The Media II 12/5/2011
Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: – discuss and critically analyze political events in the United States government – students will be able to identify and explain the role of informal institutions and their effect on policy.
Office Hours and Readings Pp Office Hours – Tuesday – 8:00-8:30, 9:30-10:00 – Wednesday- 8:00-10:30
DEBATES
Presidential Debates A Recent Phenomenon General Strategies Do not screw upscrew
Why Candidates Like these A chance for exposure A chance for Legitimacy A chance to move in the polls
Presidential Debates Who Wins (the leader in the polls) The Person who doesn’t make a mistake Does it matter?
Presidential Debates Win by not losing What don't you want to do? – The 1960 DebateDebate – Look ancientancient – Seem heartlessheartless – You are no Jack KennedyJack Kennedy – Eastern Europe is Free Eastern Europe is Free – The Global TestGlobal Test – Adm. James Stockdale Blind, Deaf, Dumb BlindDeafDumb
THE MEDIA STRATEGY
The Media Strategy Getting the Message Out – Paid Advertisements – Free Press You campaign for votes and you campaign for media by getting free coverage Avoid cannibalizing
Getting Free Press Having your message get covered by the media You can reach a wide audience and It is not costing you money This is fully mediated
Maximizing Free Coverage Create a package Convey a winning message Shape an Image
Maximizing Free Coverage Don’t Say too Much Repeat the Few Basic Points Bad Press is Bad Press
POLITICAL ADVERTISING
Political Advertising Unmediated Protected by First Amendment Why So Popular?
Targeting Ads and their Effect Uncommitted voters vs Partisans When are they Most Effective? Ads are a sign of political viability
Why you try to get
Candidate Credibility We have to trust the messenger Issue Ownership Try to focus on your best issue
Getting More Votes Delivering a positive message about your candidate (mobilizing) Deliver a negative message about the opposition (mobilizing/demobilizing)
Biographical Ads Inform us about the Candidate Very important early in the campaign
Examples of Bio Ads We have Come A long Way since IkeIke Bio Ads in 2008 – Obama bio adbio – McCain bio adbio What you do not want to saywant to say
Issue Ads Focus on a specific issue or a policy area Associate yourself with favorable policies Do not mention issue weakness
Examples of Issue Ads The Bear in the Woods in 1984Bear Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris...Chuck Norris Hillary Clinton- Attack/Issue AdAttack/Issue Ad The Herman Cain “Smoking” AdSmoking
Attack Ads The Norm Rather than the Exception The Mother of all Attack AdsMother
The Effect of Attack ads on voters Some voters become disenchanted and disaffected Your Base Loves them!
How Effective are these If they didn’t work, candidates wouldn’t run them The Lessons of 1988 – The Revolving DoorDoor – Willie HortonHorton
Why They Work and Who uses them more We don’t trust politicians They are more memorable and informativememorable Challengers and vulnerable incumbents use them
Do Not Give your Opponent Ammo Never go to a Playboy PartyPlayboy Party Don’t Drive a Tank with a big helmethelmet Gee, thanks a lot IKEIKE The Defining Sound bite of 2008Sound bite
How To Deal with them Defend the Charges – Kerry Flip-Flopping on the issuesFlip-Flopping – The Kerry RebuttalRebuttal Counterattack on the same issue or up the ante- The Puppy AdPuppy Attack the Credibility of your opponentCredibility
How not to deal with them Do Nothing – The Initial AdInitial – Swiftboats Swiftboats – Kerry’s rebuttal to swiftboats? If you get Punched in the nose, you must punch back
How the attack can backfire If you are seen as being too evil
Ads Can Backfire You do it too late to make a difference You bring a knife to a gun fight