Campaign experience

This years election was an exciting and interesting to follow. The thing I found the most interesting was the affect of the media on the campaign. Proir to this election I never realized the cost of a presidental campaign. A large part of the presidental camgaign funding goes tv advertisment.
TV advertising is able to reach a large number of people, or a target group of people. I also found it interesting how the adds change during the campaign process. At the beginging they are value laiden and issue orienanted. As it gets closer to election time the adds change to a more negative theme showing weaknesses of the candidates. I also noticed that people in general do not like the negative adds.
Overall I have enjoyed following this election. It has been interesting and I have learned a lot that I previously did not know.

Final Thoughts About the Election

Even though the election has ended, the negativity surrounding Governor Sarah Palin and President-Elect Barack Obama continues to fill the air. I would consider myself on the very conservative side of the political spectrum, but I feel that others who also identify themselves as so have showed many cases of immaturity and ignorance. Even if the candidate that you supported did not win the election, he will still be the president of our country and I think people should be more respectful.

As for Sarah Palin, there are stories and rumors still surfacing about her lack of intelligence and/or inability to lead, but it seems irrelevant now that the electorate is sure that she will not be Vice President. She has been given a lot of harsh criticism, even by members of the McCain camp and I do not believe she is deserving of this treatment. It cannot be fully attributed to her that McCain did not win the election and after all, he is the one that chose her.

My main concern with an Obama presidency is that people's expectations might be too high. I understand that people are unhappy with the Bush presidency and are seeking any kind of change that will change the direction of our country. However, when talking to others they seem to present a VERY BROAD list of expectations for Obama that cover a plethora of very different topics and pertain to DRASTIC changes. On one hand, Obama can use any visible changes, even very small ones, to convince the electorate that change is being made so he might be able to appease the people. On the other hand, I feel that some people do not understand how long and arduous a journey it will be for all the changes that they desire. When asking people what they expect from Obama they rattle of a list of topics from education and the Iraq War to the economy and healthcare. He does have a unified government to work with, but that does not guarantee success, especially as quickly as people would like. I really hope that he does not discount the opinions/feelings of Republicans and move very far to the left when his presidency begins. He has promised to work both sides of the aisle and I hope this is how it turns out. This election was filled with more firsts than any in years past and has been truly historical.

Palin, Still in the News

Even though election day is over and Obama has won, we are still continuing to here about the downfalls of Senator Sarah Palin. She is continually being criticized and blamed for the McCain campaign loss to the Obama Campaign.

Recently in the news, Palin was falsely interviewed by a Canadian comedian immitating that she was the President of France. She was also criticized by not knowing the Africa was even a continent or the fact that she didn't know who was a part of the North American Free Tade Agreement.

This is sad for who was a prospective Vice Presidential Candidate. I am sure many people who supported the McCain campaign weren't too sure how she would actually be if the McCain campaign were to have won the election.

After the Election

The election is over. Barack Obama is the winner and the President of the United States. The next step is for the Americans. Can we pull together as America and support him? I was amazed at some of the comments that I have heard in the past few days on campus. We say that we are past being racist and we do not mind having a black person in power, but if that is true then why am I hearing all the racist comments about Obama. He won honestly. "Looks like the Confederates versus the Union." This was said about the way the U.S. looked after the election was done. "We'll see, I can't wait for him to make his first mistake so I can say told ya so." "The Americans have chosen, but they have chosen wrong." What amazes me is that some of these very people voted for Obama. As Ashlee said, we need to pull together as a nation and support Obama. I hope and pray that for our country we can give Obama the chance to make change and make a difference. He deserves that much from all of the Americans.

Time to Jump

It's time to jump on the bandwagon! Whether you were an Obama supporter, an Independent or a McCain/Palin supporter it is official; Senator Barack Obama is the President Elect. We must all set aside our differences and come together to better our nation. Not only must we do this we must be proactive against the hate comments that are being said by our friends and family. If we do not take a stand our country is going to become divided. As we are going through these hard times, we cannot afford to fight over petty things. So I encourage everyone to stop the negativity and encourage others to support our nation through supporting our next president.

