Election 2012 lessons for effective political media and campaign ads

Joe Biden and Barack Obama in Springfield, Illinois, right after Biden was formerly introduced by Obama as his running mate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

There were significant lessons learned from Election 2012 for effective political media and campaign ads.

JIM MESSINA WON BIG FOR OBAMA

In the words of a winner, Jim Messina, manager of the Obama Biden campaign:

A decade ago, the average voter got most of their information from the  evening news, Messina said. Now, the average voter gets their news from 15  different sources, he said.

Like the individually targeted fundraising appeals, the Dashboard system also  allowed them to generate tailored voter appeals.

The campaign shifted some of its resources to online advertising, an arena  that provided more targets and a wealth of specific users.

“Television is still the dominant media, but I think online will catch up  very quickly,” Messina said. “I think it already is for young voters out there.  The next presidential, whoever has my job the next time, is going to have to  decide what percentage you spend online.”

The shift to online was even more dramatic between 2008 and 2012, Messina  said. On Election Day in 2008, the Obama campaign sent out one tweet on the  social networking site Twitter.

In 2012, the campaign not only had a Twitter team but also had a Facebook and  Tumblr, as well as additional online social media presence.

Read More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84103_Page2.html#ixzz2CsND38b0

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLOSION

As noted by David Zurawik, baltimoresun.com, the explosive growth and use of social media in Election 2012 was indeed staggering:

Tuesday night’s election generated a record-setting political conversation of 28.5 million social media comments, according to Bluefin Labs.

The previous high was 12.2 million social media comments made in connection with the second presidential debate, according to the Boston-based firm that specializes in social-media metrics.

The first debate drew 11.2 million comments

Read More: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-social-media-comments-election-night-bluefin-20121107,0,2827252.story

GOING FORWARD

The landscape for effective political media and campaign ads is ever changing.

It poses major challenges for candidates, political campaigns and their strategists in future elections.

Related Articles

• Jim Messina: Jeep ad was Romney’s biggest mistake (washingtonpost.com)

• How Social Media Became THE Destination for Election 2012 Predictions and PR Lessons (sterlingpr.com)

• The 3 biggest social media takeaways from Election 2012 (prdaily.com)

• Election 2012 and Social Media in 20 infographics (inspiredm.com)

• Top Aide: Obama To Keep “Social Movement” – And Use It (buzzfeed.com)

Will conservative media seek to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity?

One of the unexpected outcomes of President Barack Obama’s election victory, which was reasonably predictable, is that conservative media is in turmoil.

That level of divergence could imperil the effectiveness of conservative opinion during the next series of critical news cycles when media will influence public opinion and the shape of policies addressing the fiscal cliff.

CONSERVATIVE MEDIA DIVIDED

POLTICO.COM  in a post by Dylan Byers surveys the divergent views of conservatives on how right leaning media cost the GOP the Presidential Election. READ MORE: “Media fight on the right over GOP,” LINK: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83679.html

HUCKABEE’S MESSAGE

Whatever conservative media did or failed to do, Mike Huckabee has delivered the salient message conservatives need to dwell on going forward:

“Our problem isn’t the product, it’s the box we put it in. Our message should not be ‘tailored’ to a specific demographic group, but presented to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83679_Page4.html#ixzz2BvucjiWM

LEANING FORWARD

Does conservative media have the will to lean forward?

Will conservative media adopt Mike Huckabee’s admonition, and seek  to empower the individual American, whatever the color, gender or ethnicity?

RELATED ARTICLES AROUND THE WEB

• Right-Wing Media ‘Lied’ During Campaign (theroot.com)
• John Ziegler: Why the Conservative Media Got It So Wrong (huffingtonpost.com)
• MSNBC’s Up With Chris Hayes Highlights Conservative Media Attacks On Obama Voters Following The Election (mediamatters.org)
• Conservative Media Reveal Their Contempt For Americans Who Reelected Obama (smd12364.newsvine.com)
• View: Conservative Media’s Epic Fail (drudge.com)
• Life Outside The Bubble (mediamatters.org)
• Blaming Conservative Media (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Are Conservative Media Only Hurting Conservatives? (tribuneofthepeople.com)
• Conservative Media Blew It (newser.com)
• How Conservative Media Failed Conservatives (politicalwire.com)

Media & Politics Weekend 09-29-12

MJB’S Online Weekend Politics Roundtable

10 Points & Questions for Comments

1. DAVID LETTERMAN: insists he’s independent, wants Romney on show 

MJB: Is a talk host ever perceived to be independent?

2. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES: strategists push Romney to deliver ‘knockout’

MJB: Is that daydreaming?

