"Change" in politcal campaigning

This year’s award for best PR move goes to... David Axelrod, media strategist & David Plouffe, campaign manager, for their creation of American Stories, American Solutions, a 30 min special that led to the election of the first African American president.

I have always been proud to call myself a Canadian, but on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, I wish I was at Grant Park, Chicago, to experience history in the making. Politics have always been an area of interest to me, but I tend not to follow the American election campaigns due in part to my lack of interest in the candidates. This year, especially over the past few months, I have been glued to newspapers, TV broadcasts, YouTube and any other place I can get my hands on some insight.

“Change” and “Yes, we can” became common, household sayings, and a nation was finally hearing the call to action. The day I was most impressed by the brilliantly enacted campaign, was on October 29th, 2008. Barack Obama’s 30 minute “commercial” was aired on to key stations across the US, including a number of Spanish stations.

In 30 minutes, Barack Obama was able to appeal to all types of people, without offending anyone: that takes one genius campaign manager! He covered the main points of his platform, made it simple and easy to understand and won the hearts and votes of a nation! It was a Public Relations tactic never attempted before in a presidential campaign and my bets are on it not being the last.

In fact, the commercial was not the only brilliant move Obama, and his campaign team, made. Consider this; for the duration of his entire campaign, I heard him say, a number of times, that he attended law school as part of his criteria to application to be president. However, not once did you hear him admit that the law school he attended was HARVARD. It wasn’t shame that prevent him from admitting that miniscule fact, or a dirty secret, but rather a skillful way of making his appeal more likable to the blue collared workers.

Obviously, I have a bit of a bias in favour of the new US president, but for just cause. I may not completely agree with his entire platform, but I appreciate a president who is honest, willing to listen, and doesn’t just have the interests of the big wigs in mind. America citizen will finally have the ability to experience something we have had the privilege of for years as their Northern neighbours: democracy!

I would like to end this post by thanking all the American Citizens who stood in ridiculously long lines to vote this year. You have not only made the right decision in your president, but also because you finally believe that “YES YOU CAN”! Another big thank you goes out to all the crew members, volunteers and supporters of the Barack Obama campaign. Without you, my faith in politics would not have been restored!

If you havent already witnessed American Stories: American Solutions visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtREqAmLsoA