they bring their message directly to the people. Candidates demonstrate their interest and personality up close and personal with undecided and supportive voters, who hopefully will vote for them.
ReplyDeletePersonality is also a major factor involved in stump campaigning. As mentioned previously, when candidates are touring the country they are communicating face to face with all types of individuals. Not only are they spreading their messages and ideas to change people’s opinions, so too are they presenting their image. “All candidates, whether they campaign using the strategies of incumbency of those of the challenger, must do and say whatever it is that will enhance voter perception of them” (Trent et al 71). By speaking with a local farmer or auto worker, candidates are demonstrating their interest in everyday American society. Photographs are dispersed of supporters shaking a candidate’s hand or laughing with them. Just recently, a photo of President Obama has circulated of him being lifted off of the ground in a hug by a local pizza shop owner. CNN covered the story in a quick segment about the incident, complete with video. These visuals create the identity of a fun individual who can kick-back with the average American. With current stump campaigning, candidates are seen interacting with the public to display their views and their personality.
The intensity of stump campaigning has increased within the past week as the Republic and Democratic National Conventions have ended, both declaring their official presidential candidate. According to the article “Flush with Cash, Romney Moves into Obama Territory, Upper Midwest States” from Fox News, Romney’s stump campaigning will focus on his and Ryan’s home states, that have previously voted Democrat. It discussed the television ads they will run, which may force Obama’s team to spend more money campaigning in the upper Midwest states. Romney is also hoping for his running mate to increase voters among the middle-class and for Ann Romney to gain women’s votes. Simply with the title, Fox News is projecting the idea that Romney’s fundraising will gain support through increased advertising over the next few months.
(Audrey Lawrence cont.)
DeleteOver on the Huffington Post, the article “Obama: Not a Nation in Decline, Republicans are ‘Dead Wrong,’” covers Obama’s campaign trail through Florida and Virginia, speaking to college students and local business owners. His message is to renew the hope that he inspired four years ago during his first presidential election. Again, we see the image factor play into the importance of stump campaigning. The article details the restaurants and individuals President Obama spoke with, speaking with undecided voters he met there. While mainly focusing on Obama, the article relates some of Romney’s campaigning, highlighting his changing statements in a blame-game of cuts to military spending.
Overall, stump campaigning is still an important part of the political process, even if its methods have changed over the years from front porch speeches to YouTube videos. Ultimately, the election boils down to a popularity contest, often determining a winner from the categories of attractiveness and personality. By focusing on a candidate’s strengths in inter-personal conversation, campaigns can provide material for undecided and uninterested voters to grasp.
https://twitter.com/dougmillsnyt/status/244876871202918400
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvkN3ODGn-I&feature=player_embedded
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/09/race-may-be-down-to-handful-unknowns/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/08/obama-2012_n_1867203.html?utm_hp_ref=politics&utm_hp_ref=politics
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DeleteStephanie Griffin
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning remains an important part of the political process because not only does it give the candidates an opportunity to speak about their accomplishments, goals, and plans; the campaigns also allow media to take advantage of their resources to supply news stories, advertisements, sound bites, and enhance information about the candidates during the election season. Media have been utilized to cover such political events, from the times of the Federalist Papers written by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton (Semiatan 140); to the expansion of new media forms such as the internet and social media (Semiatan 151). As Trent, Freidenberg, and Denton all discuss in Political Campaign Communication, there are many strategies to stump campaigning for each candidate, whether he/she is an incumbent or challenger (Trent 88 & 103). There are many similar approaches for speeches from each candidate; however, sometimes their messages express slightly different views.
As discussed in Political Campaign Communication, the incumbent candidate as well as the challenging candidate must have specific messages drawn from their speeches to indicate why each one would be the next best politician for that running office. As I compared Obama’s acceptance speech to Romney’s acceptance speech from their respected conventions on ABC news, I picked up different and similar messages. The incumbent candidate, being Obama, is supposed to express specific strategies through his campaigning such as “creating pseudo events to attract and control media attention,” “manipulating the economy or other important domestic issues,” “emphasizing accomplishments,” and “depending on surrogates for the campaign trail” (Trent 88). It was clear in his acceptance speech that president Obama was relying on what he had accomplished during his past four years as commander in chief to hold onto voters for this year’s election. Yet, Obama didn’t go into so much detail. As Yahoo news wrote, “…instead of lofty promises and loftier rhetoric, Obama soberly acknowledged that the economic recovery was slow, while earnestly mounting an argument that his policies are working, and will be better for America's future than those proposed by opponent Mitt Romney” describing his speech was rather “safe” than indulging (Obama’s Convention Speech). Yet, now that the conventions are over, both Obama and Romney will start to expand their campaign trail and visit many states across the country, especially the “swing” states, to win voters. During the campaign trail, the candidates will have an opportunity to utilize certain strategies to gain voters- through this, voters should begin to differentiate between each candidate.
Compared to the incumbent candidates, challengers play a new role during their campaign process. Challengers’ strategies insist of “attacking the record of opponents,” “calling for a change,” and “emphasizing optimism for the future” (Trent 103). Although it may seem difficult to go against a candidate who has already been in office for the past four years, however, I have noticed especially from his acceptance speech that Romney continues to ensure on a better future with him in office. Yet, he hasn’t gone into so much detail on his plans yet. He should be able to further this strategy during the rest of his campaigning to display “why [he] is running” and is the better candidate (Trent 190). This is where the candidates have already started spreading their campaign nationwide to discuss more of their plans and the main issues to be handled. These allow the media to cover stories and frame their campaigns in certain aspects.
Media has always played an important role during political campaigns, from the days of newspapers, to television and radio, and now even to the internet where information is just a click away. Media groups have already been following the candidates since earlier this year. Some of the ways media is framing their coverage of each campaign is not by utilizing the candidate himself, but rather speaking to surrogates of the candidate to help endorse his campaign. For example, Chuck Norris was featured on Fox News with Mike Huckabee this past Sunday to discuss his PSA that has recently begin broadcasting just in time for Romney’s campaign to kick off. In short, Norris expressed his support for Romney stating, “President Obama did his best, it just wasn’t good enough […] Do we want another four years of a leader that doesn’t have that experience? I think it’s time that we get a leader in there that does” (Fox News Insider). This clearly express the role of surrogates during the political campaign, in which media does not have to solely use sound bites from candidate’s speeches; they can go to other people (whether they are celebrities, politicians, or American voters) to express ideas of each campaign to the public. Yet, media also depend on what the candidates are talking about to inform Americans about what the candidates are trying to get across. ABC news has followed Obama’s campaign since the end of the DNC last week. In comparison to Romney’s campaign, Emily Freidman of ABC news writes, “It is the first month the Obama campaign has raised more cash than Romney since April when the GOP candidate collected $40.1 million to Obama’s $43.6 million” (Freidman). This may express a head start for the Obama campaign because the more money they raise for the campaigns, the more traveling as well as advertising will be completed before Election Day.
ReplyDelete“Fox News Insider." Insider Exclusive: Chuck Norris Previews His “Huckabee” Interview, 8 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .
Friedman, Emily. "Obama’s $114M in August Outpaces Romney’s Loot." ABC News. ABC News Network, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .
"Obama's 'dull and Pedestrian' Convention Speech: Why Did He Play It Safe?" Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 07 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .
Semiatin, Richard J. Campaigns on the Cutting Edge. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA.: CQ, 2012. Print.
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton,, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lenham: Rowman &
Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Griffin 2 (Cont)- See Above
DeleteStump campaigns allow candidates to inform publics of the ways in which live crowds react to a candidate. Humans, being biologically predisposed to partake in behavioral bandwagoning, see the reaction of their societal equal, or the crowds attending a particular rally or speech, and are apt to feel the same way and possess the same excitement for the future success of a candidate (WiseGeek). In her book entitled, Political Campaign Communication, Judith Trent discusses the ways in which campaign visits affect modern day society, writing, “In no other way is the mystique of the presidency more visible than it is during a presidential campaign visit almost anywhere in the country…It matters little whether or not we plan to vote for the incumbent; regardless of how dull and unimaginative the president may have been before living in the White House, once there, the office itself envelops the president in its aura or charisma” (Trent et. Al. 87). She goes on to state, “The glamour and excitement, the drama and pageantry of a presidential visit will, even if just for a time, transfer the charisma of the office to them” (Trent et. Al. 88). As Trent explains, a public’s reaction to a presidential campaign visit is normally one of excitement. Due to the extensive media coverage of most stump campaigns, the excitement of crowds can be conveyed to publics consuming any specific media outlet, thus ensuring the exposure of said public to their excited peers, and in turn, transferring to them the excitement for the overall success of a specific candidate.
ReplyDeleteTIME magazine ensured to inform the public of the enthusiastic supporters that greeted President Barack Obama on his campaign stop in Florida. With shirtsleeves rolled and his top button undone, Obama entered a dimly lit “Mom and Pop” Pizza shop and engaged in an enthusiastic high-five handshake with a sweaty, t-shirt wearing, bear of a man named Scott Van Duzer. Not only did Van Duzer verbally express his excitement of the president’s appearance, but he proceeded to enthusiastically embrace the president, deadlifting him off the ground in an excited bear hug. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDSYoduheEo&feature=player_embedded). Van Duzer went on to exclaim, “Man, I am so excited.” The media’s framing of said instance displays to the public the excitement that one man has for the appearance of Obama. Due to the amplification of TIME’s media coverage, the public is informed of citizens’ enthusiasm for Obama, thus creating the bandwagon of which media consumers are encouraged to join.
In a similar fashion, CBS informed its viewing publics of Paul Ryan’s appearance at the Ohio State football game. Fans of Ohio State, already assembled outside the football arena, were shown cheering for the vice presidential hopeful as he and his caravan of campaign officials paraded through the parking lot of tailgaters (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505267_162-57505132/romney-looks-to-build-on-theme-of-disappointment-with-obama/). However, as Trent states within her book, “It matters little whether or not we plan to vote for the incumbent [or candidate]… the office itself envelops the president in its aura or charisma” (Trent et. Al. 88). In the case of Ryan’s appearance at the game, it mattered not whether the fans were for or against the beliefs of the Romney/Ryan campaign, it mattered that a candidate had made an appearance and the crowd reacted accordingly. However, the viewing public does not conceive the media’s coverage of the crowd’s reaction as a result of solely Ryan’s appearance at the game. Instead, the viewing public conceives the crowds reaction as in support of the Romney/Ryan campaign. Similarly to the public’s conception of Van Duzer’s bear hug, a bandwagon of support for the campaign is created, thus encouraging viewing publics to join in the crowd’s support.
DeleteFor these reasons, both stump campaigns and their media remain an important part of the political process and the hopeful journey to political success.
Work Cited
Reid, Chip. "Romney Looks to Build on Theme of Disappointment with Obama." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 03 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Smith, S.E., and Bronwyn Harris. "What Is a Bandwagon Effect?" WiseGeek. Conjecture, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .
Sorensen, Adam. "Watch a Man Named ‘Van Duzer’ Deadlift the President of the United States." TIME.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton,, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lenham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Matthew Harkins
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning remains an important part of the political process as can be observed through its role in past campaigns, resulting in the many strategies the campaigns can utilize depending on the position of the political parties candidate as well as the issues of interest involved in any campaign. Differing from a campaigns utilization of the media during the nomination conventions, stump campaigning generally receives less media attention due to the repetition of the speeches candidates give daily. That’s not saying the media doesn’t cover the campaigns when they are on the stump, but there is definitely much less broadcast coverage, and much more political critical analysis, and estimation of how the outcome of voters will turn out during the campaign.
Every campaign has a style and set of goals that they focus on and depending on whether the candidate is an incumbent or a challenger, changes the style and strategy of the campaign. From the readings it would seem that an incumbent candidate, as we have in our current election, President Obama, generally hold the upper hand in a Presidential election. “During the twentieth century, only five presidents have lost their reelection bids; in the total history of our country 75 percent of incumbent presidents have been reelected.” (Trent 83) Those statistics suggest that if an incumbent’s political campaign is utilized correctly, the challenger faces challenges in overcoming the majority vote in the election. An incumbent on the campaign trail will be exploit their position as President to establish legitimacy and competency as well tries and comfort previous voters by reminding them that he was elected in the previous election. Challenger candidates have to face the handicap of never holding office but still have strategies as well to counter their opponent in political campaigns.
Another huge aspect of stump campaigning and evident theme is areas of focus in the campaign. Candidates tend to focus on states that divided amongst the two candidates in terms of favorability. These are called battleground states and are vital and of high priority as they can make or break a political campaign. In an article with the header “Romney Struggles to Gain Traction in the Battlegrounds” from the Wall Street Journal points out how Obama is currently leading in seven of the eight battleground states. Later in the article it explains, “Both campaigns launched into the post-convention phase over the weekend by carrying their competing visions over the economy to battleground states and the Sunday news shows.” This article shows the struggle and competition for winning over these states during the campaign and how important they really are in the outcome of the election. Stump campaigning also utilizes surrogate speakers who go around giving speeches to try and win over valuable demographics to get more support for the given political parties candidate.
Matthew Harkins (cont.)
ReplyDeleteWhile being on the trail campaigns will selectively travel to areas of importance to them where they hope to persuade voters on edge. “In recent presidential campaigns, both Republican and Democrat candidates have targeted about ten to fourteen states and directed most of their campaign efforts, including speaking, to those states.” (Trent 182) Stump speeches are often similar in every local area a candidate visits but carefully adapted to appeal to the demographic of that area by exploiting the issues that a specific area might find the most relevant in a campaign. Campaigns tend to have main issues they want to focus on as a means of swaying voters in their direction. A Romney official tells First Read, “Everyday and everywhere we go we talk about the economy.” The Obama campaign on the other hand focuses on other issues, not putting as much emphasis on the economy. An article from the Washington post highlights, “But among a wider sample of all registered voters, Obama holds an apparent edge, topping Romney at 50 percent to 44 percent, and has clear advantages on important issues in the campaign when compared with his rival.” Both campaigns are focusing on different issues, and these are carefully selected issues. And as the blog on First Read quotes from Political analyst Charlie Cook’s column, “It is becoming clear that if President Obama is reelected, it will be despite the economy and because of his campaign; if Mitt Romney wins, it will be because of the economy and despite his campaign.” Clearly, stump campaigning and the reinforcement of the main issues of each campaign are vital to the outcome.
The media’s coverage of the campaigns on the stump definitely tends to be more analytical as well as contain speculations of the current position of the campaigns. Though some interviews with the candidates like Mitt Romney’s appearance on Meet the Press, there is a clear difference in how the media covers the stump campaign. Instead of broadcasting huge events like the conventions, the media follows and keeps up to date with where the campaign is heading, and what the campaigns are doing to try and beat their opponents.
Works Cited
Balz, Dan, and Jon Cohen. "Among Likely Voters, Obama-Romney Close." Washington Post. N.p., 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Cook, Charlie. "NationalJournal.com." Off to the Races (n.d.): n. pag. NationalJournal.com. Web. 11 Sept. 2012.
Murray, Sara, and Laura Meckler. "Romney Struggles to Gain Traction in Battlegrounds." Wall Street Journal. N.p., 9 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Todd, Chuck, Mark Murray, Domenico Montenaro, and Brooke Brower. "First Thoughts: Throwing the Kitchen Sink." Web log post. First Read. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Stump campaigning continues to play a major role in the political process because of the many purposes it serves. Candidates heavily rely on the national conventions and stump campaigning to reach eligible voters across the country. Both the Republican and Democratic candidates are fortunate enough to have so many forms of media that cover these campaigns because they can potentially be the sole resources for Americans to obtain information regarding a candidate’s political stance and the election as a whole.
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning allows for the candidates to be in control of the image they are conveying. As we have talked about in previous classes while focusing on the national conventions, we all know just how important image is when dealing with politics. In this case, candidates are able to reach out to supporters and voters while making the attempt to portray a positive and persuasive image to those attending or listening to the speeches. In Political Campaign Communication, authors Judith S. Trent, Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Dention, Jr. all discusses the idea of style, saying “style would include each of the nonverbal aspects of communication – including physical behavior, sound of the voice, body shape and movement, appearance, clothing, and choice of setting.” (Trent et al 70) In class we also discussed how a candidate’s appearance is part of his image. When candidate Romney or President Obama rolls up his sleeves, some view them as hard working. In these speeches, the candidates have the opportunity to really zero in on that audience, be professional but a little less formal, and really start focusing on what will happen if they are elected in November. While stump campaigning allows for a candidate to demonstrate a positive image, it is also clear that candidates take these speeches as an opportunity to weaken the image of the opposing candidate. In order to make one’s self look better, they use past failures as fuel for the audience to believe that they are in fact the candidate right for the job.
Cara, CONT.
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning can also be used to show support for candidates from celebrities. According to a recent Politico article, two stars from NBC’s popular sitcom “Parks and Recreation” Adam Scott and Rashida Jones stumped for President Obama at the University Northern Iowa this past weekend, showing their support for the incumbent. Having familiar celebrities express their support on a university campus is a huge benefit for President Obama, especially because the media has been talking a lot the fact that this is going to continue to be a tight race until the end. This is also important because the candidates have, according a New York Times article, “Nominees Leave Congressional Candidates to Stump Alone,” spent much of the campaign supporting themselves and focusing on their own candidacy because of how tight this election is going to be.
Now that both candidates have made their acceptance speeches at their respective national conventions, the focus has turned to the plans they hope to make if chosen to take office in November. This is when stump campaigning becomes truly vital. Why? The media is gearing up for the month of November and is highly aware of the importance of media coverage of the many cross-country speeches. This election season, it seems as though the media has put a large emphasis on the swing states. Stump campaigning is a key in these states because it is not yet clear that they are largely in favor of one candidate.
In the Trent et al reading, chapter six discusses that, “In recent presidential campaigns, both the Republican and Democratic candidates have targeted about ten to fourteen states and directed most of their campaign efforts, including speaking, to those states.” (Trent et al 182) These swing states have been hearing speeches that are centered around them, mainly because each candidate knows how tight the race is specifically in those states and they obviously want to make sure they can secure the vote when it truly matters in the upcoming months. For example, I watched the speech Mitt Romney made last month in Manassas, Virginia on YouTube. He spent part of his speech criticizing the past four years in America and the other part looking forward to a successful future if he is in office. He took much of the “challenger” role that was discussed in Trent et al’s reading, because he knew had the opportunity to hold the past against his opponent and stress how he would make the future successful.
For me, the readings and the media have really stressed to me the importance of stump campaigning. If it wasn’t for the way the media is framing these cross-country travels, I wouldn’t be aware of how important the swing states are. It is going to be interesting to see which candidate had strong stump campaigning in these states within the next few months.
Works Cited
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton,, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lenham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
“Mitt Romney's Virginia speech heavy on religion.” Politico. 8 Sep 2012. Web. 11 Sep 2012.
“’Parks and Rec’ Stars Stump for Obama.” Politico. 10 Sep 2012. Web. 11 Sep 2012.
“Nominees Leave Congressional Candidates to Stump Alone. New York Times. 10 Sep 2012. Web. 11 Sep 2012.
“Mitt Romney Speech in Manassas, VA: Romney/Ryan will Get America Back on Track” YouTube. 11 Aug 2012. Web. 11 Sep 2012.
Stump campaigning is the act of going out into public to talk to people, it originates from a long time ago when candidates would literally go from town to town and stand on a stump and give a speech. Today, although the internet and other media have taken over making political races less personal, stump campaigning will still play a major part in the election. The internet only serves to bring the campaigns into the homes of individuals, but without any visits to report on the media would have nothing. One could argue that a candidate today could run a campaign entirely from his house, simply releasing Youtube videos to state his messages to the nation, but that would not work. Candidates still have to be on the ground making personal connections with people, and we have already seen both candidates hard at work traveling to talk with citizens. Without a personal connection a candidate can have a hard time winning and stump campaigning helps to make those connections better than many other forms of campaigning. Stump campaigning works so well because people feel special when a candidate decides to visit their town to speak to them and that sticks with them when they go to vote. When Obama came to my town in 2008 I know it made quite a fuss in my small town of Delaware even though he barely spent more than a few hours there as he passed through on his campaign (likely to Pennsylvania since I am less than 10 minutes from there).
ReplyDeleteGraf and Mayer discuss the changing role of TV and other more traditional media in a technologically advancing world and how quickly news gets out with the advent of the internet. Although the main focus is on the speed with which media gets out, there is one section which is very relevant when it comes to stump campaigning. “The focus becomes less on reporting the news than on image. This profoundly increases the personality-driven aspect of campaigns” (Graf, 142). I think that although he is talking about the shallowness of reporting, it extends into stump campaigning because it is very much an image thing, and stump campaigning helps to increase your image, both in the media and in person with the people you are talking to. So much of campaigns is decided by what makes it through the tv screen that traveling around talking to people in person is just as important as ever so that they can see you in the raw, for themselves.
Recently CBS news reported on a trip Obama took into the Big Apple Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Obama received a quite welcoming hug from the owner, who picked the president up. The report from CBS news had several good quotes from the store owner, “I vote who I feel comfortable with, and I do feel extremely comfortable with him,” Van Duzer said. According to the article Obama said he visited because of “the importance of the work he does as a local- and nationally recognized blood donor.” From the same trip we saw Obama hop on some issues of Medicare in Florida as he promised to never turn medicare into a voucher system to Florida voters. This is a very directed message in a state like Florida where there are many elderly who rely on Government programs to get the care that they need.
Regarding Obama's trip to visit the pizza store, the LA Times reported about how following the visit many GOP members posted negative reviews of the pizza store on the website “Yelp”. Yelp has had to deal with it by marking some comments as suspicious and taking them down, while the store will have to deal with upset people who may no longer buy his pizza due to the fact that he hugged the president.
DeleteCBS news reported on Obama and Romney both doing things in remembrance of 9/11 on the 11 year anniversary of the tragedy. Romney visited the National Guard Association in Reno, Nevada to talk to people there.
CBS reported on Ryan visiting Ohio State for some tailgating with fans as Mitt Romney also addressed Ohio on a “theme of dissapointment” with Barack Obama's first term. “Twenty-three million people are out of work or stopped looking for work or underemployed. Let me tell you, if you have a coach that is zero and 23 million, you say it's time to get a new coach” said Romney.