3. DAVID FRUM: can sanctions peacefully stop Iran from getting the bomb?

MJB: In our opinion: NO! What’s yours?

4. RACHEL MADDOW: Romney campaign puts the ‘mess’ in messaging

MJB: How can Romney pivot out of the mess?

5. SUPREME COURT TERM:  focus shifts to civil, gay rights

MJB: Will Chief Justice Roberts save gay rights, affirmative action and voting rights?

6. GWEN IFILL:  five myths about presidential debates

MJB: Could Mitt Romney pull an upset-if so, how?

7. TOM FRIEDMAN: ” Voters will have to go with their gut about which guy [Obama or Romney] has the best gut feel for navigating this world.”

MJB: What does your gut say?

8. WESLEY PRUDEN: the great media slide continues

MJB: For political coverage, do you put more trust in the political content of blogs, social media and YouTube videos than you do in the political coverage by mainstream media?

9. LIFE: decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it!

MJB: Does Mitt Romney really want the Presidency, or is he afraid of it?

10. FAITH: most of us will get to that dreaded point in life when things become meaningless

MJB: Is the Presidential election meaningless to you?

Get into the conversations, and comment!!!

Related articles around the web

• Everything You Need To Know To Really Understand A Poll (businessinsider.com)
• Criticism Greets List of Debate Moderators (nytimes.com)
• Gwen Ifill reportedly ‘livid’ about being passed over for presidential debates (thegrio.com)
• Campaigns Push for Underdog Status (foxnews.com)
• Presidential Debates Rarely Have Effect On Elections, Data Shows (huffingtonpost.com)
• Does the “skewed polls” crowd have a point? Not really. (washingtonpost.com)
• Is Mitt Romney in denial? (telegraph.co.uk)
• Political Scientists Are Killing the Campaign ‘Narrative’ – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• PRUDEN: Why the media spin on the Nov. 6 presidential election is wrong (washingtontimes.com)

ELECTION 2012: Is Romney Getting Buried in “A Devastating Opinion Storm” Generated by YouTube Views of New Media?

Hugh Hewitt, a lawyer, blogger, political pundit and commentator is not convinced by polls showing that President Barack Obama is leading Governor Mitt Romney. In his popular Blog, Hewitt slammed the polls, and then exclaimed:

So with 40 days to go until the decision is in, that’s the playing field: A tied race, with enthusiasm on the GOP side but grim self-interest propping up a disconnected president while the world burns, the domestic economy crumbles, and elite media and select pollsters cheer the emperor they love and on whom they depend for treats.

Interesting. Frightening, but interesting.

LINK: http://www.hughhewitt.com/blog/g/bbda2e0c-ca90-43f2-8473-5458a8af7d69

But, in his best-selling book: BLOG-Understanding the Information Reformation That’s Changing Your Word, AMAZON.COM LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Blog-Understanding-Information-Reformation-Changing/dp/078521187X , in which he writes extensively about new media and the impact of blogging on the coverage of politics by mainstream media, Hewitt expresses a salient and powerful notion: “the impact of a devastating opinion storm generated by a blog swarm,” and how the generation of that opinion storm in new media can push or even trump mainstream political media coverage.

Can the aggregation of YouTube views have the same force as a blog swarm? In other words, are there certain trends in those views which can generate “a devastating opinion storm?”

The recently compilation of the YouTube viewing data of the  videonclips from the Presidential campaigns certainly suggest the possibility.

Charlie Warzel, adweek.com, writes as follows:

The 2012 conventions have been arguably the most important political moment thus far in the campaign and according to a study from the Pew center for excellence in journalism, Democrats enjoyed a hearty advantage in terms of exposure on platforms like YouTube. The results, which tracked total numbers of YouTube views from date of publish until September 24th, illustrate that Clint Eastwood’s empty chair performance well-overshadowed Mitt Romney’s big moment last August, pulling in 3.2 million views to Romney’s 1.05 million.

xx xx xx

[W]hat the numbers do help illustrate, however, is that the Romney camp has had serious difficulties capitalizing on a crucial moment of visibility for the candidate. YouTube may be one element of the vote, but as the views were compiled over a month, it is indicative of the limited exposure that Romney is generating online. In a time where the Republican nominee needs to familiarize as many voters with his ‘brand’ as he can, he seems to be falling short, digitally at least.

