Political Realm

Web Grades: Illinois Senate

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:08:00 +0000

Today, we examined campaign websites from the Illinois Senate contest pitting Democratic Senator Dick Durbin against Republican challenger Steve Sauerberg. Remember that with these web grades we are not reviewing the candidates or their political positions, but rather their web outreach. Let us know what you think. How would you have graded them? And don't forget to check out our previous web grades as well.

Dick Durbin (dickdurbin.com)
Visitors are greeted with yet another splash page when surfing to Dick Durbin's site. After bypassing that annoying feature, viewers find a site with a modern look, an easy to use layout, and a color scheme that is pleasant and not the standard red, white, and blue. The home page has a rotating banner with various headlines, as well as links to the latest news, videos, and the candidate's platform.

The biography section is broken into three different parts, though none of them contain a wealth of information and they could easily be combined. A Working For You page, which should probably be folded into the biography section, doesn't have much information either and it's probably not a good thing to suggest Durbin's accomplishments can be summed up in just three sentences. The issues section is better, though a bit broad, providing information on seven different topics. Reading this section, however, I get the sense that the site hasn't seen a major upgrade since Durbin's last run in 2002. There are numerous references to the September 11th attacks and living in a "post-September 11th world," which seem a little dated today.

Relevant media stories are found in the news section and the site has an extensive archive dating back several years (there's even a 2005 petition urging Barack Obama to run for president), though the campaign hasn't posted any press releases online. Users will find a video and photo gallery in the multimedia section, though neither is very extensive or up to date. The photo gallery has 35 pictures, though none are from 2008. There are eight mostly pre-2008 videos online, but the site doesn't link its own YouTube account (which only has three videos available). Other outreach is very limited. There are the usual links to contribute, volunteer, and join the email list, but opportunities to interact with the campaign aren't otherwise available. There is no blog. No campaign schedule is posted. The site doesn't have any links to networking outlets either.

Finding Durbin's campaign site should be relatively easy for anyone with sense of the internets. "DickDubrin.com" is easy enough to remember and the site was a top return for most web searches. The campaign has even purchased sponsored links for relevant search topics on Google.

Grade: B-
The site has a professional look, but some of the content needs to be updated. More opportunities for user interaction need to be integrated into the site as well.

Steve Sauerberg (sauerberg2008.com)
As with the Durbin site, visitors find a splash page upon arrival (join the email list? no thank you). Especially above the fold, the Sauerberg home page is very bland (is the huge campaign logo that takes up one-third of the screen really needed?). It's easy to find your way around the site, but the design is somewhat dated and there a few technical issues that need to be addressed. First, the text for visited links turns white, making them impossible to notice against a white background. Second, when on the issues page, the first three links on the across the main bar do not work.

Sauerberg's biography page does include several photos of the candidate and his family, but the biography itself could include more information. The issues section covers eight topics and while some have more detail, most are summarized in just a few points. The campaign has integrated a donation form into each topic page as well, though it's well below the fold and may be overlooked by most visitors.

The news section features an extensive archive of media coverage and campaign releases, though it would be nice if the campaign were to distinguish them under separate headings. There is also a heading for upcoming events, though nothing was posted as of this visit. The multimedia page contains eight videos, oddly enough including a recent Budweiser ad thanking US troops for their service. Visitors can also click over to the campaign's YouTube page, though it isn't very active--only one videos has been posted in the past five months. There are a few photos located throughout the site, but there is no central photo gallery and the campaign's Flickr account has just two images online. Other networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) are linked at the bottom of every page and the standard opportunities to donate, volunteer, and sign-up are also available. The lack of a campaign blog, however, is a disappointment.

Locating the site via web search was no problem--it was a top return for all the searches I tried. I'm not sure why the campaign opted against going with "stevesauerberg.com," but other domains (sauerbergforsenate.com and sauerbergforussenate.com) do redirect to the site.

Grade: C+
Sauerberg's site isn't significantly better or worse than Durbin's, but a stale design and a few technical glitches earn the challenger a slightly lower grade.

