With the results in, Senator Barack Obama is the United States President Elect. History has been made in many ways. Obama, a candidate that represents change and hope, will become the United State’s first African American President when he is inaugurated on January 20th, 2009. He represents a younger generation of politics, one far more liberal and active than the old-school politicians of the past. President Elect Barack Obama is engaging and articulate with his promises of change. Perhaps his greatest success throughout the 21+ month-long campaign for Presidency was his engagement with the people. Whether it was through text messaging his supporters with updates and information or his social networking sites that grabbed an Internet audience by the masses, Obama’s greatest strength was his engagement with his supporters, and nay-sayers.
Unfortunately for Senator John McCain (R), none of this engagement was apparent. No text messaging service was available for supporters of McCain to receive up-to-the minute information and news updates. McCain ran his campaign in a traditional fashion, campaigning throughout the country, holding fundraisers and public information sessions. But in the new age world dominated by technology that we live in today, McCain’s old school politics didn’t cut it.
His campaign began to unfold and it was apparent nearing the final days of the campaign trail that the McCain campaign was in shambles.
Rewinding the clock a couple of months ago, Senator John McCain arose as the Republican front-runner and Republican nominee for Presidency. A decorated war veteran and a clearly established political career supported the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) endorsement of John McCain to represent their party in the 2008 Presidential race.
Fast forward to August 30th, 2008. The headlines read: McCain taps Alaska Gov. Palin as vice president pick.
Who? Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, Governor since 2006, and prior to her role as Governor, a City Mayor and Councilwoman. Qualifications where? Governor Palin took this nomination as a chance to diva-fy herself, to advance her political career once the McCain campaign began unfolding. Leading up to election day behind in the polls, Palin positioned herself looking forward to 2012. Leaks began trickling out from within the McCain campaign team that Palin was taking her newfound fame to a new level. Acting like a diva and lashing out at staff, she acted in a manner unprofessional and disturbing.
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“She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone,” said this McCain adviser, “she does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else. Also she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: divas trust only unto themselves as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom.”
The turmoil that was a result of Palin’s actions led the McCain campaign into a downward spiral. Without clear direction and answers to the problems this country was facing, this inner-turmoil was a detriment the campaign did not need. Strike One.
McCain’s opponent in this election, meanwhile, was systematically connecting and engaging the people of this country, running a well-connected and digital campaign in an age of new media. As the race inched closer to November 4th, endorsements began swarming in for the Senator from Illinois. Retired General and Republican Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama the week of October 19th. Major newspapers even backed the Illinois Senator. The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Chicago Tribune all issued their public support for Obama. Even the Anchorage Daily News backed Obama, despite their state’s Governor on the opposing ticket. So who’s support did John McCain receive? The likes of Vice President Dick Cheney, President George W. Bush, among other prominent Republican figures top the list. In a political environment quite frankly fed up with the policies and politics of the last eight years, receiving the endorsement of the two masterminds of the last eight years served not as steps forward, but as detriments to the overall campaign.
Joe Biden responded to the news of Cheney’s endorsement by saying:
“If you ever had any doubt that John McCain would continue George Bush’s policies — you can put those to rest. Just today, Vice President Cheney came out and endorsed John McCain. Do we need any more proof? I’m not surprised. Dick Cheney has been wrong on everything else the last eight years. He’s on a roll.”
Strike Two.
Going back to the topic of engagement, Barack Obama was successful in getting millions of first time voters to not only register, but countless others to vote for the first time. Many voters feeling distant from the political process had a renewed sense of importance this election year. Voter turnout set new records. Long lines cascaded around buildings. And people waited. They waited to vote. This new group of voters catered to the new age of politics, one intertwined with technology and pro-choice thought.
When a highly conservative and immensely disliked organization such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) CEO Mitch Bainwol offered his public support for John McCain, heads turn and faces scowl. The RIAA has become one of the most hated public organizations by the young demographic of voters that Bainwol’s support blew a detriment to, a category of voters McCain was already struggling to attain.
Strike Three.
From unattractive websites, smearing and uninformative advertising campaigns, to suspending the campaign in the wake of an economic disaster, Senator John McCain led a campaign that was in shambles. Its directions were unclear. Its change from the past eight years were unseen and indistinguishable. His position as the 44th President of the United States gone.
For the GOP, selecting Senator John McCain as the Republican nominee was a wrong choice for the party. He was not the man for this country, at least at this time. We need change, and McCain is 90% Bush, 100% more of the same.
Photo Credit: TruthDig
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