SOURCE: LINK: Read More: Click: http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/clint-rocks-mitt-democrats-dominate-youtube-convention-wars-144068

 

The Pew Research Center provided the following data:

The higher interest in Obama and the Democrats in social media is also reflected in the viewership of videos since the two conventions. For instance, through September 21, 2012, Obama’s acceptance speech on various YouTube channels has been viewed nearly five times as often as Romney’s (4.9 million to 1.1 million). And contrary to what some observers might speculate, Obama’s speech has also been viewed more than former President Bill Clinton’s address to the nation, though that speech, in various forms, has been viewed on YouTube nearly four times as often as Romney (3.9 million times to Romney’s 1.1 million). The same pattern can be seen in the numbers as they relate to the wives of the candidates. Michelle Obama’s speech has been viewed 3.2 million times, about five times as often as the one delivered by Ann Romney (563,000).

SOURCE: LINK: Read More: Click: http://www.journalism.org/commentary_backgrounder/how_social_and_traditional_media_differ_their_treatment_conventions_and_beyo

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

COULD THIS NEW MEDIA DATA GENERATE “A DEVASTATING OPINION STORM” THAT WILL BURY ROMNEY? 

Related articles

• User-Generated Online Video Swamping Official Obama, Romney Content on YouTube (techpresident.com)
• Bye, NBC! Election coverage belongs to Twitter (wnd.com)
• Hidden Camera Clip Beats All Official Romney Videos on YouTube (mashable.com)
• Romney Cheerleader Hugh Hewitt: Always Wrong On Everything (thedailybanter.com)
• Samuel L. Jackson tells voters to ‘wake the f— up’ – New York Daily News (nydailynews.com)
• YouTube evidence suggests Romney’s ’47%’ comments were right on the mark (theblaze.com)
• Obama’s ‘Let Mitt beat Mitt’ strategy (dailykos.com)

Related articles

• YouTube evidence suggests Romney’s ’47%’ comments were right on the mark (theblaze.com)
• Obama’s ‘Let Mitt beat Mitt’ strategy (dailykos.com)

ROMNEY: Was Mitt Romney’s “Meet The Press” interview a sign of defeat?

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One would think that Mitt Romney would take advantage of his “Meet The Press” interview on 09-09-12 to articulate a clear agenda loaded with specifics. That did not happen.

Instead, it appeared that Governor Romney was changing course midstream.

Look for yourself: NBC NEWS-MEET THE PRESS

MTP is the Sunday TV talk show which is a leader in public affairs media. When Presidential candidates appear on the show, people watch and listen. An MTP interview influences the opinions of millions of viewers. It can affect the outcome for the voting in the November 6, 2012 Presidential General Election.

Remarkably, Romney stated that Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention ”elevated” the Convention. Is the implication that Clinton’s speech diminished the speechmaking at Republican National Convention?

Likewise, Romney expressed his dissatisfaction with sequestration, the policy initiative which triggers automatic reductions in defense spending beginning January 1st. When host David Gregory reminded Romney that sequestration had broad bi-partisan support, he was adamant when he reiterated his position that the policy was wrong, and that GOP members of Congress should not have supported it.

Romney even when so far as to say that there were parts of health care reform which he liked.

We are only 58 days away from Election 2012.

With these kinds of pronouncements, can Mitt Romney articulate a game changing agenda to assure a GOP victory?

Or, has he virtually conceded that Clinton’s Convention Speech was the agenda setting message for Election 2012, a concession which assures his likely defeat?

ROMNEY: Would an African American female running mate push Mitt Romney’s candidacy over the top?

 

Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann Romney (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COMMENTARY

Could Mitt Romney win the “race to the top” if he names an African American female to his ticket as vice president?

Jessika Morgan, in “Black Female GOP Possibilities May Exist for Romney Running Mate,” wrote the following:

Women are being considered as possible candidates to run with Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on the November ballot, the GOP candidate’s wife said July 5.

“We’ve been looking at that,” Ann Romney told CBS News in an interview. “There’s a lot of people Mitt is considering right now.”

She declined to say more about the list of possible vice president candidates to be paired with the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, other than to note that, as the former Massachusetts governor’s wife, she has offered advice in the selection process and would “love that option” of a female running mate.

Among the Black Republican women who could be added to a list of women running mate possibilities are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.

Rice, the subject of speculation in June, rejected the idea. And while Carroll, a Navy veteran and the first woman elected to statewide office in Florida has been silent, political journalists see Carroll as a possible aid to a Romney candidacy.

