Obama Campaign Masters Digital Media, McCain Efforts "Old And Clunky"

JackMyers.com:

Back in 1960 the skills required to become President of the United States changed forever. That was the year that John F. Kennedy debated Richard M. Nixon on national network television for the first time. When reminiscing about Kennedy's win, pundits love to cite that he was tanned, good looking, had great hair and had his make-up professionally applied, while Mr. Nixon appeared pale, had a nervous demeanor and sweaty brow. They say that Nixon won on the radio but Kennedy won on TV. 1960 ushered in the era of the Network politician. For better or for worse, after the 1960 debate, not only did every politician have to have video skills, they had to have expert ones.

Today, aside from video, Senators Obama and McCain are going to face off across several digital consumer touchpoints including: the web, short form video, the blogosphere, time-shifted television, social networks, SMS, ringtones, mobile applications, even wikis. 2008 will usher in the era of the Networked politician. For better or for worse, not only will every politician need to have advanced media skills, they are going to need expert ones.

I know it's early days for the national race, but - just for fun - let's have a look at how the candidates are handling the transition from Network to Networked campaigning.

Read the whole story: JackMyers.com

Comments

[Raymondf]

McCain honest. Obama Dishonest.

[proudloudlib]

You got any proof to back that up?

[NoahVail]

Is that a gasoline-powered web site, or is it diesel?

[jpcline004]

oh, so they have the internet on computers now!

-H Simpson

[rosal]

That's one reason the old man wants "Town Hall Meetings" he is terrified of debating the greatest orator-debater of our time: Obama

[zippywpinhead]

Old and Cranky is old and clunky, there's a surprise..­.

[Wiredwilly]

I like that. Andrew Jackson was " Old Hickory " , John McCain is " Old and Clunky".

[marlainWA]

mccain is going to get the old folks that aren't online anyway. not all of them, my 80 yr old mom loves Obama and when i handed her a grandmama for obama sticker she grabbed it like it was gold!

If we can get the young out to vote this time and I think many of them in late 20's and early 30's are ready for some change and finally realize they have to vote to get it. Both of my kids I had to beg to vote last time now in mid to late 20's are the ones who told me to vote for obama!

[DMW1]

There's no doubt Obama will win the online contest as far as videos, websites and blogs are concerned.

The facts are that Obama has a youth movement that is familiar technology and feel at home on the Internet, and are passionate about supporting him online. McCain's constituency tends to be much older. The contrast in their crowds when you see them on television is striking. McCain's crowds are smaller, very homogenous and much older.

I'm a 43 year old white female with a home-based web design business and have been supporting Obama since he first announced he was running. I'll be launching a website soon regarding John McCain's pathetic voting record when it comes to supporting our troops. My 21-year old daughter occasionally blogs online in support of Obama.

My parents own a computer, but I get constant calls from my mom on how to save things to her hard drive, attach something to an email, etc. They are leaning towards Obama.

I'm fortunate enough to still have two grandmothers and a grandfather with me. Two of them are supporting McCain and the third is leaning his way. None of them own computers.

When it comes to the Internet, Obama has the market cornered.

[jpcline004]

He really should get with the internet..­.with one click shopping on Amazon.com, he could order a ton of bottle hot water for all those dehydrated babies.

[JimMan35]

This is GREAT! Good article and I was so glad to view the two sites side by side.

the author is correct that McCain's site is conservative (in the web design sense, in the sense that there nothing like a web site that was designed 10 years ago!) and Obama's is in touch with today's latest web site best practices.

After clunking through some of the drop-down links (that get blocked by the cursor at the top of the menus) to pages that confuse more than they inform, I somehow landed in the "Store" which is like going to an entirely different environment that the main site and doesn't have an easy back link to Home. I'm not a Republican (anymore, thank you George W. Bush and the 2000 evangelicals), but I think even if I had been I would have been underwhelmed.

Next I went to Obama's and found an airy, under-burdened page with easy-to-read drop-downs that made sense. There was a uniformity with the site and an environment that made one statement as opposed to the hodge podge of the rival's. Immediately I was intrigued by the "Mobile" link and downloaded a ringtone (Barack says, "America, it's time to start bringing our troops home" over jazzy hip-hop loop). My son's in Iraq. I like my new ringtone.

[Tommygun264]

I went to Grampy McSame's website to check it out and see if I could find a link to send his campaign an email. I've got a MACBook Pro with the fastest dual core processor and I'm maxed out on RAM with high speed access and I gave up three screens into the sight because each screen took forever to download. This is one place where slow and steady does NOT finish the race.

Obama '08

[Bluejay00234]

Hmm the title sounds about right.

[SwingVoter]

From now on people, when ever you want to refer to McCain, please make sure you use 'John W. Bush McCain.'

Ex: We cannot support John W. Bush McCain because he is advocating the failed policies of Dick Cheney.

Ex: John W. Bush McCain refuses to support a recent G.I. bill in congress, citing "it gives too much benefits to our veterans."

Ex: America cannot entrust a currently unstable U.S. economy to John W. Bush McCain who is on record saying, he does not understand the economy.

Please, spread the word about John W. Bush McCain.

America cannot afford John W. Bush McCain--not in treasure and definitely not in blood.

[levibatgirl]

eaaaah. How do those internets tubes work now?

[WasteNJ]

A well done website will give the user a feeling, an emotion of a sense of ease and calm. Obama's site uses subtle color transitions, shading and a spacious feel to draw you in. McCain's "new" site looks like something from 5 years ago. The webmaster hasn't grasped the benefit of artistic qualities, he's doing your standard site, maybe from a template, and it just feels like you're being yelled at.

This is aesthetics, it's psychological, and shows the deft touch Obama's people have when connecting to the voter. As usual, the GOP comes off as heavy-handed. Clinton's site is little better.

[lisakaz2]

Maybe his fans like heavy handedness­...

[RTIII]

As an IT person working in database management systems, I predicted this nearly three decades ago; it's obvious that managing data is crucial to every enterprise. In the internet age, we now have direct access to a bi-directional dialogue, and we're still in the beginning phases of applying what's currently possible to the political arena.

Al Gore said one of the reasons he wasn't running this go round was because, "the internet isn't quite there yet" for campaigning. Frankly, I think he's wrong. All that's missing are the user-interfaces unique to your campaign ideas and the public's perception of interest in such interfaces - which can be fostered.