Indiana and Obama

2008 will be remembered historically for many reasons. It is the first year that we would have either had our first African American president, or our first female vice president as well as the first time Indiana has voted for a democrat president since 1964. I believe this is not so much as Indiana has gone blue, but more so because of McCains belief that he already owned Indiana. The visiting statistics were so far in Obama’s favor, that I think it ridiculous that McCain didn’t show up more often. When you know you have a state locked up, at least give it the respect to show up once in awhile. Had the differential in visits not been so great, I feel McCain would have had a better showing, especially in Indianapolis, which he lost by 100K votes. I think this just shows that times are changing. We now have our first African American descent president (I say descent, because he is half African and half Caucasian) and the first election which contained an African American and a female. Personally, I believe that it is a great thing to show some mixture in the candidates. Rather than just having white males, we now have African Americans and females gracing the political candidacy, representing a great change in America. Obama ran a cleaner campaign, is the better speaker and worked to bring forth many more voters with his grass roots campaign. I only hope that he follows through on his promises and leads America in to a direction of dominance not seen in a few years.

Handsome and Even Tanned

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi described Barack Obama as "young, handsome and even tanned." Some people were shocked and taken aback by this statement, but it was only meant as a joke. He said this at a news conference after meeting with the Russian president. Apparently, he said Obama has everything needed in order to reach deals.

If it's meant as a joke, then I see no problem with a comment like that. People should lighten up and have a sense of humor. If it was meant to be negative or anything, then I could see people getting upset. The article also said that Berlusconi has said questionable things before like comparing a German lawmaker to a Nazi camp guard and saying that there were too many women in the new Spanish government. I guess it all depends on how serious you take things, and how easily you can be offended. What do you think about it?

Back Barack

John McCain solemnly took the stage to officially announce his concession. Throughout his speech McCain wanted to make sure that his supporters did not take the loss personally. That they had not failed but rather he had. McCain also wanted to emphasize that although the Republicans would not be in the White House for the next four years that Obama and himself were not complete polar opposites; that they had more in common than they were different. That they were both Americans and could restore the United States back to its glory “I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.” McCain showed great class and poise when he vowed that he would back Obama in his administration to make America better. It was a nice respite from the harsh attacks and negative publicity.

It makes you wonder if only McCain had showed the same amount of class during the campaign what the outcome may have been. The fate for McCain was sealed when Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio went Democratic. Some supporters would not recognize defeat until the concession call was made. Republican supporters have four years to ponder this election and wonder what may have been but at the same time they should recognize the magnitude and historical significance of the first African American president. Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud ; his dream has been recognized.

Republicans Looking for Change

After McCain’s loss to Obama, the Republican Party is looking to reevaluate its overall message. Whenever a party losses an election, it is always important to go back to square one and evaluate the party’s values and stances on issues. The party wants to bring back the popularity of the Reagan years. Republicans are also looking for a fresh face to represent the party. Republicans are trying to move away from their image of the “old man party”. Republican Whit Ayers said, “tomorrow’s party leaders need to defy stereotypes”. Many Republicans believe governors will be the future leaders of the party because the majority of the most popular governors are Republican. They are hoping Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, Charlie Crist, or even Sarah Palin, all rising stars in the Republican Party, could rejuvenate the party base. I think the key to Republicans gaining popularity is to start governing less from the right and more towards the center. The United States, especially the younger generation, has a growing desire not be republican or democrat, but to do what is best for our country.

Campaign Promises Could Become Burdens

Barack Obama owes his election in part to President Bush's vast unpopularity, but that favor comes at a cost--Obama will be assuming responsibility for a credit crisis, a banking collapse, an unstable stock market and what is likely to be a lasting recession. Throughout his campaign, Obama has promised tax cuts for working families, affordable and expanded health care and a speedy withdrawal from Iraq, but can he really deliver despite the problems the nation faces? In reality, Obama will inherit a budget deficit that many analysts say could hit $1 trillion for the first time in history, potentially crimping any promises of tax cuts or spending on new programs. In addition, he faces a worsening economy that has traumatized Americans trying to buy a home, pay for college or plan for retirement.