Ad Wars: "Juicy Porn"

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:08:00 +0000

Check out our entire video library at Political Realm TV.

Gubernatorial Watch: Washington
Following a series of attack ads from outside groups on both sides, Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire is the first candidate to go on the air with an ad of her own. "The News" is a 30-second offering that touts Gregoire's work to create jobs and foster economic growth in the state.

Senate Watch: Alaska
Democrat Mark Begich is out with a great new ad that focuses on corruption in Washington. Without mentioning his opponent by name, Begich manages to keep the attention squarely on the ethics investigation into incumbent Ted Stevens.

Senate Watch: Kansas
Democrat Jim Slattery is out with his third new ad this week, "Gas Pump." The spot hits Republican Senator Pat Roberts for accepting donations for the big oil, while supporting tax breaks for oil companies.

Senate Watch: Minnesota
Republican Norm Coleman goes on the offensive and doesn't hold back in his latest spot, "Why Not?" The spot returns to the bowling alley setting used in Coleman's most recent effort (and in a Franken response video), this time with the bowlers running through a litany of problems that have plagued Franken's campaign of late, some of them rather exaggerated--"Not paying taxes. Going without insurance for his employees. Foul mouthed attacks on anyone he disagrees with. Tasteless, sexist jokes. Writing all that juicy porn." The ad goes on to question Franken's qualifications, adding, "We've decided we're running for US Senate. Why not? We're just as qualified as Al Franken and we're better bowlers." It's a devastating hit that will continue to keep the focus on Coleman's opponent and off the incumbent. Franken would be wise to begin running a television version of the web-only ad linked above to try and turn the focus back to Coleman, while highlighting their differences on the issues. If he can't do that, the Minnesota electorate hungry for change may find Al Franken simply unelectable.

Senate Watch: Oregon
Jeff Merkley's campaign hasn't aired an ad since its narrow primary win in May, but the candidate hasn't failed to get his message out. Merkley has appeared in three issues ads sponsored by the Oregon Democratic Party. Now national Democrats are jumping in to boost Merkley as well, responding to recent attacks from Republican Gordon Smith on taxes. "Long" is a 30-second spot that hits the incumbent for voting with President Bush on tax breaks for the wealthy. "In Oregon, Gordon Smith with say anything to get elected, but his record in Washington speaks for itself," the ad succinctly concludes.

This Week In fake News...

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:36:00 +0000

Around The Web

Quotable: Not The Comparison McCain Wants

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000

"This is like Britney Spears complaining that the hype around Miley Cyrus far exceeds her talent."

--ABC's Jake Tapper, on John McCain's complaints that the media favors Barack Obama.

Picture This: Bad Optics

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:36:00 +0000

While photo-ops with the former President Bush aren't nearly as bad as those with the current President Bush, the image of McCain riding around in a golf cart with another old man doesn't contrast well with shots of Obama touring Iraq with General Petraeus or meeting with the president of Afghanistan. McCain visited the former president's home in Kennebunkport, Maine, before appearing at a fundraiser with the elder Bush yesterday.

Ad Wars: Slattery Launches Ad Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Check out our entire video library at Political Realm TV, which now includes more than 500 videos.

Gubernatorial Watch: Washington
Evergreen Progress, which aired ads attacking Dino Rossi's legislative record several weeks ago, is back with two new ads hitting the Republican on education. "Teacher Pay" is a 15-second spot that notes Rossi voted to freeze teacher salaries. "No wonder it's hard to keep good teachers," one of the narrators concludes.

Another 15-second ad, "Overcrowding," hits Rossi for voting against funding to reduce class sizes.

Senate Watch: Kansas
Democrat Jim Slattery has put out his first two ads of the cycle. "Apollo" is a 30-second offering that ties Republican Senator Pat Roberts to the politics as usual in Washington.

"Young" has a similar message, suggesting Roberts is out of touch with the new problems facing the country after nearly 40 years in Washington.

Quotable: Mission Accomplished?

