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Monday, March 31, 2008

Bloggers Boosted McCain

I'm quoted in a WaTimes article today titled, Blogger outreach boosts McCain:

Even as talk radio was brutalizing Sen. John McCain in the Republican presidential primaries, conservative bloggers reached a respectful truce with the Arizona senator over touchy issues and gave him what the campaign called a "tremendous positive psychological" boost.

... "If anybody needed the blogosphere it was McCain," Mr. Lewis said, adding that Mr. McCain recently told bloggers he would continue to give them access throughout the campaign. "He essentially said, 'How could I not — there for a while this summer, you were the only people who talked to me.' "

... The calls usually consist of the candidate offering a few minutes' commentary on where he's campaigning, then he opens it up to questions. He occasionally makes news, including in October, answering a question from Heritage Foundation's Robert B. Bluey, when he reversed his long-held position and announced he would oppose the Law of the Sea treaty.
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Friday, March 28, 2008

Mentioned By The Dr. of Democracy ...

From the Department of Terrible Advance Work

Never forget that backdrops matter ...

Photobucket

H/t: Jonathan Martin
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On Fox ...

I was on FOX yesterday, talking about Hillary -- as well as the possibility that Obama could pick Bloomberg as his VP ...

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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Hillary & Rev. Wright

I was on MSNBC today talking about Hillary's comments about Rev. Wright.

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Monday, March 24, 2008

Matt Lewis on MSNBC: Bill Clinton's Comments ...

I was on MSNBC discussing Bill Clinton's questioning of Barack Obama's patriotism ...

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Friday, March 21, 2008

Matt Lewis on MSNBC: The Campaign for I's ...

I was on MSNBC yesterday, talking about the race to win Independent voters ...

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Monday, March 17, 2008

As Campaign Drags On, Aides Put Lives on Hold

NYT has a good article today on how the Democratic primary has forced campaign aides to put their "lives on hold." If you've ever worked on a campaign, you know how the all-consuming nature of campaigns can be hard on families and personal lives. It's something that doesn't get discussed much ...
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Friday, March 07, 2008

The Media Are Vince McMahon ...



If you want to understand media narratives -- and why the press has made Barack Obama into a hero (at least, for now) -- all you have to understand is pro-Wrestling. 

If you've ever watched the WWE for any length of time, you'll notice that the writers make some wrestlers "good guys" and some "heels"(a bad guy). (At least, that's how it used to work.  Now days the wrestlers are sometimes more "nuanced.")  

A wrestler's identity can last for a long time, so long as that character is entertaining and good for business.  But as soon as a good guy character becomes boring (this could take days or years, depending) the writers will make him into a "heel" (a bad guy.    

Media narratives are similar.  And the result is that the media will play up stories that confirm the narrative, and downplay stories (like Rezko, for example) that undermine the narrative (mixing narratives is bad for business).

In fact, Bill Clinton was on to something when he described it as a "fairy tale."  Right now, it's good for all of us to have this image of Obama as the "knight in shining armor" archetype.  It sells newspapers,  gives us talking points for TV spots, etc.  But it won't last forever.  Eventually, the media will make him into a "heel"  The question is whether or not he will be in the White House before that happens ...
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It's Not Off The Record Until it's Agreed Upon ...

A rule in PR is that you must establish the rules before talking to a reporter.

Guess Samantha Power just learned that you have to establish the "off the record" rules before you give the quote ...


"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything," Ms Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark.

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