Time for a Change: Obama campaign needs to refresh its Message

[woolldog]

April 25, 2008, The Guardian

TIME FOR A CHANGE


In the last, say, three weeks, Obama hasn't put forward a single new proposal. He hasn't, at least on any evidence that I've seen, tweaked his stump speech much. He's been static and stale and, as Joe Klein noted in a terrific column for Time that went up yesterday, he hasn't been looking like he's having fun doing this. That can be deadly, and voters can smell it.

<snip>

It's high time for a new proposal or two - like today's bashing of oil companies over gasoline prices. But there's room for plenty more, on mortgages, on something near and dear to an important Indiana industry's heart ... something.

New proposals at this stage in the campaign do two things. Not only do they add more substance, but they ensure that you're the one who's setting the agenda and tone. You go out there for five days in a row banging on about your new proposal, and, for five days, the media peppers your opponent with questions about, so she stays on the defensive. The newspapers and TV people talk about your new life and momentum.

<snip>

A final point: TV commercials. As far as I can see, Obama is still running a bunch of ads featuring him speaking heroically about change while people beam up at him rapturously.

Those ads were great a while ago. Now, they're terrible. They preach only to the converted. If you're a Democrat and you're not enraptured at this point, you're probably not going to be.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/michael_tomasky/2008/04/time_for_a_change.html

[anonymous171]

1. I agree. He needs to expand. Start courting the "unconverted"

[MadBadger]

2. He's starting to have fun more it seems

He's taken his jacket off, rolled up his sleeves, doing him Hoops for CHange thing. He's trying to connect again.

[woolldog]

9. I thought that was a nice touch. nt

[Cha]

3. Yeah, like joe klein has our interests

at heart..and the media.

I'm thinking Obama knows what he's doing more than klein, the guardian, and karl rove.

[KittyWampus]

18. in case you haven't noticed, Hillary/GOP/Mediawhores have begun defining Obama as elite

and he has a small window of opportunity to turn this around.

Politics is theater and either Obama controls his own narrative or his opponents will (they currently ARE) doing it for him.

Note- complaining how Hillary/GOP/Mediawhores are wrong about Obama or unfair doesn't do jackshit to change things.

Reality is what it is, Obama needs to do something to counter the label getting tagged on him.

Example, "who is the elitist, the guy flying around in his wife's jet or the guy who just paid off his student loan"?

[parasim]

4. Right. The iPhone was great, but where's the new thing, the thing that will really change history?

People haven't even figured out the significance of the iPhone or the fact that it already has changed the face of the cell phone industry, but they still want the next, great thing.

What the fuck? Obama has already laid out quite clearly what needs to happen in this country. Major change. Everybody sees it, they want it. Obama can do that. Let's just get him in there. Washington will change.

Oh, but now, oh no, Obama's message ain't good enough, we need to have something more that just change, we need... what? what do we need? We now have to come up with something better than that?

Humans are so fucking stupid.

[woolldog]

7. I just think his campaign has gotten a little stale.

It's not the end of the world, but the article gives some good suggestions on how to give it a shot in the arm.

[rodeodance]

14. yes, Rove agrees. I believe he had 6 ways to improve in Newsweek.

[woolldog]

15. Thanks. I saw that article

by Finneman in Newsweek. thought it was a good one. Rove also had one in the WSJ but I haven't read that one. :hi:

[quantass]

11. Agreed.

[VolcanoJen]

5. Joke Line wrote a "terrific" column?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[sandnsea]

6. The young people like them in Oregon

A lot of people haven't seen the ads, believe it or not. He needs to add some ads targeted at policies, but people still like the upbeat change ads.

[woolldog]

8. The article goes on to suggest using some of the supers who've

endorsed him in ads. People like Sam Nunn and Boren and Lee Hamilton, who will appeal to rural dem voters in Indiana and North Carolina.

Good point that journalists who've been following the campaign for a while have seen all the ads and heard the speeches, but not people living in the current primary states. lol. It's easy to forget that.

[PseudoIntellect]

10. Yeah, I think he needs to change the stump speech a little bit.

But PHEW, when I first saw your post, I thought it read "Obama campaign needs to refresh its Messiah." Shows what kind of place this has been recently.

[boppers]

12. Obama doesn't change facts as often as Hillary.

Critics suggest he do otherwise, they're bored with him speaking the truth.

Yeah, alrighty then!

[rodeodance]

16. He changed his facts about Wright, Resco, kennedy's father, nafta, how he feels about

the war. ect ect ect.

[JoFerret]

17. More hopification

and changefying needed.

Order some in from the marketing department.
(or borrow some policy proposals from Clinton and re-package.)

[woolldog]

13. k