At a time when nearly 60% of Americans use text messaging, how does the McCain campaign not have a text message element? His competitors, Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton sure seem to be more in touch with the American public, especially younger adults who must find the McCain campaign to be so yesterday.
Text messaging today is as important to the American public as the fireside chats of the FDR era that targeted radio listeners. In fact, statistically, text messaging is more important than radio was in the 1930's. So why has McCain refused to add a text message mobile marketing element to his campaign?
Barrack Obama is using a cutting edge text message campaign to sway voters. Last summer, the Illinois senator launched a text message initiative to organize volunteers and encourage supports to text GO to 62262 (OBAMA).
The Obama campaign's site offers free ringtones from Obama's speeches, Obama wallpapers, and voters can send questions to get policy statements. The text campaign also includes information on how to donate or volunteer for the campaign. Now, that's change.
Obama's text campaign is also the only one to regionalize its database. This has been valuable in getting the public out to see the senator during his local political speeches. Prior to one of his regional visits, the Obama text message campaign sends thousands of text messages to his supporters and encourages them to show their support by showing up at his rallys.
While Obama's text message campaign may be the most active, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards actually had their text message campaigns going before Obama did. Clinton and Edwards are certainly not the only politicians using text message campaigns.
President Bill Clinton recently stated that he's no longer a text message virgin and he demonstrated such during a speech on his wife's campaign.
Hillary Clinton's efforts were admirable, but not nearly to the same effectiveness of Obama's. The Clinton campaign failed to use a vanity short code and never got the recognition that Obama's has today. Maybe text messaging is one reason why Obama is the clear favorite of younger voters over both candidates.
Text message campaigns on the political front are clearly here to stay. A University of Michigan and Princeton University study found that using text messages to remind voters to get out and vote increases voter participation by 4% among young voters. Given young adults propensity for using cell phone text messaging, you can bet Obama will be sending reminders on election day.
The efforts of Obama and Clinton contrast starkly to the John McCain campaign that has yet to add any element of mobile marketing. "It's not surprising given his age," said Bob Bentz, director of marketing at Advanced Telecom Services that supplies text message solutions to businesses. "Only 11% of those over 65 use text messages and Mr. McCain is a bit older than 65. You would think that somebody on his campaign would have advised Senator McCain that text messaging is an important way to communicate with young, politically-active adults."
Maybe that's one reason why Barrack Obama has a huge advantage among younger voters.
When it comes to text messaging, John McCain just doesn't get it.
In fact, I have no intention of supporting him whatsoever. I've been holding my nose for the Republican presidential candidates since I was old enough to vote, and I haven't seen much of a return on my support. Up to now, they've been lackluster at best. This year, the Republicans managed to nominate the only human being that could make me look back on either of the Bushes or Bob Dole and say "I wish our nominee was one of them instead".
Now, everyone is adamant that we vote for McCain. They say there's a world of difference between him and Obama, and let's say that's true. What's he done about it since 2000 or so? When was the last time you saw McCain oppose a Democrat or their agenda points in any way before he started running for President? In fact, what else has he done but join with Democrats, poke his fingers in conservative eyes to build his fake maverick credentials, and revel in the puff press at our expense?
Can you say for certain he'll support or ignore any of those differences at any given time, knowing his obsession for media accolades? His love for their attentions is the only thing about him that's predictable. How is he going to react when he's President, and that very same media is around him all the time, waiting to hammer him for his departures from their orthodoxy, or glorify his breaks from his own party?
If you see him becoming even more of a donkey in elephant's clothing because of this, I do too. Not only that, but his entire party will fall into line behind him, just like they did under Bush, and walk right off a cliff yet again. It kind of takes the edge off the argument that he's an improvement over Obama, and demoralizing to boot.
So what am I going to do about this? I'm voting my principles with a third party instead this year. Personally, I like Bob Barr, but for those of you who aren't of the Libertarian bent might want to look at Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party instead. Do they have a real chance of winning? Historically speaking, no. Does that make it a wasted vote? Look at the other choices, and make your own decision. You already know mine.
I find this preferable to sitting out the election, and here's why you should think twice if you're considering doing that yourself. Yes, I agree with you that swallowing the jagged horsepill of the McCain candidacy is asking too much, but his undeserved nomination isn't the only issue here. There's the Congress to consider, because it's the source, or obstruction, of the real and long-term damage.
Why care about the Congress now? Surprisingly enough, the congressional Republicans have started taking desirable action, especially with regards to energy policy. While you may not give them much thought in a presidential election year, this time you really should. If you decide to stay home, you could be costing a decent representative or Senator their job a la Rick Santorum's undeserved fate. I have one such deserving Senator on my local ballot this year, and I'm definitely voting for him regardless of McCain.
Therefore, even if your reaction to McCain is 'yeah, right' just like mine, don't stay home in November. Look into a third party candidate so you have someone to support. A third party means you can vote your principles for President, send a message to the RINOs that they can't take you for granted, and not sacrifice a worthwhile conservative representative or Senator to do it. By all means, let McCain take his own electoral thrashing, but leave those who don't deserve one out of it.
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