Tag Archives: McCain

An Example of Bespoke Info: “Of Record”

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It always amazed me that the Internet had emerged as such a great tool to go find the best info for automotive purchase information or mortgage rates but for political information, people had to go hunt for a one stop shop of information on a politician’s stance on the issues. Trying to compare and contrast each party’s true record and opinion shouldn’t be this hard, should it?

My friends at Bespoke Info took my challenge and have created a one stop destination for a comparison of positions on all matters between Obama and McCain. Here is a sneak peak at their work called “Of Record.” The chart tries to offer up straight forward facts on each position in easy-to-digest charts and asks the community to add value and edit where appropriate. I think this kind of work and easy to process information will be very helpful to voters as Election Day nears. Check out the charts and let the folks at Bespoke Info know what you think by adding value to their work. Thank you. 

The Experts are Always Wrong: A Rant

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I believe if the Presidential election were held today that the Republican ticket would win. THAT is stunning. How could that be you ask? How could the Democratic ticket have snatched defeat from the jaws of apparent victory?

I think the Democrats have done very poor marketing and positioning of late of their ticket. They had better change before it is too late if they want to win. Think of this take as purely an exercise in marketing not as my personal political agenda as I do not have one here.

The media and the Democratic marketing machine have positioned Obama as the “establishment”; as the clear winner; and as a “media darling.” The Democratic Convention – I believe – backfired as it was more a coronation than a political rally and convention. Obama is coming off as a defender of the Presidential position and McCain as the attacker and agent of change. Wow. Think of that dipsy-doodle move? I believe America embraces underdogs and outsiders. Overreacting to Obama’s lack of experience and trying to make him the “new establishment” was a bad move. Consumers sniff out inauthenticity a mile away. They liked and respected the old Obama. They don’t recognize the new and improved Obama and he is being packaged as just another politician. The angrier he gets, the worse he does in the polls. Obama should use niceness as his competitive weapon.

When the Democratic ticket took the high road and when Obama was seen a healer, as an outsider, as an agent of change without a lot of political baggage, his scores soared with voters and undecideds. That was why he was able to get more votes than Hillary in the primary. When he looks like another politician with experience and is an attacker and gets dirty in the mud, he loses esteem with voters. Look at Palin’s scores right now. She is beloved just because she ISN’T seen as a typical politician. Her lack of experience and freshness is seen as a positive NOT a negative. Whenever she is mocked by the media establishment her scores soar. Why? Most of America dislikes and distrusts mainstream media. The more the mainstream media attacks Palin, the better the Republicans do. I know that sounds counterintuitive but I believe it is true and the recent polls I believe are proving me right. As I noted before, if mainstream media really does want Obama to win, then they should cuckold McCain. :-) Or at least be seen as neutral and allow the candidates voices to be heard loud and clear.

Obama should NOT attack. He shouldn’t respond daily to every tit for tat. He should soar above the noise. He should create a manifesto of change and communicate it at every opportunity. He should belittle the conversation not the people talking. He should focus on what he means by his change and he should get himself repositioned as a national healer, as a centrist and as someone who can reach across the aisle and create a national mandate to make the country great again. He needs to be a man with a plan and not be seen as a man who is being handled by experts and a political party.

He should NOT be seen as bedfellows with the national media. It is truly stunning to me as an observer to watch how the Democrats have shot themselves in the foot since the European tour for Obama. I don’t think the campaign has hit on its “Change: I am an outsider and not your normal politician” theme since that trip which made him look like he was already the President and was running for re-election. As he became the ”incumbent” with the media, McCain became the outsider and the agent of change and our country wants change. McCain’s choice of Palin on the ticket was brilliant and the media thought it was dumb. The mainstream media is out of touch with America. It is mostly always wrong.

This turnaround in the polls is stunning. This election could become a case history in just bad positioning and marketing by a major political party.

My Take on the Polls: A Warning to MSM

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I live in Washington, DC. I work in the media and entertainment industries. I chum around with people that are obsessed with politics. And many are just floored that the presidential election seems to be so tight with a neck and neck race between McCain and Obama shaping up. Just look at the most recent polls. I, on the other hand, am not surprised at all with the most recent poll findings and snapshot of voter intentions.

Many of my friends don’t get it. And that is because they are as disconnected to the real world as am I. I am sad to say. The real world is broad and evenly split between liberals and conservatives and each state is local and has its own needs and its own tastes and its own set of deliverables that it is looking for in a President. The silent majority plays it pretty straight. It is the guts of our country and populace. The fight will be hand to hand combat in a few key states. The fight won’t be what the media elite want. It will be decided by organizations in the field that can turn out the vote and can activate the most undecided voters to vote for a particular candidate. Same as it ever was in a presidential election in the modern era. One little state voting for one candidate can make all of the difference in a Presidential race and those states tend NOT to be media capitals of the industry.

Many people want change. Many like the status quo. Many want a real election and debate and would not offer up a clear path to the White House to any candidate without real scrutiny and work. They are contrarians.

I have no deep party affiliations and you will never really know who I will vote for. I tend to financially support many candidates because I believe in the process and as I get to know candidates, sometimes I come to really believe in them personally. But I also believe that you never talk about “God, sex and politics” in a public forum.

One thing I am coming around to though is this: The general populace does not like mainstream media. If mainstream media supports a candidate, it can actually work out to have a reverse effect. Hence the more the mainstream media appoints Obama to be President, the less likely he is to be voted in. The more they make Obama look like the President today, the more they make McCain look like the attacker brand, the true agent of change. It is very ironic, isn’t it?

If my friends in the mainstream media really want Obama to win they should lay off because right now I see the MSM hurting their own candidate by fawning over him. America wants a fair race and doesn’t trust politicians and doesn’t trust media as well. The mainstream media must allow the process to play out. Let the organization with the best process and the candidate with the best message win out naturally. They need to trust Americans to make the right choice on their own.