Since he ran such an organized campaign, I am not surprised that Obama has already appointed a transition team to help shape his administration's economic policies even before he assumes the presidency. Many of the details for his economic plan may well be hammered out by the time he takes office. Depsite his best efforts, I just don't know if he will be able to deliver what he has promised voters.

Change in America

In his speech following the election results, John McCain pledged his support to Barrack Obama. This is a consistent theme in speeches made by the losing nominee, but I hope it was more than a token gesture. I hope McCain meant what he said there, just as I hope Obama will live up to what he has said he will do. There have been a lot of comments, articles, and accusations that have been thrown at Obama. I hope none of them are true. If you talk to many people who voted for John McCain, they didn't seem to defend McCain. The thing I've heard most is a fear of what and who Obama is. I hope all that fear is completely unfounded, and that Obama will be able to stand true to what he has said he would try to do from the start. Unite the country, make it a better place to live and work. Unfortunately, I have found very little evidence that would suggest that Obama is what the far right has said he is. I say unfortunately because it saddens me deeply to think that 46% of the nation would vote in fear if there is little to no substance behind it. I hope that this election will show capital hill that America isn't happy with the way things are going, and that they will recognize Americans are more unhappy with the divided mentality than a certain party.

McCain's Concession Speech

John McCain’s concession speech was given around 11 p.m. Tuesday night. It was not given in anger, but in passion for America. McCain first congratulated Obama for being elected the next president of the United States. Then McCain explained the significance of this being an historic election and the importance for African-Americans. McCain stated that he “urges all Americans who supported him to join in just not congratulating Obama, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country.” I found this statement to be encouraging to help the McCain supporters connect with Obama. Another strong statement from McCain stated that “I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all American, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.” I think his overall speech was very well written and spoken showing that he is a true American.

Immediate Reaction

Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the campaign election last night. I was working, but I feel like I received some great reactions and feedback from customers that came in to dine. As 7 pm rolled around, and the restaurant was filling up. Almost every table was conversing about the election and what they had heard so far. It is so weird to think, that during the past few months or even yet, the past year or so. No one really shows interest in the election and it is not the main topic until....Election Day. For the majority last night, I would have to say were Obama supporters. What I also found interesting was that as I was talking with people about voting and such, they all said they were not sure who to exactly vote for. They did clearly identify themselves with either being a Democrat or a Republican, but they voiced the opinions that they did not support either candidate, and when it finally came down to it they had to go with their morals and the morals of the candidates. As far as the morals went, McCain supposedly had them and Obama did not. I did not agree that with at all. The way McCain would attack Obama throughout the campaign with his ad and crack under pressure, I clearly do not see him being moralistic. I was pretty excited to hear the results that Obama had won. We were updated all night, with people calling and telling us the numbers. I remember thinking at one point, McCain still had a chance, but in my gut I felt Obama was going to sweep the board. Which he did.

Obama Wins Indiana

While the general election has been won by Barack Obama we still have yet to know the results of Missouri and North Carolina. Missouri seems to be leaning towards a McCain win while North Carolina seems to be giving it to Obama. I personally have been waiting to find out whether Indiana has turned blue or not. CNN has just reported that Indiana has been won by Barack Obama. What is interesting is that I the 2004 election Bush won Indiana 60% to 39% against Kerry. CNN reports that Obama projected lead in Indiana is 50% to 49%.

2008 Voter Turnout

More people than ever voted for the presidential election yesterday- over 130 million people. This is about 7.7 million more than in 2004. Approximately 64 percent of the electorate voted, which is the highest percentage in around 44 years. There was an especially large increase in the states of North Carolina, Virginia and Indiana. Analysts say this is because of Obama's targeting these states. As of right now, at least Indiana and Virginia have voted for Obama, while North Carolina is still very close. Also, a larger percentage of minorities and youth voted in this election, which is also said to be because of Obama, and it benifited him. Exit polls are showing that Obama won 66% of Hispanics, 95% of blacks, and 67% of people between the ages of 18 to 29. I think the increased voter turnout is great. Even though some people had to stand in line for hours and in less than perfect conditions, so many people came out to vote for how they felt.

