Women and Palin

Today, I read an article that discussed Sarah Palin's popularity.  As the author shows, it seems to be that women either love her or hate her.  I found this to be interesting considering I have my reservations about her as well.  Women who love Palin appear to adore the characteristics that I seem to can't stand (such as her excessive winking and sarcasm).  Sure it is great that she is a fresh face to politics, but what does her appearance as "just your average hockey mom" implicate for the election?

According to this author, Palin's nomination as VP has actually hurt McCain's popularity.  This was very surprising to me considering his choice seemed so blatantly obvious to be a political maneuver.  Barack Obama has a 17 point lead among women.  Furthermore, women who support Palin seem to be more persuaded by her conservative views (pro-life, stance on stemcell research) than the fact that she is a woman.  I find this hard to believe, considering the case of Hillary Clinton supporters who have now switched boats (see previous blogpost).

It is great for women to have someone they feel can relate to.  Some women even characterize her nomination as "brilliant."  However, perhaps gender is not as pervasive of an issue as I have originally thought in the birth of the campaign season and will not play as important of a deciding factor in this election.

Unsuccessful Ads

This in an article in Time that I found to be particularly interesting.  Not only does it affirm Obama's lead in certain states that President Bush had carried previously, but also concludes that McCain's negative attacks have failed in persuading the American public that he is the superior candidate.

McCain's campaign has recently focused on linking Obama to former domestic terrorist William Ayers and the liberal organizing group ACORN.  However, the voters are not buying it.  The article contributes Obama's lead to the ineffectiveness of McCain ads.

But because the polls were conducted via phone, I have to wonder how much of an accurate reflection they are of reality.  People who are especially passionate about the election this year and who firmly believe in a candidate are much more likely to respond.  I doubt many polls that are conducted for this reason.

Overall this article shows us that negativity may not necessarily be the most optimal route to take in campaigning.  It is interesting that Obama's negative ads were successful in persuading many that McCain is incapable of effectively dealing with the economic issues.  Perhaps McCain's ads seem more baseless to voters, as opposed to the link Obama has created between McCain and President Bush. 

I felt this article necessary to discuss given the previous post about negative campaign ads.  I am curious to see how all of this 'mudslinging' will play out.  Perhaps future campaigns will learn from this presidential election in terms of what is successful and what is not in persuading the electorate.

Low-Blows

What I found to be particularly interesting during the third and final debate, was the emphasis on making unfair comments and accusations.  In particular, John McCain made a special effort to claim how inaccurate, unfair and morally wrong the Obama campaign's allegations have been. Americans are all aware that this has been both a heated and incredibly lengthy race to the polls.  Nevertheless, it was an extremely beneficial opportunity for both candidates to explain why and how they differ. We have learned of the impressive power of the media.  And through direct explanation, the candidates were able to communicate their positions to the Americans.

I have heard through the media that the negative feelings towards the McCain-Palin ticket is largely accredited to their own decisions to attack Obama's character.  This morning, Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Obama. In a press interview, he explained that he believed McCain's allegations (i.e. Obama is a terrorist) were outrageous and unfair.  This is a striking contrast when compared to the image of innocence and helplesness McCain tried to create during the debate.  Furthermore, the McCain campaign has proclaimed that Obama's economic and tax policies are socialist.  Most Americans do not have an accurate understanding of socialist policies and link the ideology to Communism.  I believe this an effective campaign strategy as the Red-Scare is still looming large over society.

I do not know about anyone else, but I am greatly looking forward to November 4th. I am flat out getting tired of all the harping and these low-blows.

Stern Quizzes Obama Supporters

"Do you support Obama because he's pro life or because he wants to keep our troops in Iraq?"

As students of Political Science, all of us are aware of the fundamental differences between Republicans and Democrats generally speaking. We can see how the question above seems contradictory.

But when the Howard Stern Show hit the streets and questioned voters why they supported Obama, most voters did not see a problem.  In fact, they missed basic facts about the election.   The interviewees even believed that Sarah Palin was a "great pick" for Obama's running mate. For me, this was a huge eye opener. It is crazy to believe that so many individuals are not informed of what we consider to be common knowledge.  It is upsetting that the masses are so impressionable.  It is suggested by Howard Stern that these men and women are voting solely because of race.  Perhaps this does demonstrate how important the race card is in this year's election. I, along with most,  feel that race, gender, etc should be irrelevant.  Unfortunately, this is a naive expectation and undoubtedly idealistic.

The most important message of this post is that we as society should be educating voters or else we are more susceptible to the deceit and tricks of "dirty politics."  It is the shame that the issues are not of utmost importance when it comes down to the election.  I am positive the same is true of McCain supporters.  Perhaps this is something we can strive for.

