Influencing Public Opinion

Guest this week on the Digital Politics podcast was Paul Goodwin, partner, Goodwin Simon Strategic Research talking about rapid response and how candidates and advocates can influence public opinion.  We also talk about President Obama’s speech last night on health care reform and the rapid response from all interested parties.

Paul points out that there are many more ways for people to get information which might influence their opinions, which makes it increasingly hard to respond to myths and untruths.   He also suggests that social nets are a proxy for the old face-2-face techniques candidates used in the past.

Listen to this thoughtful discussion.

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Francine Busby Fundraiser Fireworks

In late May 2009, Francine Busby, Democrat, running in 2010 for Congress in the 50th District of San Diego, was a guest on the Digital Politics podcast.

On June 26, Francine had a fundraiser in San Diego.  This turned into a quite a melee. See below for link to one of many stories in the San Diego Union Tribune this week. Other news sources picked up the incident, bloggers had a field day.

Fundraiser fracas set for DA’s scrutiny

Candidate Busby to meet with sheriff

By Tanya Mannes UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

2:00 a.m. July 2, 2009

Even Countdown with Keith Obermann called out the deputy who responded to the noise complaint with back-up from a helicopter, K-9 unit and firetruck.

Democracy is messy. Happy 4th of July.

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California Campaigns 2010

Guest on the Digital Politics podcast this week was Francine Busby, candidate for Congress in 2010 in the 50th district in San Diego.  This is the old Duke Cunningham district currently represented by Brian Bilbray.  Francine says that the district went for Obama in 2008 and that both the DCCC and RCCC will be paying close attention to this one.  Not expecting any Primary competition, Francine anticipates that all of the Democratic candidates for CA governor will be knocking on her door to get her help in this district with an unusually high number of voters registered as Choose Not to Declare.

Along with the possibility of the same sex marriage initiative getting back on the 2010 ballot, to say nothing of the fact that the State is broke, I predict that unprecedented amounts of money will be spent on California campaigns between now and election day 2010.  It also looks like the war will be fought online like never before.  Francine put off the recent announcement of her candidacy for a week because the web site wasn’t ready.

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Getting Some of That Obama Magic

My guest on the Digital Politics podcast this week is Rob Kubasko, political Internet strategist with Campaign Solutions.  Met Rob last week when I moderated the panel on web sites at the AAPC annual conference in DC.  It seemed that Republicans, Independents as well as Democrats are looking to get some of that Obama magic for their next campaigns. There is confusion however about what role the Internet really played and how that translates down to a state and local race.  Rob has some real Internet campaign experience having worked with Bob Dole in 1996 through McCain 08.  He gets the power of the social nets and warns about ignoring the few passionate supporters at a local level who can dramatically help multiple the impact of a candidate’s message.   Hear the entire discussion on SignOnRadio.

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President Obama’s Speech to Congress Inspires All Political Parties

On my podcast this week, I talked with Glenn Kessler, president of HCD Research, about his national study of self-described Democrats, Republicans and Independents surveyed pre and post President Obama’s speech to Congress this week.  I was surprised to see so many Independents influenced positively about the President. Based on similar research, Glenn was shocked at the number of Republicans who shifted in their sense of the effectiveness of the President to handle the economy, education and the environment.  Listen to the interview and check out the data at Media Curves.

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Targeting Women Voters

E-Voter Institute Report looks more specifically at the women who represented 70% of the group of responders to the 3rd Annual Survey of Voter Expectations.

Comparisons between genders on Internet activity, political activism, and interest in news sources is augmented by details about the women by age, membership in social networks, and party affiliation.  Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

Of those women 18-24, 92% use email, 85% expect candidates to have a web site, and 68% expect candidates to post their television ads on the official site.

Of those women 55-64, 96% use email, 86% expect candidates to have a web site, and 64% expect candidates to post their television ads on the official site.

Surprised at how similar the expectations are regardless of age?

Looking at party affiliation, of women self-identified as Democrats, 94% use email, 89% expect candidates to have a web site, and 73% forward links  and email to friends and family.  Of those women self-identified as Republicans, 94% use email, 87% expect candidates to have a web site, and 73% forward links to friends and family.

Tough to tell the difference.

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Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

Voting Day “Exit Video” courtesy of Kent Kriegshauser, Galesburg, Illinois.

Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

This E-Voter study is based on findings from the E-Voter Institute’s 3rd Annual Survey of Voter Expectations. Study surveyed over 4800 Survey respondents.

Report provides details about voters by gender, age, party affiliation, level of political activism, and technical competence.  Of particular note are the comparisons between what campaign tools consultants think are most effective and what voters say are the best ways to get their attention.  While television still has the most effect on how all voters make up their minds about candidates, the Internet is not far behind.  This study reveals that television and cable advertising, debates, and the official candidate web sites are the most effective methods for getting the attention of voters.

Voters are tech savvy with a broad acceptance of Internet tools.

This study highlights differences in behavior in those who call themselves political activists compared to those who just show up to vote.  Those highly politically active are more likely to take action online and have high expectations for how candidates should be using the Internet.  It is clear the Internet is changing face of activism.

Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

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