Ohio police ordered to have riot gear ready for election 'unrest' !!!!

in spite of overwhelming proof that the Republicans stole the 2004 election in Ohio, most who refer to this election are locked in to the Republican line: "Ohio gave George W Bush the 2004 election" When are the americans, as a community of patriots, going to take these bastards on? For it appears that they are still very much in a position to do exactly the same thing they did in 2004. Those who live in "battleground" states should be cognizant of the fact that this is where they will do their dastardly acts, for in wide-open races favoring McCain, they would not take a chance. I suggest we make it very clear to those who are still ignorant of these facts that they do some research. I 'm certain that they will never use the Republican line again. but then again regardless of whats happening in ohio, there are alot of question marks on the democratic party this year, especially obama. for instance, he voted to re-authorize the Patriot Act, grant sweeping wiretapping powers to the government and give immunity to illegal wiretappers. That he opposes single-payer health care. That he voted to give away $700 billion to the crooks who looted the US economy. Woohoo! "Change" I can believe in: same shit, different party.
its a dilema !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and people re confused and dont know who to TRUST !!!!

The End is Near

This has been a dirty and long political campaign, and I am glad it is finally coming to an end. Between the bad publicity and negative advertising, we have all been bombarded with news that shouldn’t make the news and accusations that do not make sense. But after three months of this, it all comes down to one day…and that day is today. The polls indicate that Obama will be the next president of the US, but nothing is for sure when it comes to the elections.
I think that overall Obama has run a smarter, more positive campaign; and that reflects on the polls. He is a much better orator, has better interpersonal skills, “won” all three debates, and has benefited more from E-campaigning. McCain has been behind for awhile now, but he never changed his strategy at all. He continued to run ads attacking Obama, he did not do enough during the debates, and he never quite sound convincing enough during his speeches. So from a communications point of view, I think Barack should win the elections. But we cannot forget that we should not vote for the most likable candidate, or the better speaker, we should vote for the candidate who we agree with more when it comes to issues because a pretty smile won’t better the economy.

Voting Lines

This morning I arrived at Maple Park here in town to vote because I am from town and that is where I have always gone. This year the line was already 20 people long when i arrived to vote at 5:45 a.m. I waited for about 20 minutes to vote and when I left there was about 50 people behind me. I could not believe how many people from this little town were there by 6:30 this morning just at this one polling place. My parents who voted around noon waited for about 50 minutes before they actually voted. They have lived here for more than 40 years and have never had to wait more than 10 minutes to vote. EVER! If it is this busy in a town of six thousand imagine what the lines look like around the big cities of the United States.

Candidate Websites

Candidate websites, in my opinion, are some of the most effective means to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate. The website contains all aspects of the candidate's campaign effort, from TV ads to volunteer information. The websites also specifically detail the candidates' plan to handle all issues from economics to health care. Is it possible that the web will replace more traditional means of persuasion such as TV, direct mail, and phone calls? It's not likely. However, it is, in my opinion, a more effective way to persuade than most of the mediums we have.

We Learn to Appreciate Campaing Communication More Objectively

If you browse through the website of Obama on this special day, you can’t help reviewing whatever knowledge we learn from the text book. The rhetorical functions of political ads, which can either arouse our respect for our candidate and patriotism or trigger our doubt of the opponent’s leadership qualities, just keep echoing in our mind. The knowledge of content and functions of campaign website enables us to achieve a thorough understanding of the fact why many visitors just cannot resist the coax of the various forms of information on that magical website as to resort to action of either voting or donating. Now we can look at the campaign activities and campaign communication in a more objective and professional way so as to better appreciate the strategies and real intention of our candidate and his opponent.