The Republicans were destroyed last year on the internet front of the campaign wars. The blogosphere overwhelmingly tilts for the left and two of the most defining victories of that fight are Senators Webb and Tester. The "Macaca moment" showed the power of the internet and the Democratic side of the blogosphere. A digital camera helped bring down an incumbent George Allen who was looking towards the Presidency next year. Now its hard to recall his name.
So as the Republicans gear up for next year, they are trying to learn from their brutal experience of 2006. John Ensign, the new chairman of the NRSC has put together a guidebook for all candidates on what to do and what not to do when campaigning for office. One such directive is to remember to assume you are always on camera, no matter what. It seems like common sense for a candidate but you never know what will come out of people's mouths.
From The Politico:
It's right there, on pages 18 and 22 of an Internet guide from the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee that its chairman, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), hopes will become scripture for the 2008 candidates.
Always assume you're being recorded, and always record your opponent. The blogs -- oh, scratch that -- the Republican blogs are your friends, so use them for rapid response in good times and bad.
"The paradigmatic example of failure to do so is the 'macaca' moment," reads the guidebook (excerpted here), referring to a remark last year by former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) that was captured on video and sunk his reelection campaign.
Not only are the Republican hopefuls told to watch themselves, they are also commanded to reach out more to the internet community. Well, not the whole community, just the right-wing blogs. The idea is to use them to disseminate information and create media buzz. The only problem with this is that the size of the right side is nothing compared to the blogosphere over here on the left.
As DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," but there is no way that the Republicans can copy the success that the left had last year. Besides, the way the NRSC strategy is devised, it actually hurts them. It is more of their top-down campaigning, the same old thing in new packaging. But that isn't how the blogosphere works. It is the community that bolsters Democrats and the lack of which that will continue to haunt the Republicans.
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