Huffington post had an extensive article looking at both candidates' recent campaign stops. Romney recently stopped in Virginia beach on saturday to talk to people at the Military Aircraft Museum, emphasizing his five-point economic plan he said “Any challenge we face is a challenge we're going to overcome. But we need a new president to get America on track. I expect to build a new future, a strong future, and take back America.” Another thing which I thought was interesting was when talking to NASCAR fans he dodged a question regarding his favorite racer, stating “There's lots of drivers I like, thank you.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57509143-503544/obama-gets-an-unexpected-lift-by-pizza-shop-owner/?tag=mncol;lst;3
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-obama-van-duzer-yelp-20120911,0,2764080.story
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57509111-503544/obama-tells-floridians-future-of-medicare-is-at-stake-this-election/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57510394-503544/obama-romney-mark-9-11-anniversary/
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505267_162-57505132/romney-looks-to-build-on-theme-of-disappointment-with-obama/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/10/president-obama-mitt-romney_n_1870150.html?utm_hp_ref=elections-2012
Posted on behalf of Matthew Struzzi (Part 1 of 2):
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning remains an important part of the political process, because it is a way in which politicians can reach out to many people and also be more personal and close with citizens from certain areas and states. It helps politicians to get on a more personal level with the public. Stump campaigning used to be where politicians would actually stand on a tree stump at town and give a speech telling the public what they wanted to run for. In the book “Political Campaign Communication” the author touches on this idea when she says, “Commercial water travel started in 1807, but it took many days just to go from Pittsburgh to New York City. Therefore, the presidential election of 1824 was the first one in which any real mass campaigning took place. Friends of the three candidates (John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson) traveled within their own and neighboring states to campaign for the presidential contenders” (Trent, 76). That instance shows that politicians wanted to actually go places and speak to actual people that they thought they could get to vote for them.
Now, however, it is where politicians do the same thing but obviously not on a tree stump. Stump campaigning is a great and important part of the election process, but it is a difficult thing to do. However, if it is done well then can help the candidate be successful with the election process. In the book “Political Campaign Communication” the author states, “In preparing to announce their intention to run, a variety of choices confront candidates. They must consider the timing, location, who should be with them, speech content, and finally, the means by which they follow up on their announcement” (Trent, 214). Further the author also states, “Timing the announcement speech may be difficult. Often the first candidate to announce receives more coverage, and being first, may be perceived as being more serious, credible, or legitimate. Though an early announcement may attract media coverage, content of the coverage might as well focus on the candidate’s potential to win, the funds raised, and the staff that has been recruited. Obviously, by announcing early to gain coverage, the candidate runs the risk that the announcement will not be taken seriously because there are few other overt trappings of a campaign” (Trent, 214). As you can see, stump campaigning also is great for media coverage which can also help a candidate’s campaign tremendously.
Posted on behalf of Matthew Struzzi (Part 2 of 2):
ReplyDeleteFor this presidential campaign the media is trying really hard to follow both parties really closely and bring as much information as they can to the public so that the public can make an informed decision when it comes time to vote. This means covering both parties’ campaigns and putting the information about them on newspapers, magazines, television, and many other mediums, as well. For instance, the New York Times stated, “Reporters and editors from the Times will seek to define the problems, assess their impact and outline potential solutions. As the project unfolds, the Times wants to build a community of interested people around all topics, and make a gathering point for a smart discussion involving voters, the campaigns and leaders in various fields” (New York Times, 1). In order to cover both campaigns news sources are using many people who are very qualified to report and put out information on both campaigns. Many news sources are actually making certain people only focus on one party’s campaign to get the most accurate and detailed information as possible. For instance, “Philip Elliot is a political reporter covering the Republican presidential field for The Associated Press. He joined the Washington bureau in 2006 as political database editor, moved to New Hampshire in 2007 to cover the first-in-the-nation presidential primary and then covering the 2008 presidential campaign aboard Senator John McCain’s and Senator Barack Obama’s planes. After Obama won the presidency, Elliot was named a White House reporter and filed stories from New Hampshire to Hawaii. He left the White house team in 2010 to cover the 2010 midterm elections and the tea party’s role in reshaping Congress” (AP, 1). Further the AP also states, “Erica Werner covers the White House for The Associated Press. The California native joined the AP in 2000 in California. She covered politics, including the 2003 recall election. Werner then moved to Washington as the California-Nevada regional reporter. She subsequently moved to the national staff and Capitol Hill to cover the health care bill. Three years ago, she was assigned to the White House. Before joining AP, Werner worked for two years at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She is covering President Barack Obama’s campaign” (AP, 2). As you can see, there is a lot of preparation and thought that goes on regarding coverage of both parties’ campaigns. The media puts the best people they can on certain parts of certain campaigns so that they can frame the campaigns travels the way they want them to be portrayed.
Works Cited
“AP Journalists Covering the 2012 Campaign.” The Associated Press. N.p., 2012. Web 9 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ap.org
"Exploring the Issues Behind the 2012 Campaign." New York Times. N.p., 23 Jul. 2012. Web. 9 Sept. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com
Trent, Judith S., and Robert V. Friedenberg. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Stump Campaigning remains an important part of the political process because it allows potential voters to meet the candidates as they cross the country delivering speeches and attending events. The candidates are able to tell the people what they plan on accomplishing if elected into office and why they are qualified for the position. With media focus on these speeches and events, presidential candidates must work hard in conveying certain ideas about themselves when campaigning. The media is able to shape an image of the candidate in express it to the public.
ReplyDeleteAs discussed in Trent’s Political Campaign Communication, there are numerous styles and strategies of campaigns used by the incumbent seeking reelection and challenger looking to replace them (Trent 69). For instance, one specific discussed and studied in the chapter was the candidates physical appearance and style. Recently, communication theorists have argued that “style should not be limited to the language... (but) all element’s of an individual’s communication... including physical behavior, sound of the voice, body shape and movement, appearance, clothing, and choice of settings” (Trent 70). While stump campaigning across the nation, voters are able to view the candidates style and make inferences about them which is brought about by the media.
Challenger, Mitt Romney, struggles with his public image having extremely low likability ratings . According to Politico, he has been attempting a public image make over to make himself more likable and more connected to voters at a human level. The media, along with the help of President Obama, have been able to portray him as “an out-of-touch elitist who got rich through predatory business practices” (Harris 1). Before the Republican National Convention, voters were not able to see a personal side of Mitt. He has been compared to a robot in a suit just telling the American people what they want to hear. However, after the convention he was able to boost his likability ratings a couple percentages but Obama is still in the lead. Mitt Romney’s plan on the road is to show the American public and media that he has a personal side to him and can be a caring, loving individual.
Incumbent, President Obama, also struggles with a public image, having being called numerous names by republican conservatives and media throughout the years such as- socialist, radical, un-American, anti-American and elitist. Coming from an unusual background, being the son of black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother who grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, democrats have a difficult time making voters feel comfortable. According to a New York Times article, Obama recognizes he is asking a lot of the American people realizing his biography is not typical of an American president. Campaign managers core goal of the election is to stress Obama’s American journey to get to this this place showing that from his background, he has a deep understanding of what American families face (Zeleny 1). As he gives his stump speeches around the nation, he must try to open America’s eyes on this issue and hopefully the media will shape his character in a new direction.
