Chance to Win a Trip to New York, $3000 Shopping Spree, and a Meeting with Bill O'Reilly
29/07/10 09:16
John Hawkins at RightWingNews has the scoop on an amazing raffle sponsored by The Society of St. Vincent De Paul. First prize is a trip to NYC, $3000 shopping spree and a meeting with Bill O'Reilly. Second prize is roundtrip airfare anywhere in the continental U.S., and Third Prize is 2 tickets to the 2011 Super Bowl. I encourage everyone to check it out. Raffle tickets are $100.
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Martha Roby on WSFA Newsmakers
23/07/10 14:16
Martha Roby, Republican candidate for congress in district 2, on WSFA Newsmakers:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Roby has a tough fight ahead with Democrat Bobby Bright. He's very popular and has voted conservatively on all the "big bills" that you hear about on the news. He has made some missteps lately on the issue of repealing Obamacare, which he says he's not in favor of. Roby has been arguing that his vote for Nancy Pelosi as speaker allows the Democrats to move their agenda forward even if Bright isn't voting for each individual piece of legislation.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Roby has a tough fight ahead with Democrat Bobby Bright. He's very popular and has voted conservatively on all the "big bills" that you hear about on the news. He has made some missteps lately on the issue of repealing Obamacare, which he says he's not in favor of. Roby has been arguing that his vote for Nancy Pelosi as speaker allows the Democrats to move their agenda forward even if Bright isn't voting for each individual piece of legislation.
Oil Spill Is Just Another Example of the Inefficiency of the Federal Government
19/07/10 14:28
Got this email from Marty Connors who spent the weekend at The Beach Club in Fort Morgan on the Alabama coast.
Just an hour ago, we caught a group of local workers who were employed by a sub contractor doing the clean up today and talked to a few of them.
The contractor is given eight miles of beach to "sweep". Employees receive $12 per hour, they are on a 20 minute work 40 minute off hourly schedule in the sun and a 30 minute on 30 minute off schedule if overcast. You can see the rest wagon in the background. Certain humidity readings are reviewed before deployment is allowed.
They are not allowed to get within 4 feet of the water (where most of the tar balls collect ,first fifteen feet, mostly in the water). Each are equipped with rubber boots, gloves, sweepers and identifying gear.
They fill bags with tar balls and sand but are instructed not to fill bags more than the equivalent size of a loaf of bread, so others can carry later in the process. The bags are picked up by tractor and sent for incineration.
We talked at length to one guy who had been unemployed for quite some time. He said, "I needed the work to put food on my table but let me tell you this is a cluster of inefficiency. we spend most of our time waiting for approval to go to work."
Here are some pictures he took:
So, in essence we have workers who are paid $12 to work 1/3 of an hour to collect tar balls, but aren't allowed to go where the tar balls are to pick them up...and to think, people actually want this same government to run our health care system....
Just an hour ago, we caught a group of local workers who were employed by a sub contractor doing the clean up today and talked to a few of them.
The contractor is given eight miles of beach to "sweep". Employees receive $12 per hour, they are on a 20 minute work 40 minute off hourly schedule in the sun and a 30 minute on 30 minute off schedule if overcast. You can see the rest wagon in the background. Certain humidity readings are reviewed before deployment is allowed.
They are not allowed to get within 4 feet of the water (where most of the tar balls collect ,first fifteen feet, mostly in the water). Each are equipped with rubber boots, gloves, sweepers and identifying gear.
They fill bags with tar balls and sand but are instructed not to fill bags more than the equivalent size of a loaf of bread, so others can carry later in the process. The bags are picked up by tractor and sent for incineration.
We talked at length to one guy who had been unemployed for quite some time. He said, "I needed the work to put food on my table but let me tell you this is a cluster of inefficiency. we spend most of our time waiting for approval to go to work."
Here are some pictures he took:
So, in essence we have workers who are paid $12 to work 1/3 of an hour to collect tar balls, but aren't allowed to go where the tar balls are to pick them up...and to think, people actually want this same government to run our health care system....
RWN: 7 Things The GOP Can Do For The Right Side Of The Blogosphere
19/07/10 13:20
John Hawkins over at RightWingNews has a great article about things the Republicans can do to help out right wing bloggers.
Here are the 7 steps.