SOURCE: AFRO AMERICAN NEWSPAPER LINK: http://www.afro.com/sections/news/afro_briefs/story.htm?storyid=75525

Related articles

• Would Romney Pick Condoleeza Rice? (politicalwire.com)
• Condoleezza Rice On Being Mitt Romney’s Running Mate: ‘It’s Really Not Me’ (ibtimes.com)
• Mitt Romney considering a female running mate, his wife says – Detroit Free Press (freep.com)
• Are the Romneys considering Condi Rice for VP? (dailykos.com)
• Team Romney looking at women for running mate (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• No, Condi won’t be Mitt’s Palin (salon.com)
• Mitt Romney considering a female running mate, wife says (boston.com)
• CNN Poll: Americans unfamiliar with some possible Romney running mates (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• Mitt Romney considering a female running mate, wife says (boston.com)
• Don’t Dismiss Romney-Rice Ticket Just Yet (newser.com)

Could an African American running mate aid Romney’s candidacy?

What do you think?

Your comments are welcomed.

MORGAN FREEMAN: Obama is not the first black president?; well, you were not the first black actor to play president yourself!

COMMENTARY

Maybe Morgan Freeman was pandering for media attention and Internet clicks with his comment that President Barack Obama is not really America’s first African American or black President. According to Freeman, President Obama is America’s first mixed-race President. SOURCE: YAHOO’S MOVIES LINK: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/morgan-freeman-obama-not-americas-first-black-president-152604131.html

Freeman, of course, who is presumably African American himself, portrayed a president in “Deep Impact” the 1998 film release of Paramount and Dream Works. SOURCE: IMDb LINK: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120647/

The film was very profitable. It grossed $180 Million on a production budget of $75 Million. So everybody including Freeman made some pocket change from his fictitious portrayal of the President.

And, presumably, this is what Freeman and his handlers were seeking by having him take a swipe at President Obama. Afterall, every click counts!

Thankfully, Freeman was not the first African American actor to portray the President. That credit goes to Sammy Davis, Jr. in the 1933 release of  “Rufus Jones for President.” SOURCE: WIKI LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_president_in_popular_culture_(United_States) A number of other actors also preceded Freeman in the role.

So Mr. Freeman, while your sop about President Obama borders on nonsense, at least it made us do some work and dig up some pop culture and history.

75 years after

Cover via Amazon

a black president emanated from the mind of a creative film writer, fiction became reality. America did indeed elect its first black president.

Related articles

• Morgan Freeman: Obama’s not our first black president (marquee.blogs.cnn.com)
• Morgan Freeman: ‘Obama’s Not America’s First Black President’ (newsbusters.org)
• Morgan Freeman: Obama ‘not first black president’ (lfpress.com)
• Freeman: Obama not first black president (politico.com)
• Morgan Freeman on President Obama: He’s Not the First Black President (clutchmagonline.com)

ROMNEY vs. OBAMA 2012: Carter would be “comfortable” with Romney as President? WOW!

4 U.S. Presidents. Former President Jimmy Carter (right), walks with, from left, George H.W. Bush (far left), George W. Bush (second from left) and Bill Clinton (center) during the dedication of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, Arkansas, November 18, 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WOW!

THIS MORNING, IN AN INTERVIEW ON “MORNING JOE,” MSNBC, FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER SAID HE WOULD BE “COMFORTABLE” WITH MITT ROMNEY AS PRESIDENT!!

WHAT!!!

We need to wait to find out whether President Carter misspoke.

OUR TAKE!!!!

Because if he did not, then President Barack Obama could be in real trouble in Election 2012.

AROUND THE WEB

• Jimmy Carter ‘comfortable’ with Romney in the White House (thehill.com)
• Jimmy Carter: You Know, I’d Be Okay With a President Romney. He Seems Competent. (minx.cc)
• Jimmy Carter Relieved, Because He’s no Longer in Contention for the Title of “Worst President Ever” (minx.cc)
• Extremism in the Defense of Liberty: A Brief History (thecollegeconservative.com)
• Former President Jimmy Carter ‘Gingrich has racist appeal (bazaardaily.com)
• Our Neo-Conservative President: A Barack Obama Retrospective (mediaite.com)
• Clips From Last Night: Jimmy Carter on his relationship with President Obama and Carter shares his thoughts on Egypt (piersmorgan.blogs.cnn.com)
• Jimmy Carter: Good Faith Inept President; Barack Obama Bad Faith Inept President (ferrellgummit.wordpress.com)
• It’s Romney versus Carter – ALLBAUGH – Washington Times (gds44.wordpress.com)
• Carter: Agent scandal ‘terrible thing’ (politico.com)

OBAMA 2012: bitch slapped by the Secret Service!-or a lot to do over nothing?

President Barack Obama addresses United States Secret Service Uniformed Division officers before a group photo at the South Portico of the White House, April 4, 2011. (Office White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lead

It’s hard to believe that the sexual misadventures of some Secret Service agents, and perhaps some soldiers, on President Barack Obama’s advance team in Columbia, is drawing so much news coverage and online chatter.

