Huge campaign staff causing shallow Presidential campaigns?
September 3rd, 2007There is no doubt that huge amounts or resources are being spent earlier than ever this campaign cycle. This article from the Boston Globe paints consultants and professional campaign staff as the “culprits” in increasingly shallow and scripted campaigns.
Needless to say…I disagree.
Candidates fear a lot of things these days. One of them definitely is a press corps that is quick to smell blood and push less than substantive news stories. Working in campaigns we hear the same thing every year “talk about the issues”. Then you have a press conference on “the issues” and no one shows. Have a press conference making outlandish personal charges against your oppononent and everyone is there with bells on.
The reality is communication is more complex today and it is harder and harder to get thru to people and get your message heard. Whether you are buying broadcast TV, designing mail, putting together a viral email campaign or supervising hundreds of volunteers in going door-to-door it takes experience and professional know-how.
Yes, that means consultants.
What do you think?