John McCain hosted a town hall meeting in New York City last week, where he took a question from a young Republican on how he planned to reach out to young voters he was going to compete for the youth vote:
"I think it’s going to be a real competition for young people’s votes. One of the reason why I go on Saturday Night Live, and Jon Stewart, and MTV Town Hall, and all other kinds of venues is so that I will have a better opportunity to communicate with young people.”
Indeed, John McCain has made more guest appearances on the Daily Show—12 in total—than any other guest of the show ever.According to IMDB, McCain has also made 10 appearances on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and 8 appearances on the “Late Show with David Letterman.” By comparison, he has appeared on the famed Sunday political talk show “Meet the Press” only 6 times.
But while John McCain trumps Barack Obama on late-night television appearances, he’s losing ground fast on the internet.A recent Washington Post article compared the online presence of the two candidates:
“On MySpace, Obama leads McCain more than seven-fold; Obama lists 390,279 friends to McCain's 53,259. The gap is almost similar on Facebook. Obama supporters number at 928,905 while McCain's clock in at 139,749.And on YouTube, it's almost as if Obama and McCain operate in two separate layers of the atmosphere. McCain's channel, which has posted 219 videos, has been viewed a little over 4 million times. Obama's channel, which has posted 1,102 videos, has been viewed 51.1 million times.”
It’ll be interesting to see if McCain can close the cyber-chasm before November.Most experts are predicting that his campaign will have less cash to spend than Obama (due largely to Obama's online donations), in which case the internet could offer a great opportunity for McCain to spread his message to millions of young people without spending millions of dollars.
Another appearance on the Daily Show couldn’t hurt either.
Young people have facebook/myspace would be more likely to support Obama. I doubt as many rural/small town types have facebook or myspace profiles and they would be much more likely to support McCain.
I really don't see McCain getting anywhere with young voters. Not only are young people generally more progressive than voters as a whole, but Obama's personality alone has excited the youth vote far beyond what McCain could even dream about.
Not to mention the fact that young male voters probably don't want to get sent to Iraq sometime in the next 100 years...
While McCain may have less cash to spend, a better question is if the Web 2.0 sites you list are effective at garnering donations instead of just ginning up name recognition.
I think McCain will continue to rely more on those TV appearances than on the Internet. As someone coming from the right, I am disappointed that conservatives can't seem to break through with good YouTube videos and the like. It's not like the material isn't there. The only person that is effective at all in that regard is Mary Katherine Ham, and Michelle Malkin is one of the only other major commentators that operates solely online. It definitely is a problem for McCain, but its a problem for the right in general. It just seems to be amplified by his age. Rather than developing a new market altogether, I think he should just make more TV appearances.
Great way to judge the situations: TV vs. Internet and younger generations. I feel like McCain must step it up. Why wouldn't you, it's much cheaper and accessible to campaign online then on television. However, I do think it says a lot about how open McCain is and willing to go on television where it is less scripted and you cannot hit "delete" if you want to phrase something differently.
Devan is absolutely correct. There is no way in hell McCain is going to get anywhere with young voters. He could appear on every episode of The Daily Show from now until the election, and it wouldn't make me even the slightest bit more likely to vote for him.
Pandering doesn't erase the fact that his policies are, by and large, nothing more than a continuation (and, in some instances, an exacerbation) of Bush's policies, which have failed us for the past seven years.
Anyway, keep up the good work, Zach. I applied for a low-level position, un-paid position with the Obama campaign. Hopefully they'll put me to work soon. :)
If I was the McCain campaign I would not be so sure about the effectiveness of these late night appearances...sure, 6 years ago that may have been cutting edge, but today Barack Obama's facebook friends alone could probably earn him the Presidency.
Yet again I agree with Devan. (I assume it's the same Devan, albeit on a different blog and on different topic.) McCain can trot around with a young (younger) wife, and attempt humor on the late shows. But until his policies reflect the change our generation is clamoring for, he'll get clobbered by the young vote.
Zach, I'm looking forward to many more posts. btw, what's this bs about "All comments must be approved by the blog author." Sounds like big brother to me?
