Thursday, October 30th, 2008...6:48 pm
One Word of Advice to the McCain Campaign: Targeting
Okay, it’s really a simple matter of knowing your audience. You don’t try to convince those that are already convinced, and you don’t try to convince people that can’t be convinced.
The folks that put together John McCain’s now infamous Arizona robocalls seem to be unclear on the concept. I had a few chuckles when I heard that folks in beyond crimson places like Graham and Mohave county were getting calls, I wondered just how worried these guys were about holding their base.
Then, I heard about other people getting calls, ones that, well, aren’t in what would be the “persuadable universe” for a Republican candidate. One call went to Ted Warmbrand, a local folk musician and dedicated supporter of labor. Heck, that ain’t the right way to put it. Warmbrand thinks Joe Hill was too moderate. Needless to say, the call didn’t convince him to support McCain.
But, here’s something even funnier: this afternoon, they recieved a robocall at Raúl Grijalva’s campaign office.
I don’t even know where to go with that. It’s the sort of thing that’s best left alone.
8 Comments
October 30th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
There they go again, using a hacksaw when they need a scalpel.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I have received two calls from the McCain campaign and they are horrible. There is nothing honorable or truthful about how Senator McCain is running his campaign. He has a black heart and his desperation is obvious.
If Obama gets injured due to the ruthlessness of their rhetoric, I will hold McCain and Palin personally responsible.
October 31st, 2008 at 12:34 am
I find myself mystified by some of the robocalls I get. Like Ted, I figure they’d be most effective going to persuadable voters. Yet I, a high efficacy Dem, political activist, and Vice Chair of LD20 Democrats, have gotten calls from: Republican State Senator John Huppenthal, Republican Maricopa County Supe Fulton Brock, and most recently a PAC devoted to defeating Democratic House candidate Rae Waters. Why am I even on their lists? Do they really think their telephonic pleas are going to sway me?
I’m convinced that it might be a psyche-out thing. They’re only sending them to political junkies, in an attempt to provoke anxiety. It makes me want to return the favor.
I’m tempted to do a series of robocalls where I represent myself as being from “Democrats for ____”. I’ll claim how I’m supporting X Republican candidate because he is totally for expanding welfare for illegal immigrants. I’ll go on to describe how touched I was by his officiating at my gay wedding and helping me and my partner to adopt our child. The calls would go to select candidates and their circles. Hilarity would ensue.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:59 am
Isn’t that basically the Obama office?
October 31st, 2008 at 10:22 am
I bet the put together their robocalls on the cheap, just like an IED…. just set up an auto-dialer, turn it on and run like hell and hope it his what you want it to hit.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:28 am
DONNA–
I love your last paragraph!
I would like to see an ad on television of all of the “socialist” Republicans [including McCain, in the past] who have voted for/supported the progressive tax system which we have had for…how long?
November 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
The last few days I have been getting AT LEAST 2 robocalls a day. I hang up pretty fast, if you want me to listen to a script atleast provide me a live body to read it to me.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I thought this was the most insane tactic. I received no less than 10 robo calls on my cell phone in the last three days leading up to the election. A majority of them were for Mccain from Cindy Mccain, John Mccain, Sara Palin, and national members of congress. All from an organization called 18669347536 which was also their number.
Nuts