techPresident - What YouTube Election? - Comments

YouTube is TV to US campaigns

Jonathan Trenn — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 12:06:49 -0500

Micah

Not sure what you mean by 'external reason', but it's my guess that the campaign managers at this point see YouTube and online video strictly as scripted video opportunities. I don't mind the Hillary type intro or the McCain pieces...let them do that...but getting the campaigns to have a Cameron type moment will be like pulling teeth. I agree with Jeff that most of them will be scripted or mostly so.

I doubt the internet strategists have that proverbial seat at the table as of yet. They're still in the next room, carrying out low-level and mid-level tasks.

www.digitalstreetjournal.com

Waiting for a reverse "macaca" moment

Micah L. Sifry — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:11:55 -0500

Jeff--

I would love a stream of videos from those living rooms and coffee klatches (assuming they are still happening; some of the stories out of IA and NH suggest that there's such demand to meet the top candidates that they can't schedule such intimate events). It used to be that only the lucky voters of those two states got a chance to meet the candidates face-to-face in a personal enough setting to take their measure and perhaps ask them a tough question and get a real answer. But someone with a video could now capture that moment and instead of giving us another "macaca" we might get a revelation about a candidate's character or vision that is positive and affirming. Recall the photo of Bush hugging that girl whose father died on 9/11. It was taken spontaneously by an onlooker and showed up real emotion; arguably it was Bush at his best. I just wish the current candidates would allow themselves the possibility of a similar moment...

Micah

Agreement

Jeff Jarvis — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 06:55:42 -0500

That what I was trying to say in my No. 2 point above: More is better. And I agree that we are pikers in the U.S. versus others; see my post on the French and Nicolas Sarkozy with the voice not just of the candidate but of the people. I do think even these "casual" moments on candidates' sites will be stage-managed, though. That's why the videos from livingrooms in Iowa and New Hampshire taken by the voters there are also vital to this new and richer picture we can get of candidates via video.

Link busted

Rob Hyndman — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 05:33:05 -0500

Great post, Micah. FYI, the webcameron link is busted, though.

What YouTube Election?

Micah L. Sifry — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:56:47 -0500

Jeff Jarvis has started a terrific new blog called PrezVid, where he is documenting and analyzing "The YouTube Campaign 2008." I'm a big fan of Jeff's work; he's one of the sharpest thinkers in the new media world and also one of the best on-his-feet moderators that I've ever seen. But I want to pick a bone with what Jeff's been writing about YouTube and, by extension, the impact of online video on the election.