ReplyDeleteThe media plays an enormous role in framing the coverage of each campaign’s cross country travels. In today’s age, campaigns must be extremely cautious of any slip ups or mistakes by a candidate because it would be headline news in no time. However, this does not apply to breaking the law, but could be applied to something as simple as the clothes they are wearing or what words they use in a speech. If a candidate was to make a significant mistake, the media would be able to use it to truly hurt their chances of winning the election. Candidates and committees must be extra careful in watching their image and only creating positive feedback from the media.
Works Cited
Harris, John F. "Mitt Romney RNC." POLITICO. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. .
Rutenberg, Jeff Zeleny And Jim. "Obama's Image." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton,, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lenham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
These past two weeks have been filled with both news on the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. While the Democratic National Convention featured speakers like Ann Romney, Paul Ryan, and of course Clint Eastwood the Democratic National Convention featured people like, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton. But why is this necessary? Why as Americans in a democracy do we feel that this type of stump campaigning is still necessary?
ReplyDeleteI believe the main reason why things like conventions are still utilized today is because it is a way for the candidates to get the message that they want to perceive across without tremendous amount of intrusion from the media. I say a tremendous amount because as we know and saw through these two conventions media influence still exists. From who the networks decided to show from the audience to the timing of programming. A great example of this from the RNC was with the video entitled “Mitt Romney, His Family, His Life.” In class we discussed the fact that many networks were unable to show the video because of the schedule that they had to stay on. This was unfortunate for the republican side because while a limited amount of people were able to view the video, very positive feedback was given and it was clear that the message Romney’s team was trying to get across had.
While conventions are important and in some ways help set the stage for what is next in the presidential campaign without traveling and seeing the people of the nation that will be voting for either man it would be harder for most voters to know who they believe would best serve the country. It is important that while the candidates want to visit as many states as possible we know that there is an alternative goal of their travels. “In recent presidential campaigns, both the Republican and Democratic candidates have targeted about ten to fourteen states and directed most of their campaign efforts, including speaking, to those states.” (Trent 182) These states described in the book are also known as “swing states.” During this presidential race those states that have been seen as swing states are Nevada, Colorodo, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, and New Hampshire. This is important when we begin to look at what states the candidates decide to visit during their travels. For example just within the next 2 days Mitt Romney will be visiting both Florida and Virginia. He is doing this to try and ensure that the republicans win the electoral votes for both of those states.
cont.
DeleteBecause the length of time allotted for these visits is not exponentially long and are unable to physically visit every state politicians hire “surrogates” to also travel and help motivate people to vote for their side. These men and women are completely educated on the campaign and goals of their side. “The surrogate is a unique political creature, a channeler of someone else’s ambitions, someone else’s predilections and dreams; a force capable of reaching voters intellectually, emotionally or both.” (Roig-Fransia 1) I believe the idea of surrogates to be something that is very interesting when it comes to these campaigns. I find that voters still want “face to face” contact even if it is not with the actual candidate running. This is one of the reasons why I believe stump campaigning is still important. Voters and Americans want to put trust in their future leaders and in many ways I believe they feel more comfortable doing so if they get to know the person running.
Trent, Judith S., and Robert V. Friedenberg. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/electoral-map
http://www.politico.com/2012-election/calendar/mitt-romney/
Roig-Franzia, Manuel. "Season of the Surrogate: For Candidates’ Backers, a Chance to Help — or Harm." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
In the presidential campaign, a candidate's speech at his or her party's national convention usually forms the basis for the stump speech for the duration of the campaign. Stump campaigning remains an important part of the political process because though these speeches generally do not generate any sort of headlines and pretty much ignored by the national media, it is still important for the candidate to be seen and heard by the people the candidate is seeking out for their vote. By addressing the public and being seen speaking in small towns all over the country helps the image of the candidate. “Imagery plays an important role in the consideration of style. All candidates…must do and say whatever it is that will enhance voter perception of them.” (Trent et al. 71) Candidates and their staff spend a great deal of time figuring out where, when, and who to address when they are giving a speech. They rely heavily on polls taken by focus groups on popular opinion and past voter statistics to determine who the best group to address is. (Trent et al. 178) So, stump speeches are valuable because they form the outline of what the candidate is going to say, but is tailored to a specific audience at a specific time.
ReplyDeleteDifferent media outlets tend to frame the campaigns of each candidate differently. Upon viewing articles on both CNN and The New York Times, an article in both media outlets was printed covering Mitt Romney’s address to The National Guard yesterday. Even if a reader does not read both articles, the headlines alone can tell you how both media outlets have framed these stories. The CNN article’s headline says “Romney praises veterans in 9/11 remarks” while the New York Times article’s headline says “After Criticism of His Convention Speech, Romney Thanks Nation’s Armed Forces” Within both articles, it is clear in their wording which direction they are skewed. In the CNN article, the author states the Romney addressed the National Guardsmen yesterday in Reno saying that their service “was needed now more than ever.” But at the end of the article, the author states that “Romney said he would not lay out the differences between him and his opponent in his speech – but he nonetheless continued his criticism of the congressionally-backed military cuts set to kick in next January.” This sounds like criticism of the candidate for making the speech more about the campaign than the audience he was addressing. However, if one was to also read the New York Times article, they notice how the same statement about Romney talking about his opponent and the military cuts is very different. The New York Times article states “Facing criticism for failing to mention American troops or the Afghan war effort in his convention speech, Mitt Romney spoke before National Guard members on Tuesday and called for robust support of the nation’s armed forces, saying that “the return of our troops cannot and must not be used as an excuse to hollow out our military through devastating defense budget cuts.”
Parker, Ashley. "After Criticism, Romney Thanks Armed Forces." New York Times 12 Sept. 2012: The New York Times, 12 Sept. 2012. Web. .
Streifield, Rachel. "Romney Praises Veterans in 9/11 Remarks." CNN Political Ticker. 11 Sept. 2012. Web. .
Trent, Judith S., and Robert V. Friedenberg. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Stump campaigning remains an imperative aspect of the presidential races because of the control that it gives back to the candidates. As they travel from small town local businesses to university auditoriums candidates are giving the speeches they want to be heard and reaching voters in the swing states that they believe they need the most. As much as each candidates image is something that was intentionally calculated by someone who is working on the campaign, much of the image actually comes from the media coverage surrounding them. And more recently, because of the internet, the image is created by the voters themselves. “The internet is an interactive medium, and unlike television, a passive medium, the Internet requires that the user be involved. Thus, the Internet may also weaken the media’s control over what citizens learn about politics” (Graf, Mayer 150). If a candidate’s image is mostly controlled by the media, and now the people themselves, the candidates need to do everything in their power to take back the control of their image. Stump campaigning gives them the chance to not only control what people hear about them and how, but it also gives them a chance to connect with voters. “Decisions to use the candidates’ time for public speeches are made out of self-interest, as the candidates attempt to influence the maximum number of voters” (Trent et al 177). Seeing a candidate say something on television or on the internet has significantly less influence on individuals then seeing the same candidate say the same something in person. While mass media coverage reaches more voters in numbers stump campaigning reaches the voters more drastically.
ReplyDeleteCONT.