1) Funding help
2) Some sort of centralized teleconference scheduling
3) Feeding stories to bloggers
4) Promote Bloggers
5) Access to aides
6) Listen to bloggers
7) Build a relationship with the bloggers
He explains each of these in more detail in the article, and he has a good point. The Left has built an entire network of blogs, journalists, and other new media professionals that are adept at getting out their message. They have cultivated relationships with these people and assisted through the buying of ads and giving of information. The Right is way behind in this regard. They have shied away from the blogosphere, and in some cases are openly hostile. There are far too many on the Right that still resist using Facebook.
Life is changing, and Generations Y and Z don't communicate through traditional mediums. Newspapers and even television are slowly becoming obselete in terms of getting out a message. You can reach far more people for far less money by posting on Twitter and making a You Tube video. As long as the Right remains resistant to this change, they will continue to fail to reach the younger generations.
Here are the 7 steps.
1) Funding help
2) Some sort of centralized teleconference scheduling
3) Feeding stories to bloggers
4) Promote Bloggers
5) Access to aides
6) Listen to bloggers
7) Build a relationship with the bloggers
He explains each of these in more detail in the article, and he has a good point. The Left has built an entire network of blogs, journalists, and other new media professionals that are adept at getting out their message. They have cultivated relationships with these people and assisted through the buying of ads and giving of information. The Right is way behind in this regard. They have shied away from the blogosphere, and in some cases are openly hostile. There are far too many on the Right that still resist using Facebook.
Life is changing, and Generations Y and Z don't communicate through traditional mediums. Newspapers and even television are slowly becoming obselete in terms of getting out a message. You can reach far more people for far less money by posting on Twitter and making a You Tube video. As long as the Right remains resistant to this change, they will continue to fail to reach the younger generations.
What I'm Reading Right Now
12/07/10 18:32
Doing a lot of reading lately...I highly recommend the following:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms The Way We Live And Do Business by Erik Qualman
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Orders by Samuel P. Huntington
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms The Way We Live And Do Business by Erik Qualman
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Orders by Samuel P. Huntington
Ron Sparks Wants to Regulate
12/07/10 10:30
King Cockfight made this video on Ron Sparks and gambling set the Warren G's Regulate. It is a must watch...
Byrne Piling Up The Endorsements
10/07/10 18:46
In the last few days, Bradley Byrne has gotten a truckload of high profile endorsements. In addition to practically every newspaper in the state, Byrne earned endorsements from Rep. Jo Bonner (CD 1), Rep. Spencer Bachus (CD 6), and Red State's Erick Erickson. Former US Representative Terry Evertt and former ALGOP Chairman Marty Connors also publicly voiced their support for Bradley.
Gov. Riley came out formally for Byrne on Friday, saying he would vote for Byrne, but stopped short of a formal endorsement because he said he didn't want to tell the people of Alabama how to vote.
Senator Jeff Sessions and Representative Mike Rogers have made de facto endorsements of Bradley through letters sent to ALGOP Chairman Mike Hubbard condemning the attempt by AEA to influence the Republican primary.
If Bentley wins this run-off on Tuesday it looks like he's going to have his work cut out for him in trying to reunite conservatives in Alabama...
Gov. Riley came out formally for Byrne on Friday, saying he would vote for Byrne, but stopped short of a formal endorsement because he said he didn't want to tell the people of Alabama how to vote.
Senator Jeff Sessions and Representative Mike Rogers have made de facto endorsements of Bradley through letters sent to ALGOP Chairman Mike Hubbard condemning the attempt by AEA to influence the Republican primary.
If Bentley wins this run-off on Tuesday it looks like he's going to have his work cut out for him in trying to reunite conservatives in Alabama...
Red State's Erick Erickson Endorses Bradley Byrne
10/07/10 18:38
Another huge endorsement for Bradley Byrne. Conservatives continue to pile up on Byrne's side...it's unfortunate that some good conservatives in Alabama don't get it...
Erick Erickson, editor of Red State, says "Byrne for Alabama"
Byrne For Alabama (RedState)
Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)
Saturday, July 10th at 8:00AM EDT
4 Comments
Alabama voters head to the polls on Tuesday and I haven’t had as much to say about this race as I should.
