Propaganda

My last blog focused on who is running for President and how they are getting their names out to the public, and whether it is on television, or the internet. I have found that during the campaigning thus far candidates who are receiving more television coverage are those who are better known, and announced their running early on. Yes, the campaigning process is still early, but those who began with a strong campaigning strategy may result in doing better in the primary elections. But, we’ll just have to wait and see who wins.

A concept I have been pondering is how candidates at times use propaganda to attack each other’s stances on issues, and possibly their entire campaign platform. Yet, thus far the campaigning has steered clear of trash talking each other. It may be due to the fact that there is plenty of time remaining to harass the candidates through television advertisements in the months ahead.

I realize there has been a video clip posted on the internet about Hillary Clinton saying she’s like big brother through using the Macintosh commercial 1984. The interesting part about the clip is that it’s said to be sponsored by Barack Obama. But, it has been announced that Barack Obama had nothing to do with the video mocking Hillary Clinton. In fact Barack Obama wants to keep his campaign away from attacking Hillary’s platform, or anyone’s at this point in the game. So why are people taking into their own hands the mockery of candidates instead of letting the candidates do it themselves?

One reason I can think of is that the internet is a fairly new form of media that allows participation from citizens. No type of media has ever allowed the public to play such a role in campaigning. Not only can the public create propaganda, but the internet allows for information to be posted by anyone that can impact candidates positively or negatively. I’m optimistic we will see as the campaigning process continues more citizens taking into their own hands the creation of advertisements that mock candidates such as the one that makes fun of Hillary Clinton on YouTube called, “Vote Different.”

Television advertisements sponsored by candidates usually are more forward. They state what a candidate’s stance is on a particular issue and spin it into looking wrong. The sponsor of the commercial then states at the end support the other candidate. These types of attacks are more formal and reserved in a sense as opposed to advertisements produced by regular everyday citizens. Television also limits the amount of participation from people and the information candidates want the public to know about them. In a way it seems as though from a candidates point of view television might be a better choice of getting information out to the public, but the internet allows for more participation, either way it’s it seems to be a double edged sword.

But, radio can play an active role in propaganda as well. I've recently came across an article on ABCNews that discusses Barack Obama's calm collected reaction to a parody done about him called, "Barack the Magic Negro." As the campaigning goes on more candidates will be made fun of and even attacked by people such as WJR Radio who created the song. It's intersting to see how anyone can take it upon themselves to create a commercial, song, or video clip that attacks candidates.

Another website I found that pokes fun at the leading candidates such as Clinton, Obama, McCain, Giuliani, and Edwards has links to various photoshoped pictures that are negative and a few postive about the candidates that people have created. It shows how instead of candidates attacking eachother the common person is taking it into their own hands to be creative and get messages out to the public. Check out the site to view more pictures. http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/election2008/2008_Election_Jokes.htm