ReplyDeleteThe media coverage of the candidates’ campaigns chooses what everyone who does not actually attend campaign events takes away from them. How the media frames any given event is how thousands if not millions of voters take in the information. Post-convention, media coverage is making a relatively swift jump from what to where. During the conventions what the candidates and their supporters were saying was very important. The media deconstructed each speech to find a meaning, and now the focus is not so much on what candidates are saying but where they are going with their messages. By focusing on where the campaigns are headed, the media is framing the presidential race more as a foot race then anything else. Just like numbers in the polls, where the candidates are going can very easily be compared side by side. “”The abrupt change in Romney’s schedule comes as President Obama appears to have ramped up the enthusiasm around his reelection campaign, marshaling the energy of last week’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. Over three days, Obama appeared in six rallies before 23,000 supporters in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Florida, stopping at diners and sports bars all along the way” (Nakamura, Rucker 1). For months voters have been bombarded with policies and scandals from either party. What Romney and Obama believed in for our nation no matter how the media found out about it, either through speeches, ads, or digging from the opposing candidate, was the most important information for the media to give out. Now it seems as if the media assumes the public knows what the candidates believe in and support. “…the post-convention theme Friday was the same as it was before – jobs” (Berger 1). The assumption that voters know what they need to know about the candidates and their platforms is a notion that is created by the candidates themselves but fostered by the media. While campaigning post-convention, candidates do not release new information and policies, they release positive statements of hope and platforms that they have already announced. The media cannot be at a standstill because there is no new information coming out other then polls, so they cover what is happening, which is where the campaigns are going. In order to keep it interesting where the campaigns are going are framed as a side by side foot race of how many places a candidate can be. If framing the presidential race as a foot race around the swing states is what the media needs to keep the American public engaged, then the race is on and no matter where Romney and Obama go, with whatever message they bring, it will be covered and compared to the other.
Works Cited
Berger, Judson. "Obama, Romney Battle over Jobs Numbers as Candidates Cross Paths on General Election Campaign Trail." Fox News. FOX News Network, 07 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. .
Graf, Joseph, and Jeremy D. Mayer. "Campaign Press Coverage -- Instantaneous." Campaigns on the Cutting Edge. Ed. Richard J. Semiatin. Washington, D.C.: CQ, 2008. 138-56. Print.
Rucker, Philip, and David Nakamura. "Romney Ramps up Campaign Schedule as Obama Enjoys Post-convention Bounce." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 12 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., and Robert V. Friedenberg. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Stump campaigning is a great way for candidates to target demographics one by one. After watching and critiquing both party’s convention’s it is easy to understand that the speeches given by each camp were wide-reaching address aimed to attract an enormous audience. Unfortunately, the problem with national address such as those seen at the convention is that candidates are unable to attract particular voters because each voting niche is looking to hear something different.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a nation with numerous voting demographics according to region, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, and the list goes on… When addressing the nation as a whole, candidates are forced to make blanket statements and vast generalizations. This is where “stump campaigning” comes into play. Instead of relying on television or radio to constantly give variations of the same vague speech, traveling from town to town allows candidates to more appropriately direct their speech toward the audience they have gathered that day. Trent, in her book Political Campaign Communication, gives clarity by offering an example from Hilary Rodham Clinton’s past campaign endeavors. Trent explains, “Thus as Rodham Clinton campaigned each day she had the most recent information possible about the issues important to each audience as well as some knowledge about ‘who they were’ for each audience she addressed.” (Trent, 78) This excerpt from the book demonstrates the candidates increased ability to personalize address when making small stops in those fly-over states we all seemingly find no value in. At the convention candidates spend an excessive amount of time highlighting all issues that might possibly be mentioned in the upcoming campaign months, but in small town USA candidates spend time talking about what that particular town needs to hear at that particular time. Thus, stump campaigning is also beneficial for delivering more meaningful addresses, and often times people underestimate the amount of voters accessed while campaigns take to the streets.
The media has been a driving force behind the success and failures of campaigns since the first newspaper was printed. Stephen J. Wayne, author of Road to the White House 2012, suggests that “television made mass appeals easier,” (Wayne, 211) but this exclamation fails to note the successes of “front-porch” or “stump-campaigning”. According to Wayne front-porch campaigning was heavily relied upon in early campaigns and were largely successful. Wayne highlights the Benjamin Harrison’s campaign, which allowed him to meet with almost 200,000 people during his campaign for president; more astonishingly, William McKinley is rumored to have received “approximately 750,000 people who were recruited and in some cases transported to his Canton, Ohio, home by the Republican Party.” (Wayne, 210) The success of small town stops and quaint gatherings cannot be underestimated as nominees have used it for decades, especially now that we are in a time when small gatherings can be broadcast and reported on by national news sources. What started as a small gathering at a candidate’s home, or a tour of a small factory in Virginia can quickly turn into a national headline- these small gestures can be huge breaks for campaigns as media time is expensive, but a good story is a great opportunity for free press coverage.
For instance, recently President Obama was touring Florida when he made a stop at a local pizza hot spot when he was given the biggest hug of his life, and his campaign. Millions of people have hugged the president, sure but this hug became an immediate sensation as it literally swept the President off of his feet. Again, this quick stop to meet the owner of a small Florida pizza shop was never meant to make headlines, but the free press associated with small town stories like this can have a lasting impact on a campaign or candidate, luckily for President Obama this blunder offered a ton of free, positive press. According to Daily Beast, the gentlemen responsible for the hug felt around the world is small town Scott Van Duzer, who is anticipated to appear on major shows such as ANDERSON LIVE and Inside Edition. Without needing to pay a single fee to run an advertisement, without needing to schedule a single interview with President Obama, and without having to spend a single campaign dollar or candidate moment, the 2012 Obama campaign has received a huge boost in coverage. Obama’s image is being maintained as a warm, enthusiastic, compassionate president and he didn’t have to shoot a single advertisement to convey that image – he did exactly what was needed to be done- he visited small town USA. His stump campaigning has been a huge success thus far and is clearly paying off (at least this week).
DeleteObama’s campaign isn’t the only one finding big value in small towns, Mitt Romney has also been touring the nation trying to reach out to every possible voter demographic. The Washington Post reports that both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have been touring the nation addressing the faulty jobs numbers posted by President Obama’s administration as released the Friday following the closing remarks of the Democratic National Convention. According to the article, Ryan was in Nevada while Romney visited Orange City, Iowa; I’m sure wife Ann Romney was speaking to the Republican women and mom’s while her husband promised that America’s best years are still ahead of us.
Quick stops in small towns can mean big things for a candidate, his image and his success. If it weren’t for the payout candidates would have abandoned this strategy years ago, but the bottom line is that stump campaigning works, that’s why it lives on.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/11/pizza-shop-owner-scott-van-duzer-on-bear-hugging-president-obama.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-romney-embark-on-post-convention-drive-to-election-day/2012/09/07/df887d98-f8f0-11e1-8b93-c4f4ab1c8d13_story.html?hpid=z1
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton,, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lenham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Wayne, Stephen J.. The Road to the White House. 9th ed. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Phil Nobile Blog Post #2 (Part 1 of 2):
ReplyDeleteIn times where entire campaigns are being based in the realm of social media and technology, many wonder why stump campaigning still exists. Surely enough, as soon as the Democratic National Convention concluded, the very next day the candidates were off: themselves and their surrogates giving speeches in various swing states / parts of the country. But why, when a candidate can reach more people through a tweet than stopping through 100 towns, do they still utilize stump campaigning?
The reason hitting the road still is an essential campaign tactic for both the incumbent and challenger is because of image maintenance, along with traditional American values. In Political Campaign Communication, this fact is highlighted through everyday advertisement for candidates:
“The importance of imagery is evidenced each time we see yet another television commercial of a candidate surrounded by family, talking earnestly with a senior citizen, walking through a peanut field, or standing in front of a sea of flags.” (Trent 72)
Americans have a certain expectation or definition of what a President should be, and at the top of these expectations is a hard working human like themselves. By passing through towns and making speeches in town halls, candidates affirm this image. With rolled up sleeves and can-do attitudes, their image is sealed as a true American rather than a Washington suit.