I’m supporting Bradley Byrne. Unions in Alabama are doing everything in their power to stop him — spending millions on him.
His opponent, Robert Bentley, regularly sided with the Alabama teachers union to stop school reform in Alabama. People always make jokes about the smarts of people from Alabama largely because of how entrenched the school unions are and just how much damage they are doing. Robert Bentley sided with them.
Contrast him with Bradley Byrne who has been fighting the teachers unions for years. He started out a Democrat and moved over time to the GOP. He is conservative. He is pro-life. He is willing to beat up the establishment, fight the unions, and make enemies within the GOP for doing what’s right.
Quin Hillyer has a great review of why Alabama is important and I hope those of you living in the state next to me will go vote for Bradley Byrne on Tuesday.
Erick Erickson, editor of Red State, says "Byrne for Alabama"
Byrne For Alabama (RedState)
Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)
Saturday, July 10th at 8:00AM EDT
4 Comments
Alabama voters head to the polls on Tuesday and I haven’t had as much to say about this race as I should.
I’m supporting Bradley Byrne. Unions in Alabama are doing everything in their power to stop him — spending millions on him.
His opponent, Robert Bentley, regularly sided with the Alabama teachers union to stop school reform in Alabama. People always make jokes about the smarts of people from Alabama largely because of how entrenched the school unions are and just how much damage they are doing. Robert Bentley sided with them.
Contrast him with Bradley Byrne who has been fighting the teachers unions for years. He started out a Democrat and moved over time to the GOP. He is conservative. He is pro-life. He is willing to beat up the establishment, fight the unions, and make enemies within the GOP for doing what’s right.
Quin Hillyer has a great review of why Alabama is important and I hope those of you living in the state next to me will go vote for Bradley Byrne on Tuesday.
Alabama Politics: In the News
07/07/10 10:08
It's a heavy news day today:
From CD 2:
Doc's Political Parlor does a round up of the CD 2 run-off
Martha Roby and Rick Barber have op-eds in today's Montgomery Advertiser
Gubernatorial Race:
Chuck Dean at The Birmingham News covers last night's debate in Springville, AL
Dean also covers Marengo County GOP Chairman's resignation over ties to Paul Hubbert and AEA in today's Birmingham News
J.D. Crowe has an amusing cartoon in today's Press-Register
From CD 2:
Doc's Political Parlor does a round up of the CD 2 run-off
Martha Roby and Rick Barber have op-eds in today's Montgomery Advertiser
Gubernatorial Race:
Chuck Dean at The Birmingham News covers last night's debate in Springville, AL
Dean also covers Marengo County GOP Chairman's resignation over ties to Paul Hubbert and AEA in today's Birmingham News
J.D. Crowe has an amusing cartoon in today's Press-Register
Martha Roby Getting A Little National Media For A Stellar Fundraising Quarter
06/07/10 15:15
Politico covers Martha Roby's latest fundraising numbers pointing out that she outraised Rep. Bobby Bright for the first time in this filing period.
Roby Amps Up Fundraising
On another not, Roby is hitting Rep. Bright pretty hard over his failure to sign Rep. Steve King's discharge petition to repeal Obamacare.
Roby Amps Up Fundraising
On another not, Roby is hitting Rep. Bright pretty hard over his failure to sign Rep. Steve King's discharge petition to repeal Obamacare.
Bentley Running A New Facebook Ad Against Riley?
02/07/10 12:01
This ad has been appearing on several people's Facebook pages as of late.
Be interesting to know who was running them...
Be interesting to know who was running them...
Update on CD2
30/06/10 20:10
Martha Roby fell just short of avoiding a run-off, garnering 49% in the June 1 primary. She'll run against Rick Barber in the run-off on July 13.
Barber has had some interesting campaign ads lately that have gotten him attention from national media. "Gather Your Armies" and "Slavery" got him on with Chris Matthews and Fox News.
So you'd think he might have gained some momentum right? He hasn't. According to the article below from The Hill, Barber may be learning an important lesson...local media gets you far more votes than national media.
Controversial ads aren't resonating in Alabama, officials say
By Barbra Kim - 06/30/10 06:19 PM ET
An Alabama House candidate's controversial campaign ads that feature conversations with actors playing dead presidents have received national attention but local GOP officials say they've gone virtually unnoticed in the 2nd district.
