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I found this update of " Mitt's VP App " on the iPhone. I must say that it made me laugh! A few days before the VP announcement,  Mitt Romney gives his  VP nominee "Performance Improvements".  The Mitt's VP App states: There's no telling when Mitt will choose his VP. But when he does, be the first to find out with Mitt's VP app. Share with friends and earn exclusive campaign gear. Reading  Picking Through the Romney VP Chatter , I wondered whether there might be a clue in this recent App Update... In any case, the update on the App only contains bug fixes and enhancements or  "Performance Improvements" . If you read more into this, you're probably hooked on election news.

First of all I want to say that I don't believe in websites that debunk Internet rumor. As I said in a previous post Debunking smears on the Internet :  "When you make it an issue, it becomes an issue"  AttackWatch.com is a new website that seeks to put the record strait (according to the Obama campaign).  The Obama campaign also keeps FightTheSmears.com a website actually created for the 2008 campaign! The website is still online, along the new  AttackWatch.com . Both of them! Comes to prove that websites that re-produce smears and rumors, do just that: re-produce smears and rumors.  FightTheSmears.com is a 2008 Obama campaign tool, that still keeps the 2008 smears online! The Republicans instead of "Getting the record strait" they just serve "the facts" not the rumors; with the  StimulusSpotlightProject.com  The difference is that they do not re-produce the smears. The website offers bullet point "facts" that target on...

The Mitt Romney campaign has the message "Believe in America" beneath the Romney logo ( my opinion on the 2012 Romney logo ) but just beneath that, it has a Donate button. In doing so the message becomes:  Romney - Believe in America - Donate So, Romney believes in America, you should too.. oh, and donate to the campaign..  I know that that this might be considered a detail, however, when you look at it, it looks like the message is with the word " donate ".  Anyway, I just wanted to bring this to your attention in order to point out that: The way you create an email newsletter can be proven to be crucial in changing or shaping your message.

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, came out with a video on April 15th in asking people to send YouTube videos and tell the GOP why they "Can't Afford 4 More Years". The winning submission will receive a $100 gift certificate to the GOPStore.com and could be showcased in the GOP.com website. My first comment is that this contest seems outdated. Yet another example of a safe political communications strategy in trying to copy-paste tried ideas. This has already been done before, it's not innovative or cool anymore, and by the looks of it, with 3,355 views of the Reince Priebus video in 6 days, the Video contest is not going to be a success. It all seems really amateur in setting up a YouTube contest. But worry not, I am sure the GOP online communications team is only just beginning, that's right, Reince Priebus also opened a facebook page ; I bet this comes really handy in getting the video contest " viral ". I don...

I thought I received an email from the GOP; but no, it was from Melody Barnes and the White House. Melody Barnes is the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, she works as an advisor in Washington DC. In the email she states: The state of the American education system today is unacceptable. (...) For the sake of the next generation, and America's economic future, this has to change. It is unbelievable that a senior White House advisor is using a 2008 talking point. This is what Obama was talking about in the race for the Presidency. It was all about "Change we can believe in", "Vote for Change" and more... How is it that change rhetorics are still in use by the White House, is it a sign that change will be the main theme in 2012? After two years in the White House, the Obama administration states that "Something Must Change". So, what happened during the past years? nothing changed? I think that the 2012 Obama campaign needs to change the creat...

The upcoming election campaigns in the States, are probably going into full mode next week, and the Republicans have launched their new campaign bus along with http://www.firenancypelosi.com/ A cool move by the GOP in energizing grassroots campaigners in every bus stop. So where is the bus now? well have a look: Also watch RNC Chairman, Michael Steele talking about the bus tour... you know it's ON! What are the democrats up to? well, they have launched a new http://www.democrats.org  website and re-branded with the new "D" logo. I find the new website much more clean than the old one, but maybe thats because they kept a lot of white space. Anyhow, you can learn more about the new democratic branding changes reading "Democrats, the Brand" Let me also comment on the vast number of email coming from " Organizing for America ", I definetly receive around one per day, maybe more. In the latest one today, the Obama campaign is offering "canvas...