It is a fact that young voters are, historically, much more unlikely to turn out than an older voter. Therefore, mathematically, a limited amount of time is better spent courting older voters than younger ones. When the youth voter turnout surges, typically, the turnout of older voters surges too.
It pains me to say this--I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone at school who has tried to actively encourage youth voter participation as much as I have--but I have to face that sobering reality.
I do partially blame the sad apathy of younger voters, but I also blame a restrictive absentee ballot culture that exists in many states. Students at college away from their parent's homes often have to request absentee ballots, which usually require sending in a request followed by a ballot by a date in advance of the election. Additionally, they can't really vote in-person absentee. Therefore, they have a significant barrier to voting.
In response to Micholas I disagree with several of your assertions. While some will lack the resources to have the internet, and therefore Myspace or Facebook, it is fairly ubiquitous, and people can often gain access to such to the internet at a public library, or public schools. I think regardless of socioeconomic, or regional differences, this generation is far more likely to be Democratic across these cleavages. Regardless of how much McCain attempts to gain youth support by Daily Show Appearances Web 2.0 visibility, and hearkening back to the 2000 campaign and the Straight Talk express, the youth today has other ideas about who is actually speaking to their issues. Good post Zach, and I also agree with much of what Devan and Joe said as well.
Capt. Edirp, that is not what Nicholas said. This is what he said:
Young people have facebook/myspace would be more likely to support Obama.
Poor wording aside, it's common sense that not every young person is on Facebook and MySpace, and some young people are in fact on both MySpace and Facebook, and some people on MySpace and Facebook are not young people. Of the young people not on Facebook/MySpace, do you feel that: - an equal percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain - a smaller percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain - a larger percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain - you don't know
I think it's perfectly reasonable to generalize about the people not on MySpace/Facebook, and I'm glad that Nicholas did so.
Is it possible to have a voting after-party? I know it's illegal to "buy votes", but is there a way to have a free celebration for people who took the time to cast their vote?
If this is possible, this is the best way for every athlete, rapper, musician, and other so-called superstar to make a real difference.
In Georgia, you get a "I Voted" sticker that looks like a peach. It would be great if people could show their peaches and see Ludacris for example.
If Rock the Vote coordinated this across the country, the response would be amazing.
I guess the key is to not require a vote for one party or another - just vote.
My guess, is the choice of entertainment might attract voters supportive of particular candidates or parties. But if its open to all - no foul, right?
to echo some other comments, mccains tv appearances aren't going to help a whole lot. His frequent bookings aren't going to change the fact that he will remain one of the biggest targets available to people like John Stewart. In addition, his appearances have decreased on frequency ever since his presidential campaign dragged him inceremoniously to the right on many youth-oriented issues. Maybe he should try harder to actually speak to a real live young person, rather than just asking for a quick in from a guy in his 50's who happens to entertain a whole lot of them.
14 Comments:
Young people have facebook/myspace would be more likely to support Obama. I doubt as many rural/small town types have facebook or myspace profiles and they would be much more likely to support McCain.
I really don't see McCain getting anywhere with young voters. Not only are young people generally more progressive than voters as a whole, but Obama's personality alone has excited the youth vote far beyond what McCain could even dream about.
Not to mention the fact that young male voters probably don't want to get sent to Iraq sometime in the next 100 years...
While McCain may have less cash to spend, a better question is if the Web 2.0 sites you list are effective at garnering donations instead of just ginning up name recognition.
I think McCain will continue to rely more on those TV appearances than on the Internet. As someone coming from the right, I am disappointed that conservatives can't seem to break through with good YouTube videos and the like. It's not like the material isn't there. The only person that is effective at all in that regard is Mary Katherine Ham, and Michelle Malkin is one of the only other major commentators that operates solely online. It definitely is a problem for McCain, but its a problem for the right in general. It just seems to be amplified by his age. Rather than developing a new market altogether, I think he should just make more TV appearances.
wow zach! this is great. really informative and you really know your stuff. can't wait to read more!
kisses!
Great way to judge the situations: TV vs. Internet and younger generations. I feel like McCain must step it up. Why wouldn't you, it's much cheaper and accessible to campaign online then on television. However, I do think it says a lot about how open McCain is and willing to go on television where it is less scripted and you cannot hit "delete" if you want to phrase something differently.
