Viewing entries tagged
McCain

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SOMETHING ONLY I FIND INTERESTING (PROBABLY)

This may be something only I find interesting, but on a micro level, what's the difference, in terms of strictly actual strategy and grass roots organization irrespective of politics or partisanship, this year between Obama and McCain? The difference rests with Twitter.

Don't get me wrong: the primetime TV spots, radio ads, mass mailings, phone canvassing and all the other traditional forms of campaigning are important. However, in an increasingly digital age with the decentralization of news and communication, the winner will be decided by those who can successfully leverage the Internet. As any student knows today, JFK was able to defeat Nixon in large part due to his ability to first exploit an advantage with televised debates, and thus ushering in an era marking the central importance of television for politicians. A similar revolution today is taking place. But instead of JFK and the TV, it involves Obama and the Internet.

Barack Obama has an active Twitter page with over 39,000 followers. Again, this is on a micro level, but it is a good representation that demonstrates how the Obama campaign "gets it" and is arguably running the first bellwether digital campaign that has successfully grabbed the Internet by its proverbial horns. Rather than letting itself be "Swiftboated" and its message controlled and twisted by others, Obama's presidential campaign is utilizing the vast array of vehicles of communication that are available online, be it social networking sites or user-generated content, and transforming it into a well-oiled hive-mind: E pluribus unum, or "Out of many, one." And that one being a particular message dictated by Obama's camp.

For a campaign or politician that doesn't "get it," the usage of Twitter would probably draw a complete blank (I have a hard enough time explaining the service to friends). However, Twitter can be described by a traditional political definition: Sound bites. Each Twitter update is essentially series of short sound bites, which are easily digestible, bloggable, and uhm, forwardable (you get the point). While 39,000 followers (or subscribers rather) is merely a blip, just picture the impact of 39,000 stones being tossed into a pond and the ensuing ripples. The impact can be exponential.

And on top of all this, the service is also FREE thus freeing up valuable campaign funds and resources.

I really hope political science professors are taking note of this BRILLIANT entry. Class is in session suckas.

[Note: I know that the soapbox is starting to get scuffed from all the times I've been stepping up onto it, especially as of late. I promise this isn't a frequent thing--just every four years or so. I'll soon go back to posting about absurd YouTube videos shortly, so don't go away!]

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THE MINORITY REPORT: STATE OF COMEDY AFFAIRS

The New York Observer has an interesting interview with an old classmate of mine from college, Jordan Carlos. This was interesting to me:

But to date, comedy writing is pretty whitewashed. As of this season, Saturday Night Live has no black writers. The Daily Show also doesn’t have any, and neither does The Colbert Report."

[...]

Soon after the [Washington Post] article came out, Mr. Carlos spoke at a panel on race and comedy in Chicago with Lizz Winstead, the co-creator of The Daily Show. "She said, ‘Well, in a perfect world I would hire staff writers of color.’ I was like, ‘Well, it is your perfect world; you can do whatever you want.’ But it’s the nature of the biz for people to hire their friends, hire whoever they want."

Read rest here.

His "Votin Democrat" video cracked me up fer reals, especially when "McCain" does his bit.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=boNrRO-Eu2w]

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MCCAIN "STUMPED" ON WHETHER CONTRACEPTIVES PREVENT THE SPREAD OF HIV

While Obama and Clinton battle it out, McCain in the meantime demonstrates yet another reason why he is unqualified to be president.

Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

I understand the (albeit asinine) decision of not wanting to subsidize social and health services, but for THE presidential candidate to not know or not want to answer such a simple, basic question as to whether the spread of HIV can be stopped with contraceptives is incredibly troubling. This is exactly the sort of political-speak that McCain supposedly finds eschews (See: "Straight Talk Express"), and yet when faced with a question that has real life or death consequences, he demonstrates his either complete ignorance or political disingenuousness.

I mean, Salt n Pepa got it back in 1991. Why can't the rest of the country get it here in the 21st century??

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=wHHXDxteM8s]

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"NO, YOU CAN BE MY LOBBYIST ANYTIME."

The image below is the correct one that should have accompanied that New York Times hackjob on McCain and his allegedly close relationship to that LILFWSWY lobbyist.  As any long time or even recent reader of Mrod knows, I'm no McCain fan.  In the tone of Chandler from Friends, "I couldn't BE any less a fan of McCain."  OH, don't act like you've never seen the show.  You know exactly what Chandler tone I'm referring to.  Jackass. Anyway, the lobbyist's name is Vicki Iseman.  McCain's nickname is the Maverick.  Vikie Iseman.  McCain the Maverick.  Iseman.  Maverick.  Iseman. Maverick.  ISEMAN MAVERICK.  ISEMAN AND MAVERICK!  CUE SONG.  CUE F-14s!  CUE COLD WAR '80s BADASSNESS.  MR. GORBACHEV TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS!   GOOOOOSEEEEEE!

Thanks to the legal eagles at Poplicks for dropping this knowledge on me.

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