Quote

According to The Washington Post:

The charges are triggering scrutiny of the culture of the Secret Service — where married agents have been heard to joke during aircraft takeoff that their motto is “wheels up, rings off” — and raising new questions at both the agency and the Pentagon about institutional oversight at the highest levels of the president’s security apparatus.

“We are embarrassed,” Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters in a briefing at the Pentagon. “We let the boss down, because nobody is talking about what went down in Colombia other than this incident.”

SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST

Our Take

Ok, but so what-because as The Washington Post also reported:

Prostitution, legal and regulated, is a booming business in the Caribbean tourist hub of Cartagena, a city of about 1 million inhabitants that is famous for its Spanish colonial heart and a modern stretch of Miami-style high-rises. As a byproduct of its lure of cruise ships and conventioneers, Cartagena draws prostitutes from both the city’s poor and upper-class echelons — as well as from different cities around the country.

SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST

It’s legal! It’s regulated! But, it’s national or even international news?

Hell, a killing does not even get this much attention!!!

Please folks, give us a break, and a rest.

Let’s find, discover or if need be, make up, a real story, and move on!!!

Related Articles Around the WEB

• Secret Service clearances yanked in Colombia probe (fox13now.com)
• Military embarrassed by Colombia prostitution scandal (csmonitor.com)
• Secret Service Prostitution Scandal: President’s Safety Is Not the Point (theintelhub.com)
• Pentagon: More than 5 members of military involved in Colombia misconduct (upi.com)
• The Reason U.s Secret Service Like to Use Prostitution Service (socyberty.com)
• Secret Service agents partied at Colombian brothel (abclocal.go.com)
• Obama Responds to Secret Service Prostitution Allegations (fox2now.com)
• Dempsey: Military embarrassed by Colombia scandal (washingtontimes.com)
• 5 On Leave In Secret Service Scandal (myfoxorlando.com)

 

Update

CBS News reports that the Secret Service has revoked the security clearances of the agents accused in the sex scandal. SOURCE: See VIDEO Clip, Sidebar.

ROMNEY ELECTION 2012: Democratic attack on Ann Romney was just plain dumb

Opinion

All of the benefit and momentum supporters of President Barack Obama supposedly got from weeks of media scrutiny of the GOP attack on women, a female Democratic activist follows suit and attacks Ann Romney, Mitt Romney‘s wife.

Our take: DUMB, plain and simple.

It turns out that Ann is very articulate.

Ann strikes us, and perhaps others, as a forceful and persuasive advocate for the notion that a stay-at-home

Photo of Ann Romney at the Reagan Dinner in Des Moines on October 27, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

mom raising 5 children is  working no less than a woman punching a time clock at the factory every day.

And, if her rebuttal sticks, Democrats could find that the President may be in trouble with his reelection bid among his strongest constituent base: women.

 

Related articles

• Have Democrats shot themselves in the foot by attacking Ann Romney? (thedaleygator.wordpress.com)
• Hilary Rosen, Ann Romney and the Perpetual Outrage Industry (thedailybeast.com)
• Ben Romney Insists that His Mom Did Too Work Raising Five Little Romneys All on Her Own [Ann Romney] (jezebel.com)
• #WARONWOMENFAIL: Attacking Ann Romney – yeah, that’s the ticket! “Needless to say, the ‘war on… (pjmedia.com)
• More on the Left’s war on Conservative women (thedaleygator.wordpress.com)
• [Popular this week] Michelle Obama defends Ann Romney (bazaardaily.com)
• Cenk Uygur Blasts Wolf Blitzer for Forcing Hilary Rosen to Apologize to Ann Romney… Again (crooksandliars.com)
• Let’s Please End This Phony ‘Girl Fight’ (newser.com)

ELECTION 2012: Harvard grad Romney takes a cheap shot at Obama and Harvard-has the GOP gone mad?

Mitt Romney at one of his presidential campaign rallies. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

OPINION

Of all the dumb things a GOP Presidential candidate could say (quote):

Mitt Romney continued his verbal assault on President Obama on Thursday, accusing him of spending “too much time at Harvard” while speaking at a rooftop event in Harrisburg, Penn.

It’s an odd attack coming from a fellow Harvard graduate, especially considering Romney spent more time at the Ivy League institution than Obama did.

Source: HUFFINGTON POST

President Obama spent “too much time at Harvard?”

Mr. Romney, apparently your 4 years at Harvard was not enough time to develop your brain!

How Romney, a Harvard graduate, who holds both a law degree and a M.B.A., from one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, with over 323,000 living alumni, 62 of whom are billionaires, could make a statement like that, is just plain dumb!!