"Uncertain and Erratic Behavior"

On October 9th, Obama called out Senator McCain for his "uncertain" and "erratic behavior."  Here, again, we see the importance of leadership in the campaign.  It is imperative for any successful candidate to establish himself as someone who is both trustworthy and credible.  In this short 1 minute clip, we see a variety of tactics used.

In describing how McCain's stance has fluctuated, Obama is demonstrating his opponent's uncertainty and lack of care. According to Obama, even with his new plan, he is punishing taxpayers and failing to solve our housing crisis.  Furthermore, he is hinting that McCain is inept and fails to understand the true ramifications of the problem.  He concludes by stating that McCain's "erratic and uncertain leadership in these uncertain times" is unfitting. We need someone whom is both steady and trustworthy.

I could not help but wonder if Obama was indirectly hinting at McCain's age for his "erratic" behavior.  It is something interesting to think about.  Perhaps he is playing off his opponent's "disadvantage" by claiming he is unfit to lead our nation under these conditions.  Any thoughts?

Will the real Obama please stand up?

This is an interesting article in The New York Observer.  The McCain campaign is now focusing on Obama's "touchiness" every time he is questioned about his record.  On October 6th, he asked a crowd in Albuquerque, "Who is the real Senator Obama?"  He claimed that Obama thinks "somehow the usual rules don't apply" and fails to supply an open book about his political record.  McCain asserted that whatever the question or issue may be, Obama provides a "back story."  

"In short: Who is the real Barack Obama? But ask such questions and all you get in response is another barrage of angry insults."

Political ideology aside, McCain is trying to show that Obama is not a desirable leader because he is not giving us the truth up front.  Whether or not you agree, here is an example of what we have discussed in class.  This assertion by McCain focuses on the personality of Obama or "what is going on underneath the surface" rather than his behaviors or style.  McCain is hoping to convince voters that there is somehow something deceptive or misleading about his opponent.  This is an especially undesirable quality of a president today.  Our concept of leadership, entails translucence and clarity.  Especially because of the economic crisis, I feel that Americans want the truth up front and are tired of the corruption and deceit that have pervaded the issues for so long.  I am not sure how successful this attempt will be however.  I feel that it may be viewed as an uncalled for and inappropriate comment.

The Importance of Leadership

It is absolutely imperative that a presidential candidate portray an image that is favorable to the public's perception of "who a leader is." As leadership is situational, people's ideas of presidential leadership is somewhat different than an individual who holds another position.  Here, in this campaign ad for the primaries, Barack Obama is specifically trying to show why/how he would make a good leader.

He begins by promising he will be a straightforward, genuine and bipartisan leader.  He then describes his compassion.  He provides a brief but rich history which shows how he fought for civil rights and the misfortunes of citizens.  He also conveys himself as someone who is ethical by explaining how he fought for more stringent ethical standards.  I thought it was especially interesting how he admitted he is neither a "perfect man" nor will be a "perfect president."  While it seems foolish to do this, I think it is important for him to establish that he is relatable and will listen to the demands of the American public (which he later went on to discuss).  Obama is heavily scrutinized for being an advocate of the middle class with such a privileged upbringing and perhaps he was intending to alleviate these concerns.

The Best Leader?

After discussing leadership in class on Thursday, I began to wonder how the American public may be assessing the presidential candidates.  Specifically, what are the traits of Obama and McCain that may translate into positive feelings that one or the other would make a "better" leader?

On one hand, Senator Barack Obama has many appealing traits that may indicate his leadership abilities.  For example, he is extremely well spoken.  As opposed to President McCain, in my opinion, he is much more fluid and projects his ideas in a much more straightforward manner.  To some voters, good communication that entails ones intellect and genuine character may be persuasive at the polls.  Furthermore, Senator Joe Biden is well-averse and experienced on the level of national politics.  Some may envision the president and vice president of the US as a knowledgeable individuals who understand the processes of government. Should this be the case, then Biden is a good fit for this mold of a good leader.

Nevertheless, Senator John McCain can also fit this mold.  Furthermore, he conveys the image of a "Maverick" (as Sarah Palin consistently reminded us last night at the VP debates!).  According to this analogy, he is someone who defies party lines and works on behalf of the nation as a whole, setting aside bipartisanship.  To some, this may be an important trait of a leader.  They may want someone who will not work for certain interests but makes unbiased and sincere decisions.  Others may envision a leader as someone who is relatable.  In this case, Sarah Palin may be very influential.  She projects an image of "just your average hockey mom."  Individuals for the most part do not want a leader who acts 'untouchable' and above the rest of society.

There are other important characteristics/traits of a leader that are desirable.  However, I believe all four of these are crucial for a successful leader to encompass.  By being a well-communicative, experienced, relatable "Maverick" one would surely find success! Perhaps because there are so many positive qualities dispersed across both tickets, I am so indecisive.