The election is quickly approaching the fourth stage of campaign communication: the general election. This is now a time when candidates must meet their campaign expectations and legitimize the political system. However, in the most recent of backyard shenanigans, both Obama and McCain are exchanging hateful words; but for what purpose?
Many people do expect politics to turn ugly, so some may not be surprised at the recent comments each candidate has thrown at one another. Obama added fuel to the fire yesterday by stating, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." This was in reference to McCain's promise of change. However, there is also a direct reference to Palin's comment about what separates a soccer mom from a pit bull: lipstick. With all this smearing of lipstick at this stage of the campaign process, one must ask, "Why so serious?"
The problem with resorting to smearing and provoking the competition at this stage of the campaign lies within the function of legitimizing the political system. Each candidate has already gained the trust of millions of voters, showed their qualifications for nomination, and established a role as a leader. Now, with only two months left before election day, the communication from the candidates to the public is fading. In order to keep up with technology, they are creating stories from smearing rather than policy. As a result, the voter may be confused as to where to get information and which information is true.
Whether we find lipstick on a blue collar or a white collar is irrelevant to how the campaign should be communicating right now. It is a time to hammer in the essential policy details and to inform the public of what is to come. Obama and McCain both must be aware of the effects their communication has on the political process, and by resorting to this kind of communication they are undermining the political process.
This could be the beginning of a snowball effect. Many predict there is more lipstick smacking to come.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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2 comments:
I just wanted to make a little correction to your post. You said "soccer mom", and I believe what Palin said was "hockey mom." It's just a detail, but I thought I should tell you. : )
Jason, I could not agree with you more. In this stage of the campaign (general election) we should be hearing about the issues that are important to us and not about “lipstick.” I think both candidates are shifting away from meeting campaign expectations and moving towards what I would label as dirty politics. What I find very interesting is the fact that the “battle” is now be-tween Obama and Palin, when she is not even the one who would be running the country no mat-ter who gets elected. It is true that she has become a focus and a boost for the Republican Party, but she is still not the presidential candidate. I think the media and the candidates need to use their power to change the focus of the campaign, from this ridiculous “smacking (as Jason labels it) to the discussion of political issues and solutions that we all need to be informed about.
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