What an idiot!!!

Related articles

• Romney, Who Has Two Harvard Degrees, Says Obama Spent ‘Too Much Time At Harvard’ (thinkprogress.org)
• Romney Mocks Obama’s Harvard Ties Despite His Own (and His Sons) (themoderatevoice.com)
• Romney: Anti-Harvard talk from Harvard man (seattlepi.com)
• Romney’s misguided bashing of his alma mater (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
• Harvard Two-Degree Holder Mitt Romney Says Obama Spent Too Much Time At Harvard (alan.com)
• Harvard-educated Bostonian Mitt Romney says President Obama ‘spent too much time at Harvard’ (dailykos.com)
• VIDEO: Mitt Romney Used To Brag About Getting Two Degrees From Harvard (thinkprogress.org)
• Harvard-Educated Elitist Accuses Barack Obama of Being a Harvard-Educated Elitist (slog.thestranger.com)

MEDIA: Limbaugh’s charge in the GOP’s media assault on women-like Picket’s Charge at Gettysberg: “Lost Cause” II

Rush Limbaugh - Caricature (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

Lead

As with the ill fated Picket’s Charge at the Battle of Gettysberg, Rush Limbaugh‘s Charge in the GOP‘s media assault on women is a suicidal attack doomed to fail with massive casualties in the ranks of conservative media men.

Discussion

Limbaugh and the other white media males of his ilk just can’t stand it anymore.

Women are on the rise in business, in political power and in all aspects of media.

As time has gone by, what was regarded as the hollowed preserve of media dominated by him and other white men has diminished. And, before they even realize what has happened to what they have heretofore arrogantly regarded as their turf, that hollowed ground will be occupied fully by women.

So Rush, charge ahead as you will.

But, just like Major General George Pickett at Gettysburg, your efforts to attack and impede the progress of women will fail, and will go down in media history as  “Lost Cause” II.

Around the Web

• Goldie Taylor On Limbaugh Advertisers: Could CNN Afford To Lose 140 Advertisers? No (mediaite.com)
• Miggs Burroughs’ “Rush” To Judgment (06880danwoog.com)
• Limbaugh and One-Way Wantonness – NYTimes.com (2worlds1eye.com)
• Why We Can’t Beat Rush Limbaugh by Boycotting His Advertisers (agreetodisagree.me)
• The GOP Isn’t Going to Repudiate Rush Limbaugh (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• Diamonds And Dinners: Limbaugh’s Recipie For Not Being Anti-Woman (lezgetreal.com)
• After Social-Media Backlash, Rush Limbaugh Starts Tweeting (newsfeed.time.com)
• Media Insider: Limbaugh is ‘Out of Touch’, ‘Canary in a Coal Mine’ for ‘Attack’ Radio (bradblog.com)
• George Will: Republican Leaders Afraid of Rush Limbaugh (themoderatevoice.com)
• the Progress Report – Romney, Limbaugh and Contraceptives (ynative77.wordpress.com)

FOX News: Brit Hume trashes Rick Santorum’s unnecessary social controversies; tags them as ‘political malpractice’

Image via Wikipedia

Lead

Brit Hume’s smackdown of Rick Santorum‘s social issues agenda is tantamount to the political death penalty in GOP politics. Santorum is done.

Quote

RELATED: Santorum Explains Why JFK’s Speech On Religion & Politics Makes Him Want To ‘Throw Up’

Hume noted that his recent comments on contraception were something of a shock, and politically inexpedient. “To many Americans… that seems peculiar,” he noted, adding that many Americans did not see how pre-natal care was something to fight against.

SOURCE: MEDIAITE.COM

Commentary

Hume is one of the most influential political commentators among conservatives. Hume’s critique of Santorum means that there is no mainstream conservative support for Santorum.

Santorum is now effectively out of the race for the GOP Presidential nomination.

 

 

 

2012: AZ Governor Brewer endorses Romney

Image via Wikipedia

Today [02-26-12] Arizona Governor Jan Brewer endorsed Mitt Romney for president during her appearance on Meet The Press.

That should help.

If Mitt takes the Arizona and Michigan primary elections, he’s got the nomination.

If Mitt gets the GOP nomination, he stands a good chance of winning the general election.

SOURCE: Video Clip, see Sidebar.

Around the Web

Related articles

• Arizona governor endorses Romney in primary (sfgate.com)
• Brewer endorses Romney (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• Jan Brewer Endorses Romney (newser.com)
• Arizona’s Mormons give Romney the edge, but all is not lost for Santorum (guardian.co.uk)

OBAMA: politics of college basketball

Lead

The folks in the GOP Presidential nomination field need to step-up their games.