Several officials told The Ballot Box they didn't even know about businessman Rick Barber's (R) most recent web ad, which equates taxation to slavery and features an actor playing Abraham Lincoln.
"I really don't know what to think, I'm just surprised" to hear about it, said Charlene Erbskorn, chair of the Houston County Republican Party, which sponsored Monday's debate between Barber and rival Martha Roby (R).
Butler County Republican Party chairman Cleveland Poole was one of the few officials contacted by The Ballot Box who'd seen the recent "slavery" web ad.
He said it was overly provocative. "Comparing President Obama's healthcare act to Jewish prison camps or to slavery in the South is taking the comparison too far," Poole said.
Barber also released a minute-long TV ad that features him yelling about being taxed without representation to a group of men dressed as America's founding fathers. The ad closes with an actor dressed as a young George Washington murmuring, "gather your armies." He addressed the controversial ad during an appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball" Wednesday.
Host Chris Matthews asked if he was advocating violence against an elected government. Barber said it was meant as a metaphor -- "gather our political army." Matthews noted that wasn't what the ad actually says and Barber grew agitated. "Chris, do you know what a metaphor is?," he asked.
Moments later Matthews asked Barber if he'd ever been audited (the ad mentions "malicious audits" as a reason for rebellion). "It's irrelevant, I've been audited once," Barber said.
The ad prompted mixed feelings in Alabama Republicans. "I think it's a very different way of looking at things," said Montgomery County GOP chair Pat Wilson. "I think people misunderstand it." She hadn't seen the web ad, but speculated that was because it's directed at a younger, web-savvy audience. Barber said he'd received an overwhelmingly positive response from the district to his ads.
"People are frustrated with what's going on in the government, and they're willing to speak out about it," he said. "It's a bit on the controversial side, but most people resonate with the overall message."
A Roby campaign official said that Barber was pursuing a strategy of national attention and only represented a small number of people in the district.
Roby, backed by the National Republican Congressional Committee, is favored to clinch the nod in the July 13 runoff after taking first place in June primary. The winner faces Rep. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) in November. The two Republicans will meet again on Thursday in a debate co-hosted by the Montgomery County Republicans, two other northern counties and several Tea Party groups.
Barber has had some interesting campaign ads lately that have gotten him attention from national media. "Gather Your Armies" and "Slavery" got him on with Chris Matthews and Fox News.
So you'd think he might have gained some momentum right? He hasn't. According to the article below from The Hill, Barber may be learning an important lesson...local media gets you far more votes than national media.
Controversial ads aren't resonating in Alabama, officials say
By Barbra Kim - 06/30/10 06:19 PM ET
An Alabama House candidate's controversial campaign ads that feature conversations with actors playing dead presidents have received national attention but local GOP officials say they've gone virtually unnoticed in the 2nd district.
Several officials told The Ballot Box they didn't even know about businessman Rick Barber's (R) most recent web ad, which equates taxation to slavery and features an actor playing Abraham Lincoln.
"I really don't know what to think, I'm just surprised" to hear about it, said Charlene Erbskorn, chair of the Houston County Republican Party, which sponsored Monday's debate between Barber and rival Martha Roby (R).
Butler County Republican Party chairman Cleveland Poole was one of the few officials contacted by The Ballot Box who'd seen the recent "slavery" web ad.
He said it was overly provocative. "Comparing President Obama's healthcare act to Jewish prison camps or to slavery in the South is taking the comparison too far," Poole said.
Barber also released a minute-long TV ad that features him yelling about being taxed without representation to a group of men dressed as America's founding fathers. The ad closes with an actor dressed as a young George Washington murmuring, "gather your armies." He addressed the controversial ad during an appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball" Wednesday.
Host Chris Matthews asked if he was advocating violence against an elected government. Barber said it was meant as a metaphor -- "gather our political army." Matthews noted that wasn't what the ad actually says and Barber grew agitated. "Chris, do you know what a metaphor is?," he asked.
Moments later Matthews asked Barber if he'd ever been audited (the ad mentions "malicious audits" as a reason for rebellion). "It's irrelevant, I've been audited once," Barber said.