Phil Nobile Blog Post #2 (Part 2 of 2):
ReplyDeleteAfter Mitt Romney’s Meet The Press interview this past Sunday morning, both Politico and the New York Times coverage of the interview couldn’t have been further apart. In the story from Politico, their headline read “Mitt on Meet: No tax cuts for rich,” and subsequently discussed Romney’s affirmation and focus for middle-class struggles for most of the article. The New York Times, however, immediately pointed out his glaringly moderate tone during the interview, with the headline “Romney Has Conciliatory Remarks on Obama and Health Overhaul,” and an even more direct first paragraph:
“Mitt Romney said Sunday that he would retain elements of President Obama’s health care overhaul, blamed Republicans as much as Democrats for the “mistake” of agreeing to automatic cuts in military spending to avoid a fiscal crisis and acknowledged that Mr. Obama’s national security strategy has made America in ‘some ways safer.’”
Both sides point out how Romney’s direction is going towards “middle-of-the-road” voters, but their approach differs, with Politico focusing on Romney attempting to clear up a disparaging talking point by Democrats while the New York Times highlights the flip-flop nature of Romney’s statements.
Post-conventions, media outlets took alternative takes on stump campaigning, even going as far as interjecting opinions on the process of stump campaigns itself. An article from Politico on September 7th went as far to refer to the conventions as if they “didn’t even happen,” stating that the arguments beginning to be made on the campaign trail were “more of the same.” Reid J. Epstein and Ginger Gibson go on to say that Obama and Romney have begun to focus on swing-states, but particular areas of each that lean towards their respective sides. For example, Obama focused on the University of Iowa and the younger demographic while Romney appealed to the conservative-west side of the state.
As for Politico’s coverage since both campaigns hit the road, they have utilized Google Maps to create an interactive map tracking each candidate’s whereabouts and reasons behind it. Emphasis is placed on the swing states, with links leading to all of Politico’s coverage of the desired state. Along with the map is a comprehensive and consistently changing schedule of events for each candidate, along with descriptions and locations of each event. Lastly, various selections of polls are provided, most of them state-dependent.
An article in the New York Times by Jeremy W. Peters and Helene Cooper described the upcoming campaigns between Obama and Romney as “the most expensive and intense political advertising war ever.” With Romney’s arrival in Iowa on September 7th came an array of advertisements flooding Iowan airwaves: part of a four-day $4.8 million dollar spree by Romney’s campaign post-Democratic National Convention (with an estimated $1.1 billion expected between both candidates). They were one of the few outlets to immediately focus on spending aspects of the campaigns.
Trent, Judith S, Robert V Friedenberg, and Jr Denton.Political Campaign Communication: Principles & Practices. 7th ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Gibson, Ginger. "Mitt Romney on Meet the Press: No tax cuts for rich." Politico. 09 09 2012: n. page. Web. 12 Sep. 2012. .
Barbard, Michael, and Jim Rutenberg. "Romney Has Conciliatory Remarks on Obama and Health Care Overhaul." New York Times. 09 09 2012: n. page. Web. 12 Sep. 2012. .
Epstein, Reid, and Ginger Gibson. "After conventions, more of the same." Politico. 09 07 2012: n. page. Web. 12 Sep. 2012. .
Peters, Jeremy, and Helen Cooper. "Race is On In Earnest as Candidates Hit the Road." New York Times. 09 07 2012: n. page. Web. 12 Sep. 2012. .
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ReplyDeleteStump campaigning is an important part of the political process because it focuses on conveying a certain image, while expressing the goals and plans of the campaign. The media helps to convey the candidate’s words and actions, while giving coverage to the rest of the country in various ways. The candidates attempt to reach out to the individuals who might be undecided or states that are split. Regardless of the situation, stump campaigning helps the candidate target a specific area while gaining coverage that can be redirected into articles, video clips, and recurring slogans for campaign advertisements.
ReplyDeleteThe audiences are a main part of stump campaigning. According to Trent et al, many candidates choose their audiences based on past voter statistics and public opinion polls (178). Although this is highly beneficial to both local and national candidates, nationwide candidates also have to consider the different forms of media coverage their campaigning will draw in. “Candidates direct their efforts primarily toward precincts where their party traditionally runs well, those where elections are likely to be close, and those where ticket-splitting commonly takes place” (Trent et al 179). By focusing on these areas, the candidate is able to directly relay the central goals of his campaign, while tweaking parts of the speech that address certain issues that interest that district.
In order to develop their messages, national candidates rely on the polls. Major candidates have a greater advantage on polls than local candidates. “First, the major candidate can normally afford a polling service and may also be helped by national polls such as those of the nation television networks and national newspaper chains” (Trent et al 182). Since the rapid growth of the Internet, though, polls have other ways of being issued. These polls help the candidates understand what the people want and what they view as major issues. The major candidates (compared to the local candidates) are the policymakers, so they can help win votes by addressing different topics for the different demographics. Trent el al states, “A national campaign will break down the polling data extensively, determining, for example what issues are of concern on such bases as geography, income, race, religion, and party. As candidates speak, they can vary their subject matter to ensure they are addressing the major concerns of the groups to whom they are speaking” (183).
Although the main focus is the candidates’ speech, their image is being conveyed throughout everything they do. Based on how they dress, talk and act when they aren’t on the stand, the audience can get a real sense of who they are as a person, rather than a politic icon. “Thus, in election campaigns, style can be seen as a blend of what candidates say – in speeches, in news conferences, on websites, talk show interviews, advertisements, brochures, and so on – as well as their nonverbal political actions or behavior, such as kissing babies, wearing funny hats, shaking hands at rallies, waving at crowds from a motorcade, and heir facial expression and gestures while answering a question” (Trent et al 70). In 2012, the whole country is aware of a candidate’s whereabouts based on television and news coverage. Stories are published to the Internet immediately, as well as video clips and pictures, which makes it easily accessible.
cont.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Romney and Obama’s campaign, the media has been following them everywhere they go. They have been doing things like visiting bars and races to show that they are down to earth and to connect with people on a different level. Obama recently dropped by Gator’s Dockside sports bar in Florida to have a beer and interact with the people. According the article “Now Appearing, Regular Guys” from the Wall Street Journal, the candidates are attempting to do just that. Peter Nicholas writes, “It is part of a strategy to boost their standing among voters who know the presidential candidate will be a presence in their living rooms for the next several years. For Mr. Obama, who is more familiar to the voters, the effort coincides with a campaign theme based largely on being more in touch with the middle class.” In the same article, he discusses how Romney showed up at a NASCAR event in Richmond, VA. and helped distribute hotdogs to the fans. “’It’s a great opportunity for the governor to shake hands with voters and see them eye-to-eye, rather than just at events where he’s at a podium on a stage,’ said Kevin Madden, a Romney campaign adviser” (Nicholas).
These gestures show that the candidates are normal guys trying to do regular things. Although it could turn into a competition of which candidate is more down-to-earth, they can still make jokes and interact with people on personal level. For example, while Obama was at the bar in Florida, someone mentioned that a young boy was born in Hawaii. In the Youtube video “Obama Cracks a Birther Joke” by Associated Press, Obama asks, “You were born in Hawaii? Do you have a birth certificate?” The crowd bursts into laughter and he joins in, showing that he can poke fun at all the criticism he has been given. Many articles and videos show that both candidates are extending their campaigns by being active in various communities. Although stump campaigning and media offers the plans and central message of each campaign, media coverage is beneficial to sway voters when they want to see the candidates acting in ways most relatable to them.