Yesterday I saw these updates on facebook, they were identical, both from Barack Obama and the Democratic Party . They directed to a website, part of the 2010 get out the vote web campaign to " Add your name as a strong supporter of comprehensive energy and climate reform" I would argue that this can be quite excessive use of Internet campaigning from both these accounts to communicate one message. BUT that does not matter. Internet campaigns don't matter, raising money in running for office don't matter. Votes Matter. This is what Alvin Greene said, the 2010 Democratic Nominee for Senate in South Carolina. Alvin Greene is an unemployed Army veteran who had been completely unknown until becoming the state’s Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. Who can disagree with "Votes Matter". Alvin does not have a website and does not have any presence on social media. So, Who’s Alvin Greene? Alvin is running against Jim DeMint, a United States...

The above photo is one from a series of photos posted recently by the official White House twitter account on Twitpic . As you can see, it is a shaky picture, with the finger of the White House new media staffer showing on the left part of the photo.  There are some really interesting comments below the photos: is this the best picture our tax money can buy? The staff of the most powerful man in the world should really get a decent camera. its awesome some1s doin this who cares if its from a cell phone? keep doin what ur doin we love the pics!! I cant believe it! The @whithouse is tweeting photos! Great! Greetings from Germany Kidding aside, I do believe that whoever is responsible for the whitehouse twitter account needs to be more careful in uploading proper quality photos, and photos that do not show the fingers of the person taking them. Really amateur multimedia uploads from the White House media team; something that can be excused in a low budget election campaign, but not...

In a recent event at the  Progressive Book Club ,  David Plouffe explains that campaigns matter. It is very interesting to hear that "voter anger" is such a powerful thing to tap into when running a political campaign.  I beleive that this will be a crucial theme with  Tea Parties  gaining more and more momentum and the upcoming Mid-Term election at the end of 2010. It is always good to hear a senior Barack Obama advisor talking politics, and giving insights into the political arguments that the Democrats will use, if healthcare legislation is passed... David Plouffe's new book: The Audacity to Win , is a must read for any person interested in political communications and campaign politics. Watch the Q&A discussion hosted by the GWU Graduate School of Political Management.

The Presidential Citizens Medal recognizes Americans who have performed exemplary for their country or their fellow citizens. This year President Obama is inviting citizens to nominate candidates. The White House website asks: who has inspired you? Who's selfless dedication to service has touched your life or the lives of others? See the Full Criteria for Nomination . Watch the video message After the recent Senate election, Scott Brown  can deserve a Republican citizen medal as the new Republican Senator from Massachusetts! He has managed to shock the Democrats and succeed Senator Kennedy, in a seat held by a Democrat since 1952. It is truly remarkable that he won on the day Pres Obama was sworn in a year ago. Scott Brown won the election on the issue of healthcare. As he writes : I believe that all Americans deserve health care coverage, but I am opposed to the health care legislation that is under consideration in Congress and will vote against it. It might have been a sing...

Sarah Palin has come a long way in U.S. politics, from being mayor of a small city in Alaska to becoming Governor and then VP candidate for the Republicans in the 2008 election. Since resigning her post as Governor, Sarah Palin published her book " Going Rogue: An American Life " and has been very active in her media exposure. She is now part of the Fox News channel as a contributor . As is another former Republican Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee . It seems that Fox News is gathering the Republicans on TV, have a look at the ongoing twitter debate . Having searched a bit more on her Internet presence; it is really unique,  she uses her facebook page as the primary information outlet, along with her twitter account . The SarahPAC website is a very simple donate site, without any news or any other links to... nothing really. Sarah Palin is utilising her facebook supporters, having raised a huge fan base during the 2008 campaign. When she writes a commentary note on h...

The Republicans have really started to go after Pres Obama on the jobs front, unemployment in the US is 9.5% now ; and there are studies that show that unemployment will approach 10% in 2010, see the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs . The first video is from the House Republican Conference and asks: Where are the jobs? I also came across this clip by House Republican Leader John Boehner . In the video job-sniffing bloodhounds follow the stimulus money trail across the nation in search of the millions of jobs from the Obama Administration. This is a lighthearted web video, but the underlying point is no laughing matter, Boehner said. It reminded me of the Southpark episode of Goobacks , where the "Republicans" complained "dey turk errr jeobs!" . Although some have expressed their concerns on the Shortcomings of the Stimulus Plan , Republicans need to understand that this is a long-term plan to save and create more than 3.5 million jo...