The ad prompted mixed feelings in Alabama Republicans. "I think it's a very different way of looking at things," said Montgomery County GOP chair Pat Wilson. "I think people misunderstand it." She hadn't seen the web ad, but speculated that was because it's directed at a younger, web-savvy audience. Barber said he'd received an overwhelmingly positive response from the district to his ads.
"People are frustrated with what's going on in the government, and they're willing to speak out about it," he said. "It's a bit on the controversial side, but most people resonate with the overall message."
A Roby campaign official said that Barber was pursuing a strategy of national attention and only represented a small number of people in the district.
Roby, backed by the National Republican Congressional Committee, is favored to clinch the nod in the July 13 runoff after taking first place in June primary. The winner faces Rep. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) in November. The two Republicans will meet again on Thursday in a debate co-hosted by the Montgomery County Republicans, two other northern counties and several Tea Party groups.
DNC Leads in Technology-Based Political Activism
30/06/10 16:25
Dan Riehl over at Riehl World View is reporting that the DNC plans to use video tracking of Republicans to try to re-shape the narrative.
On Tuesday, the DNC will debut a new web-based feature that will empower several million Democratic activists to serve as “trackers” of Republican candidates throughout the country. In a move that could add a broad new element of accountability to elections — or simply make the political process even more gaffe-centric — the DNC is encouraging its followers to upload video, mail pieces or audio recordings of GOP officials to a DNC-run site. If carried out as planned, the new online tool could drastically alter the landscape of the 2010 elections, with campaign functions contracted out to hundreds of free volunteers. At a minimum, it is a vivid illustration of the modern-day campaign, where a slip-up by a candidate caught on video could have profound impacts on his or her electoral prospects.
Aides freely admit that the goal is to create another “Macaca moment” — in which former Senator George Allen (R-Va.) famously doomed his reelection hopes by belittling an opposition videographer with a racial slur — or at least to unearth a viral nugget such as those that changed the course of the health care debate at town halls last summer.
Republicans have got to step it up and embrace the power of social media because it's not going away. Democrats are fueling user-created content while Republicans have consultants come up with programs like "You Cut". When will the GOP get it?
BTW-If you doubt the power of social media, check out the stats in this video. Like it or not, it's become a part of the fabric of society...
On Tuesday, the DNC will debut a new web-based feature that will empower several million Democratic activists to serve as “trackers” of Republican candidates throughout the country. In a move that could add a broad new element of accountability to elections — or simply make the political process even more gaffe-centric — the DNC is encouraging its followers to upload video, mail pieces or audio recordings of GOP officials to a DNC-run site. If carried out as planned, the new online tool could drastically alter the landscape of the 2010 elections, with campaign functions contracted out to hundreds of free volunteers. At a minimum, it is a vivid illustration of the modern-day campaign, where a slip-up by a candidate caught on video could have profound impacts on his or her electoral prospects.
Aides freely admit that the goal is to create another “Macaca moment” — in which former Senator George Allen (R-Va.) famously doomed his reelection hopes by belittling an opposition videographer with a racial slur — or at least to unearth a viral nugget such as those that changed the course of the health care debate at town halls last summer.
Republicans have got to step it up and embrace the power of social media because it's not going away. Democrats are fueling user-created content while Republicans have consultants come up with programs like "You Cut". When will the GOP get it?
BTW-If you doubt the power of social media, check out the stats in this video. Like it or not, it's become a part of the fabric of society...
Dr. Bentley's Voting Record
27/06/10 11:57
I received this document from a friend today. It has some good info about Dr. Bentley's voting record so I thought I'd share...
Bentley Under Fire For Misrepresenting His Record As A Vietnam Veteran
25/06/10 14:56
Dr. Bentley has recently come under fire for this ad because it makes it appear that he actually served in Vietnam:
I agree that the ad is misleading. Bentley was actually stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. I've heard from a couple of sources that Dr. Bentley told his media people not to make it look like he was in Vietnam, but that sounds a little like passing the buck. Candidates have final say over what goes in their ads and what doesn't. Bentley saying he told them not to do that doesn't wash with me.
I agree that the ad is misleading. Bentley was actually stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. I've heard from a couple of sources that Dr. Bentley told his media people not to make it look like he was in Vietnam, but that sounds a little like passing the buck. Candidates have final say over what goes in their ads and what doesn't. Bentley saying he told them not to do that doesn't wash with me.