Works Cited
Associated Press. “Obama Cracks a Birther Joke.” Youtube. 9 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012.
Nicholas, Peter. "Now Appearing, Regular Guys." The Wall Street Journal., 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print. 11 Sept. 2012.
Stump campaigning is a very important part of our political process. Stump campaigning gives the candidates an opportunity to connect with voters on a more personal level. This is something that is much needed for both candidates. For Romney this gives him a chance to show the American people that he isn’t simply a wealthy individual that cannot connect with the people’s economic problems, but that he is in fact relatable. For Obama it gives him the opportunity to reenergize his past voters and show them that he is still the man they believed in four years ago. In stump campaigning, candidates travel to different locations to speak to various people. This allows the candidates to discuss issues that directly affect that specific area. For example if a candidate is speaking in an area where their economy is based on farming then the candidate will not be discussing in their speech the subject of factories and bringing overseas jobs back to the United States. With this kind of a tactic it helps the candidate show that they are aware of this areas specific issues. Usually when candidates are stump campaigning they do so to speak to specific audiences. “Typically, candidates direct their efforts primarily toward precincts where their party traditionally runs well, those where ticket-splitting commonly takes place. It is in these areas that candidates should concentrate the majority of their speaking efforts”(Trent 179). Candidates only have so much time and funding throughout their campaign, which means they must utilize these resources when it counts. Both candidate will be making trips to areas that are swing states to try to gain more votes there, and they will be visiting areas that the polls show they are most likely to win to keep their voters. “Clearly, public speaking remains a fundamental practice of political campaigns” (Trent 207).
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ReplyDeleteThe media plays a very important role in our elections process. The media is currently reporting heavily on both Presidential candidates during their cross-country travels. The media is keeping their focus on polling and the main issues such as healthcare, the economy, the budget and foreign policy. While the candidates are traveling throughout the country the media is going to be constantly going back to the poles to see the impact made on that visit. This is being done simply because of how close this election currently is. In CNN’s article titled, “Romney, Obama tied up in three swing states”, the article discusses all the polling that has been done in Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin. In all of the polls done in these states the candidates and their running mates are all tied with one another. In Florida Obama has 49% and Romney has 46%. When their running mates are compared in Florida Ryan had a 29% unfavorable rating and Biden had a 44% unfavorable rating. In one of Mitt Romney’s travels he stopped to speak to veterans on the anniversary of 9/11. In his speech he thanked the veterans for their service. He stated, “Veterans’ benefits are not a gift that is given, but a debt that is due” this gained much applause from the audience. Giving this speech showed that even though Romney did not serve he still deeply respected them. This is a good example of stump campaigning because speaking to veterans helps veterans relate to Romney and shows Romney’s patriotism. On the anniversary of 9/11 both candidates suspended their negative ads. Romney is his speech stated; “With less than two months to go from Election Day, I would normally speak to a gathering like this about the differences between my and my opponent’s plans for our military and for our national security. There is a time and a place for that, but this day is not it”. Although both candidates did not campaign on the anniversary of 9/11, it seems to me that the lack of campaigning is still sending a message to the American people. Both candidates showed by not discussing the issues on 9/11 that they are still deeply connected with the attack that occurred and this is a way to connect with the people and show that they are relatable and deeply patriotic to our country. This is important for the American people to see because many Americans believe politicians are corrupt and are out for themselves.
Works Cited
Busch, Nicole. "Romney Pays Tribute to Troops, Criticizes Sequestration Cuts - Fox News." Romney Pays Tribute to Troops, Criticizes Sequestration Cuts - Fox News. N.p., 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Liptak, Kevin. "Romney, Obama Tied up in Three Swing States." – CNN Political Ticker. N.p., 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles & Practices. Seventh ed. N.p.: Rowman &Littlefield, 2011. Print.
Stump campaigning remains an important part of political process as it allows the candidates to run a grassroots campaign of sorts, candidates can obtain the attention and votes of local voters which can, in turn, lead to a larger following, and can receive endorsements for their campaign from prominent figures.
ReplyDeleteStump campaigning, originally having had its place at the grassroots table where a political candidate could make a generic speech on the level of the people, has grown into something a little more strategic in the way it deals with delivering messages. Sump campaigning has developed, really, into a way that politicians can deliver a very clean cut message without the pressure of journalists and news reporters , who tend to pressure the politicians into answering questions quickly and rashly. This is avoided by appearing on local or national talk shows where the candidate is not pressured into answering questions he had no intention to. Talk show hosts are less likely to press an issue or question an arbitrary answer when in direct conversation with a politician on the show (Trent, 81). This gives the politician the ability to deliver a well thought out message, with minimal influence of outside sources, to a large range of individuals. It remains relevant as it is one of the few ways politicians can use the media to their advantage and still remain grassroots in that the politician can enter the homes of people around the country in a relaxed, conversational manner.
Further, technological advances; allowing candidates to ask questions via various social media networks and invite responses of the voters, enable candidates to interact with the voters in a conversational manner. According to Trent, this allows voters to make, reiterate, or change their preconceived notions about a given candidate. Trent continues this idea by explaining that candidates can reach each individual in the country without ever really leaving the physical campaign trail. (Trent 80). Traditionally, grassroots campaigns were an integral part of the presidential campaigns, especially in the battleground states. In order to keep the intimacy of this sort of campaign but obtain a contemporary personality, modern stump campaigning has proved to be the most effective in this effort.
Stump campaigning is an important part of political races. When a candidate is running for a position they wish to reach out and pinpoint a variety of groups to gain support and votes. A candidate could reach out to a minority or certain age group. Often, when running for presidency, there are states that strongly lean towards one party. Though a candidate will travel to such states to ensure their support, they will even more so seek out the states that are split in voting, that could go either way on the ballot. These battlegrounds become an important part of the final outcome. A state like Ohio with a large amount of electoral votes that can swing both democrat and republican can affect such a race like the current one between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Stump campaigning becomes very important in these states because it brings the candidate right to the location where they are trying to gain support. It allows the audience to have a more personal connection with the political figurehead because they are there among the voters. “Typically, candidates direct their efforts primarily toward precincts where their party traditionally runs well, those where elections are likely to be close, and those where ticket-splitting commonly takes place. It is in these areas that candidates should concentrate the majority of their speaking efforts…National and statewide candidates use the same process but must think more in media market and electoral vote terms,” (Trent, 179). Past voting statistics play an important role in stump campaigning. Trent notes that “though voter statistics may serve many potential purposes, their chief function is to pinpoint, on a precinct by precinct basis, where candidates should be concentrating their efforts,” (Trent, 178). This is even more beneficial on a local level rather than national because a candidate running for a smaller local office does not have the mass media coverage that say Obama and Romney currently do. With the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, a state that can play a key role in election with a high number of electoral votes, Mitt Romney wished to have a presence there to ensure support in an important state. During the RNC, though much of it was covered by the media, more shocking and pressing news took the center stage for a few days with the hurricane sweeping through.
ReplyDeleteNewsweek claims recent polls show Romney’s support from men has dropped with a CNN poll showing Obama having a one point lead while the Washington Post declares it a 3 point lead. The article continues “a CNN poll released Tuesday showed most voters think Obama will have an advantage in the three debates, while the president’s approval rating climbed to 51 percent.” A look further through the articles of Newsweek, it appears they have a stronger support of Obama than of Romney, running such stories showing the current president in a better spot than Romney. They frame each candidates campaigning slightly differently with Obama’s sounding more positive and hopeful than Romney’s race.
"Romney Support from Men Shrinks." The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, 12 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. .
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices. 7th ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.