Devan is absolutely correct. There is no way in hell McCain is going to get anywhere with young voters. He could appear on every episode of The Daily Show from now until the election, and it wouldn't make me even the slightest bit more likely to vote for him.
Pandering doesn't erase the fact that his policies are, by and large, nothing more than a continuation (and, in some instances, an exacerbation) of Bush's policies, which have failed us for the past seven years.
Anyway, keep up the good work, Zach. I applied for a low-level position, un-paid position with the Obama campaign. Hopefully they'll put me to work soon. :)
If I was the McCain campaign I would not be so sure about the effectiveness of these late night appearances...sure, 6 years ago that may have been cutting edge, but today Barack Obama's facebook friends alone could probably earn him the Presidency.
Yet again I agree with Devan. (I assume it's the same Devan, albeit on a different blog and on different topic.)
McCain can trot around with a young (younger) wife, and attempt humor on the late shows. But until his policies reflect the change our generation is clamoring for, he'll get clobbered by the young vote.
Zach, I'm looking forward to many more posts.
btw, what's this bs about "All comments must be approved by the blog author." Sounds like big brother to me?
It is a fact that young voters are, historically, much more unlikely to turn out than an older voter. Therefore, mathematically, a limited amount of time is better spent courting older voters than younger ones. When the youth voter turnout surges, typically, the turnout of older voters surges too.
It pains me to say this--I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone at school who has tried to actively encourage youth voter participation as much as I have--but I have to face that sobering reality.
I do partially blame the sad apathy of younger voters, but I also blame a restrictive absentee ballot culture that exists in many states. Students at college away from their parent's homes often have to request absentee ballots, which usually require sending in a request followed by a ballot by a date in advance of the election. Additionally, they can't really vote in-person absentee. Therefore, they have a significant barrier to voting.
In response to Micholas I disagree with several of your assertions. While some will lack the resources to have the internet, and therefore Myspace or Facebook, it is fairly ubiquitous, and people can often gain access to such to the internet at a public library, or public schools. I think regardless of socioeconomic, or regional differences, this generation is far more likely to be Democratic across these cleavages. Regardless of how much McCain attempts to gain youth support by Daily Show Appearances Web 2.0 visibility, and hearkening back to the 2000 campaign and the Straight Talk express, the youth today has other ideas about who is actually speaking to their issues. Good post Zach, and I also agree with much of what Devan and Joe said as well.
Capt. Edirp, that is not what Nicholas said. This is what he said:
Young people have facebook/myspace would be more likely to support Obama.
Poor wording aside, it's common sense that not every young person is on Facebook and MySpace, and some young people are in fact on both MySpace and Facebook, and some people on MySpace and Facebook are not young people. Of the young people not on Facebook/MySpace, do you feel that:
- an equal percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain
- a smaller percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain
- a larger percentage of them support Obama as compared to McCain
- you don't know
I think it's perfectly reasonable to generalize about the people not on MySpace/Facebook, and I'm glad that Nicholas did so.
I have a question...
Is it possible to have a voting after-party? I know it's illegal to "buy votes", but is there a way to have a free celebration for people who took the time to cast their vote?
If this is possible, this is the best way for every athlete, rapper, musician, and other so-called superstar to make a real difference.
In Georgia, you get a "I Voted" sticker that looks like a peach. It would be great if people could show their peaches and see Ludacris for example.
If Rock the Vote coordinated this across the country, the response would be amazing.
I guess the key is to not require a vote for one party or another - just vote.
My guess, is the choice of entertainment might attract voters supportive of particular candidates or parties. But if its open to all - no foul, right?
I hope I'm right about this!
to echo some other comments, mccains tv appearances aren't going to help a whole lot. His frequent bookings aren't going to change the fact that he will remain one of the biggest targets available to people like John Stewart. In addition, his appearances have decreased on frequency ever since his presidential campaign dragged him inceremoniously to the right on many youth-oriented issues. Maybe he should try harder to actually speak to a real live young person, rather than just asking for a quick in from a guy in his 50's who happens to entertain a whole lot of them.
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