Dr. Bentley and HB 42 (Teacher Tenure Bill)
24/06/10 12:08
Brian over at Flashpoint blog has the full explanation as to what happened on HB 42.
His conculsion:
The real take away, no matter how poorly the AP reports on the matter, is that Robert Bentley voted in favor of a tenure “reform” bill that directly led to a teacher being paid while sitting in prison. Bradley Byrne fought the bill. It’s really pretty simple.
For the record, I agree with Brian that it was a bad vote. I don't care if every Republican in the legislature voted for it, it was still a bad vote. Dr. Bentley saying it was a 96-0 vote is his version of, "but everyone else was doing it..."
His conculsion:
The real take away, no matter how poorly the AP reports on the matter, is that Robert Bentley voted in favor of a tenure “reform” bill that directly led to a teacher being paid while sitting in prison. Bradley Byrne fought the bill. It’s really pretty simple.
For the record, I agree with Brian that it was a bad vote. I don't care if every Republican in the legislature voted for it, it was still a bad vote. Dr. Bentley saying it was a 96-0 vote is his version of, "but everyone else was doing it..."
Wonder Which Candidate AEA Supports?
21/06/10 09:55
Social Media and Politics: How Many Facebook Fans Translate Into Votes
16/06/10 18:34
Social media has become a part of most people's everyday life. Facebook now has 400 million active users, and Twitter is at 75 million and growing. According to Facebook, people spend over 500 billion minutes on it's site per month. For many of us, Twitter has become an addiction. Naturally companies, organizations, and candidates are trying to tap into these sites to reach consumers/members/voters. But many companies are also asking, "what is the marketing effectiveness of social media?" This article from Tech Republican sums up the growing concern: How Much Is A Facebook Fan Really Worth?.
Companies like Syncapse and Sentiment 360 are now offering market research services that tell companies what is being said about their brand/products on the web. They try figure out what the overall attitude toward a brand or product is, and also offer social media marketing services to try to change that image. More companies are using these services to find out how much value they are getting out of social media.
In many ways, this applies to politics as well. An increasing number of candidates are trying to harness the power of the internet, specifically social media to build their support. President Obama was able to do this very effectively in 2008. At the rate Facebook and Twitter are growing, this seems like a logical step for many campaigns. However, the question then becomes how much time and money candidates should spend on these efforts? Do Facebook Friends and Twitter followers really turn into votes?
The answer appears to be sometimes. Candidates like Scott Brown (R-MA), Nikki Haley (GOP candidate for Governor in SC), and Marco Rubio (GOP candidate for Senate in FL) have been able to generate enough online to buzz to make them real contenders. Brown beat out long-time Democrat Martha Coakley to take Ted Kennedy's seat in the U.S. Senate--a feat many thought would be impossible in Massachusetts. He used Facebook and Twitter frequently to raise money and get out his message. He started the "Money Bomb" trend which is now being used by many candidates to up their fundraising numbers from around the country instead of just in their state. Nikki Haley, once considered a long-shot candidate, raised her profile when Erick Erickson started writing about her on Red State. Rubio was also a long-shot candidate who was catapulted to stardom through blogs and social networks, again specifically Erickson at Red State. All of these candidates were considered long-shots at the beginning of the campaign, and all of them were able to use the internet to help them build a winning campaign. [Note: There were other forces at work in each of these campaigns that helped these candidates win. I use them as examples because they all ran effective social media campaigns.]
On the other hand, internet enthusiasm doesn't always turn into votes. Perhaps the most popular campaign ad ever came out of Alabama this year. Agriculture Commission candidate Dale Peterson's ad by Ladd Ehlinger, Jr. went viral on You Tube attracting attention from all over the country. He even made Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" list. Unfortunately for Dale, viral videos didn't turn into votes at the ballot box. Peterson claimed only 28% of the vote, which didn't get him in the runoff. There were some other popular ads from Alabama this cycle...Les Phillip, Young Boozer and Tim James all had adds that got hundreds of thousands of hits on You Tube. Of those, only Boozer won his race.
The bottom line in all this is that you have to know how to use social media in a campaign and how much time to spend doing it. The answers to those questions will vary by the candidate and the district, but all candidates need at least some presence online these days. But they must also keep in mind that popular ads, thousands of friends and followers don't necessarily turn into votes.
Companies like Syncapse and Sentiment 360 are now offering market research services that tell companies what is being said about their brand/products on the web. They try figure out what the overall attitude toward a brand or product is, and also offer social media marketing services to try to change that image. More companies are using these services to find out how much value they are getting out of social media.
In many ways, this applies to politics as well. An increasing number of candidates are trying to harness the power of the internet, specifically social media to build their support. President Obama was able to do this very effectively in 2008. At the rate Facebook and Twitter are growing, this seems like a logical step for many campaigns. However, the question then becomes how much time and money candidates should spend on these efforts? Do Facebook Friends and Twitter followers really turn into votes?
The answer appears to be sometimes. Candidates like Scott Brown (R-MA), Nikki Haley (GOP candidate for Governor in SC), and Marco Rubio (GOP candidate for Senate in FL) have been able to generate enough online to buzz to make them real contenders. Brown beat out long-time Democrat Martha Coakley to take Ted Kennedy's seat in the U.S. Senate--a feat many thought would be impossible in Massachusetts. He used Facebook and Twitter frequently to raise money and get out his message. He started the "Money Bomb" trend which is now being used by many candidates to up their fundraising numbers from around the country instead of just in their state. Nikki Haley, once considered a long-shot candidate, raised her profile when Erick Erickson started writing about her on Red State. Rubio was also a long-shot candidate who was catapulted to stardom through blogs and social networks, again specifically Erickson at Red State. All of these candidates were considered long-shots at the beginning of the campaign, and all of them were able to use the internet to help them build a winning campaign. [Note: There were other forces at work in each of these campaigns that helped these candidates win. I use them as examples because they all ran effective social media campaigns.]
On the other hand, internet enthusiasm doesn't always turn into votes. Perhaps the most popular campaign ad ever came out of Alabama this year. Agriculture Commission candidate Dale Peterson's ad by Ladd Ehlinger, Jr. went viral on You Tube attracting attention from all over the country. He even made Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" list. Unfortunately for Dale, viral videos didn't turn into votes at the ballot box. Peterson claimed only 28% of the vote, which didn't get him in the runoff. There were some other popular ads from Alabama this cycle...Les Phillip, Young Boozer and Tim James all had adds that got hundreds of thousands of hits on You Tube. Of those, only Boozer won his race.
The bottom line in all this is that you have to know how to use social media in a campaign and how much time to spend doing it. The answers to those questions will vary by the candidate and the district, but all candidates need at least some presence online these days. But they must also keep in mind that popular ads, thousands of friends and followers don't necessarily turn into votes.
Beauty and Brains: Is RWN's "20 Hottest Conservative Women in New Media" List A Bad Thing?
04/06/10 17:03
Much ado has been made about Right Wing News releasing their second annual "Hottest Conservative Women in New Media" list. For example, Newsweek's David Graham comes down hard on conservatives who fail to condemn the sexist rankings while complaining about the left's treatment of Sarah Palin. This article, however, managed to draw my interest. Mediaite's Tommy Christopher makes some valid points about problems with the RWN list.
The list doesn't focus on the intelligence/content of these women's work. Aesthetics seems to be the only consideration. While I have no problem with men appreciating a beautiful woman, I think they do a disservice to these extremely smart, successful women by not point out at least some of their accomplishments.
No matter how enlightened we consider ourselves these days, women still have a large hurdle to overcome in getting men to take them seriously. Things like this don't help. By failing to acknowledge the immense talent and hard work these women have put into their careers, RWN has reduced them to simply a pretty face. That is a true disservice to all of these women.
The list doesn't focus on the intelligence/content of these women's work. Aesthetics seems to be the only consideration. While I have no problem with men appreciating a beautiful woman, I think they do a disservice to these extremely smart, successful women by not point out at least some of their accomplishments.
No matter how enlightened we consider ourselves these days, women still have a large hurdle to overcome in getting men to take them seriously. Things like this don't help. By failing to acknowledge the immense talent and hard work these women have put into their careers, RWN has reduced them to simply a pretty face. That is a true disservice to all of these women.
The Long And Short Of The AG Race
03/06/10 14:22
