COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — The aspiring Republican presidential candidates have logged countless hours in the living rooms of voters, pitching their platforms and firing jabs at President Obama.
Yet there is one difference this election season. The contenders, even here in the early-voting states, are far more likely to make their visits on television than to ever drop by in person.
In what is shaping up as a profound change in American politics, the living room stops and the cafe visits where candidates offer handshakes and make appeals for support are creeping toward extinction. The onetime fixtures of the campaign trail are giving way to the Fox News studio and televised debates
Further, Today's Times has a Magazine article addressing Gov. Romney and within such using the term "Mitt-Bot". On the other side, President Obama has often been noted for his "detachment" and "aloofness".
With all this said, and considering the nature of the "personalities" involved, what future does the most up-close-and personal means of campaigning - the campaign train - have for the 2012 Election?
I am reluctant to originate this topic over at another site at which I am active, but I know here, our discussion will move forth objectively - and with maturity and respect.
Posts: 9980 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Those who are at the small personal "meet & greet' locations are already very likely supporters of the candidate and will not be persuaded differently. Perhaps the campaign train would create more disparity in the audience but not significantly.
With the television debates all who are interested get to hear the candidates present their positions and respond to questions about them. One improvement would be to have moderators be from sources other than the major news organizations.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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The practicalities are that we have become a society of observers, not participants. For a candidiate, he well knows that the TV presentations are seen by many times the number that he sees face to face, and that these people at the "meet and greet" sessions are primarily supporters and form part of the backdrop for the TV audience.
"Moderators" other than from the major news organizations or others with their own positical agenda would be wonderful. As it is, it is like watching a sports event where the referees are in the pay of one of the teams.
Politics has become a game for those that eithe have rhinocerous hide or have positions that line up with the views of the major media. We have just seen the throwing in of the towel by a man who, regardless of what may be thought of some of his positions, knows how to develop and run a business because people came out of the woodwork making unprovable allegations which got enthusiastic publicity primarily because the man had positions that did not line up with those of the major media.
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Perhaps at one time Iowa was so representative of the country that their caucuses' influence in determining party nominees made sense. I doubt this is the case any more. Frankly, I am resentful that the people of a small (in population) state get proportionately so much more attention. Candidates fall over over themselves to visit every tiny town and spend time in residents' homes & local gatherings in attempts to secure early votes. The whole primary system is so flawed that at this point, that I'd be willing to go back to the smoke-filled rooms to find candidates who are statesmen and not just cynical politicians. When ignorance is seen as a virtue in a candidate, we are all in trouble. And as to trains, I'd love to see the return of the whistle-stop campaigning where the candidate's train arrived and he/she spoke for a few minutes to a local crowd from the rear platform. The only trains passing through most communities these days are freights. On St.Nick's Day, having a candidate arrive behind a load of coal is somehow poetic. Ain't going to happen in my lifetime!
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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Four years ago I was watching, but not overly interested in the Democratic nomination process. I knew that I would be voting for whichever candidate had the (D) next to her or his name in the November election. But within the space of a couple of days both Obama and Clinton came to Seattle to speak to voters. The Clinton stop was a mostly closed event focusing mainly on fund raising with a small speech given to an invite-only audience. The Obama visit was an open-to-all speech at Key Arena that drew an overflow crowd. I was one of the thousands left outside on a very cold January morning to listen to the speech via loudspeakers. Obama heard that there were thousands of people outside the Arena and before he made his stump speech inside the Arena, he came outside with a bull horn and spoke to the shivering crowd. Thankfully, he didn't bore us with the stump speech. He spoke informally and thanked the crowd for showing up. I know that Obama can seem stiff and detached on television, but on that cold morning he was very real--shivering like the rest of us. Seeing the candidate in the flesh was very impressive. I know that Gabby Giffords must be on the minds of the candidates (and the Secret Service), but if our candidates won't meet the people face to face, we're not going to know them as well as we should.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Politicians might look to Nascar as to how the people on top can mix and mingle with the "little people" (fans). Nascar has the best fan access of any major sport, and us fans know our drivers and crews very well. Just sayin'....
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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