President Barack Obama made another high-profile appearance at a college basketball game on the campus of Towson University in Towson, Maryland.

Obama at Towson Basketball Game

Source:   Pete Gilbert, Sports Anchor, Gilbert’s Arena Blog at WBAL-TV.COM

In his Blog, Gilbert posted (Quote):

The visit from the First Couple for the basketball game at Towson today made for an atmosphere never before seen at the Towson Center. I think it was a little hard though for the fairly packed house to completely embrace the event considering President and Mrs. Obama were there to cheer for the visiting team (Oregon State’s head coach Craig Robinson is the brother of the First Lady.)

Regardless, a raucous standing ovation was delivered, along with a rendition of Hail to the Chief. Towson Athletics Director Mike Waddell embraced the opportunity to host the President and stated unequivocally that within that soon the crowds would arrive not for a VIP vistor, but because Towson would win. He stated first year coach Pat Skerry would win a CAA title within 5 years. And for those not familiar, Towson didn’t win a conference game last season

Source:   WBAL-TV.COM

MJB’s Take

Folks, don’t take these college basketball game appearances lightly.

Just a few weeks ago, President Obama attended the historic North Carolina/Michigan game on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Now he’s on the campus for another college game.

Critics have charged that President has not connected in a personal way with members of Congress.

Maybe he has, or maybe he has not.

But, if he continues his outreach to the people, connecting to college students, their parents and friends, college adminstrators and the local media in college towns, it may not mattter much whether he’s socializing with Congressional leaders or not.

He’ll get the votes he needs to win the 2012 General Election anyway!

Additional WBAL Coverage

Follow the Link above of the Blog for additional images.

Follow this Link for the news story posted about the event, and the VIDEO coverage at WBAL-TV. COM

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• Just Fans at the Basketball Game (maboulette.wordpress.com)
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• President Obama just a fan at this basketball game (sfgate.com)
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CAIN: Mrs. Gloria Cain will speak on the record; FOX debut scheduled; the lid is about to blow again in the media

 

The Lead

Well folks, I thought things had quieted down a bit for Herman Cain, his campaign and The Fourth Estate, mainstream political media

Now that his lovely wife, Gloria Etchison Cain, will do a FOX News interview, in a segment to air Monday, it is likely that the sparks will start flying again at Cain in the media. This event certainly will be a pivotal moment for Cain’s political campaign and his aspirations for The White House. It could either make him. or break him. There will be no wiggle room for Cain after Monday.

For The New York Times, in her article entitled: “Herman Cain’s Wife Plans to Sit Down for a Television Interview,” Susan Saulny writes (quotes):

“Introducing … Gloria Etchison Cain”

Mrs. Gloria E. Cain

At long last, the political spouse who has kept the lowest profile of the campaign season is preparing to make a network debut. Mrs. Cain, who has been married to the former restaurant executive Herman Cain for 43 years, is expected to sit down this weekend with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News, for a segment that could air on Monday, according to a source familiar with the planning.

Mrs. Cain has, to date, not appeared on the campaign trail with her husband, and is said to prefer her home life in Atlanta, far away from the national spotlight. But since allegations of sexual harassment began to engulf the Cain campaign almost two weeks ago, it had been rumored that Mrs. Cain would eventually come to her husband’s defense on television.

Source of Quotes + Image: THE NEW YORK TIMES

MJB’s Take 

“At long last,” this is some of ”the news that’s fit to print” about a significant event in the coverage on the road to the White House and related to the process for the GOP Presidential nomination. The NYT article is well done.

Whatever mainstream media planned for the weekend political coverage will be sliced and diced. The “A Team” of media talent probably will be front and center do talk about this development.

Unquestionably, this is Cains’ weekend, for both Mr. and Mrs.; and, all hands will be on deck by every one in media in covering it.

I plan to be glued to the TV, radio and laptop screen so that I can pick up every bit and piece of coverage I can find because this is Cain’s moment. The reports, stories, commentaries, opinions and attack pieces will be flying out the door as fast as the stuff can be can be generated, published, clicked and aired. The videos and images of her interview are certain to go viral.

Mrs. Cain’s interview; all the staging which takes place in the media before her interview airs; the broadcast of the interview itself; and, all the coverage which follows will roll out in grand fashion. It will either make Cain, or break him-he’ll be heading either to The White House, or to his home in Atlanta.

This is every bit the real deal in high political drama! Stay tuned!

That’s all I can say for now.

