Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Candidates Olympics Outreach A Failure So Far

I agree with Jack Myers here - he really hits it on the head with this commentary.

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The Olympics accomplish what our leaders should at least try to do: they inspire us; they encourage us to believe that we can all get along; they impose a positive and uplifting spirit on a global stage. I expected the McCain campaign to focus on polls and newly implemented negative campaign strategies. The resulting commercial ("The Real Obama") achieves its negative goals by questioning Obama's ability to lead and capitalizing on the pop culture spin generated by his worldwide popularity. We expected a Rove-trained cadre of operatives to deliver such a message.

But what has become of Barack Obama? What a stage for Obama to counter that message and reinforce the positive aspects of his unique ability to lead, to bring us together as the Olympics bring us together. What an opportunity to reinforce his strengths as a global leader -- yes a celebrity -- who might actually retain the Olympics spirit into his presidency. Instead, his handlers placed too much reliance on polls that establish energy as Americans' top concern. Polls are focused on the past, and Obama's strategists should instead be looking to the future. They should understand that the medium is often the message and used the Olympics as an international stage to reinforce his popularity and the unique opportunity we have to elect a president who can lead our nation in the spirit of the Olympics. Obama's Olympics commercials could have and should have emphasized his leadership, his belief in family, his belief in himself and in our nation and world in very troubled times. They could have elevated the political debate. They could have reinforced that Barack Obama is the personification of the Olympic spirit at the very time voters are most receptive to hearing that message. They failed.
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