Read More

• Cain’s Wife Agrees to Interview   (politicalwire.com)
• Gloria Cain Stands By Her Man   (thedailybeast.com)
• Herman Cain to launch his secret weapon: his wife, Gloria Cain  (100gf.wordpress.com)
• ‘Team Cain:’ Portrait of candidate’s marriage   (cnn.com)
• Report: Herman Cain’s Wife, Gloria, To Sit Down With Greta Van Susteren This Weekend (mediaite.com)
• Cain: Gloria ‘still 200 percent my wife’   (msnbc.msn.com)
• Mrs. Cain Speaks!   (alan.com)
• Gloria Cain no traditional campaign wife  (msnbc.msn.com)
• Herman Cain Leads Opinion Polls Despite Sexual Harassment Allegations   (inquisitr.com)
• Can You Believe in God If He Tells Herman Cain to Run for President?  (bullshitfighter.wordpress.com)
• Cain’s Wife to Give Interview   (politicalwire.com)

End Notes

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Scandal still pays well; any bids out there for the stories of Cain’s accusers?

The great American past time, scandal, still pays and pays well.

Take for example Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of man-slaughtering Michael Jackson. Murray apparently took in $300,000.00 to tell his story,

The Conrad Murray documentary Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship is set to air tonight on MSNBC. Murray was allegedly paid $300,000 by NBCU to appear in the film. According to Radar Online, none of that money will go to Murray himself. Most of it is for his lawyers and some will go to his girlfriend.

Source of Quote: Matthew Fleischer, “NBCUniversal, MSNBC and Other Media Outlets Sued by Conrad Murray Creditors,” MEDIABISTRO.COM.

Karen Kraushaar and Sharon Bialek, and perhaps others, are on the sidelines for the moment. They want to host a “joint press conference” of Herman Cain’s accusers so that they can present what they call their “Body of Evidence” about  allegations of Cain’s sexual misconduct. But, they don’t want to meet the press now.

> Why the wait?

> Could there be a bidding war going on behind closed doors by various media organizations for exclusive rights to their stories?

> Is America on hold until they net the highest bid?

After all it will take a boat load of money to pay their lawyer bills if they get sued!

> And, what is the fair market value for “The Girls of the NRA” to tell their stories yet again if it is the case that a bidding war is taking place?

Conrad Murray’s story fetched $300,000.00. I don’t even want to speculate how many more zeros they could get especially if there are on the stage together when they tell their stories again

Of course, they may not want any money at all. That’s what they have said so far.

They simply may want another chance to fullfill what they feel is their public duty to present their stories again to the American people.

Maybe America will listen the next time around, and knock Herman Cain out of the GOP nomination sweepstakes for President.

Who knows? We’ll wait and see!

Advantage: ROMNEY? Hey POLITICO, hold your horses, Mitt Romney is far from being the last GOP candidate standing!

POLITICO Headline:   “Romney rivals continue to implode.” Politico reports (quotes):

Perry: Rick Perry is reeling after a debate gaffe for the ages.

Cain: Herman Cain is fighting off allegations of sexual impropriety.

The Field: The rest of Mitt Romney’s would-be rivals are either broke, deeply flawed or both.

Politico’s Commentary 

It’s viewed as a foregone conclusion that somebody will emerge from the GOP field to challenge Mitt Romney for the 2012 presidential nomination. But as of now, less than two months before the first votes are cast in Iowa, it’s still uncertain who will give Romney a real primary fight.

Sources of Quotes:  POLITICO 

MJB’s Take

> Ease up POLITICO; it’s way too soon in the GOP nomination sweepstakes to make that call.

> Are you trying to deprive other political media of the torrent of stories, tweets, talk shows, emails, images, videos, and another round of salacious sexual harassment or assault rumors which will be generated after Cain’s accusers hold their made for TV reality show:  ”The Girls of NRA Joint Press Conference?”

> You had your feast. Other media organizations have to eat too!

> And, are we not in a state of suspense and anticipation waiting for David Gregory’s “Grand Wizard” to pop up on the scene, maybe even as a surprise guest on “Meet the Press,” and perhaps if the accusers don’t take out Cain at their show,  to just, as Gregory said: “push Herman Cain out of the race?” LINK TO STORY

Other Web Coverage

• The Penguin Is Mitt Romney’s Alter-Ego (bilerico.com)
• “Mitt Romney is the Harriet Miers of 2012″ (americablog.com)
• Rick Perry ‘ain’t quitting’ 2012 bid after embarrassing debate gaffe (news.nationalpost.com)
• Romney: Allegations against Cain must be “addressed seriously” (hotair.com)
• Herman Cain Is Sucking Up All The Oxygen In The GOP, Mitt Romney Must Be Thrilled (businessinsider.com)