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:58:00 +0000

"We've succeeded. We're not succeeding--we've succeeded."

--John McCain, talking about the US mission in Iraq at a fundraiser today in Maine with former President George H. W. Bush.

The Links: Rejected

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Served fresh (almost) daily...

General Election Polling Average, McCain vs. Obama: Obama +4.7
Obama stops in Iraq and visits with al-Maliki and General Petraeus.
The NY Times has rejected a McCain op-ed, though the paper sees it differently.
James Dobson, reversing previous signals, may now endorse McCain.
Phil Gramm has resigned from the McCain campaign.
Lowry and Ponnuru advise McCain to avoid the mistakes that doomed Clinton.
Al Gore made a surprise visit to Netroots Nation. Bob Barr too.
The Washington GOP is the latest to hit Michelle Obama.
Chris Cillizza offers his latest Senate line.
The Times looks at McCain's rise to become a power player in Congress.
The Bush Administration continues to meddle with Obama's trip abroad.
Politico profiles the top surrogates for both campaigns.
An apparent terrorist attack in China kills two people.
Rival political leaders in Zimbabwe have reached a power sharing agreement.
McCain visits Conan O'Brien.
'Dark Knight' sets records at the weekend box office.
Monday Tunes: Two Step
This day in history: teacher John Scopes was found guilty of teaching evolution in Tennessee in 1925.

Picture This: Obama In Iraq

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:45:00 +0000

Barack Obama's trip abroad has reached Iraq, where he met with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and General David Petraeus.

Ad Wars: McCain Hits Obama On Gas Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:07:00 +0000

Check out our entire video library at Political Realm TV, which now includes more than 500 videos.

Presidential Watch
John McCain is hitting Barack Obama again, this time focusing on rising gas prices. "Pump" is a 30-second spot that will air in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, the Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin markets, as well as on national cable. Blaming Obama for the rising gas costs seems a little foolish, given that Republicans have controlled the White House for the past eight years and had majorities in Congress for much of that time.

A new conservative group, Let Freedom Ring, is also hitting Obama in a new ad, though the extent of their buy is currently unknown. The ad suggests Obama is "worse than a flip-flopper," holding two positions on issues at the same time--"both ways Barack." For an attack ad, it's rather light-hearted, though I'm not sure how many voters are really going to see this ad or be affected by its rather weak message (flip-flopping is so 2004).

Yet another conservative group, Citizens United (the folks behind Hillary: The Movie and several recent attack ads on Obama as well), is airing a new ad on Fox News promoting their upcoming film about Obama. 'Hype: The Obama Effect' is feature length "documentary" that will probably tie Obama to the Hindenburg disaster and the Lindbergh kidnapping among other charges.

Senate Watch: Minnesota
"The More You Know" is the latest offering from Al Franken. The ad is the strongest effort to date from the Democrat to tie Senator Norm Coleman to President Bush, painting the incumbent as a pawn of the Washington special interests and supporting tax cuts for the rich. Airing this type of negative ad is exactly what Franken needs to do to put the spotlight back on his opponent and right his own struggling campaign.

Senate Watch: Oklahoma
Democratic challenger Andrew Rice has released the first ad in the Oklahoma Senate contest. "A New Leader" is an effective 30-second spot that introduces the first term state senator to the state's voters and hits Republican Jim Inhofe for spending 22 years in Washington and having "lost his way."

Cartoon Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:21:00 +0000

Borrowed from here, here, and here.

Picture This: Obama Abroad

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Democratic nominee Barack Obama launched a high profile trip overseas this weekend, stopping first in Afghanistan where he met President Hamid Karzai and talked with US troops stationed there. Obama, accompanied by Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel and Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed, also plans stops in Iraq, Israel, and Europe on his week-long tour.

Ad Wars: Going Negative

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:49:00 +0000

Check out our entire video library at Political Realm TV, which now includes more than 500 videos.

Presidential Watch
John McCain has sharpened his attacks on Barack Obama in a new ad, "Troop Funding," that will air in 11 battleground states across the country. The ad is the first truly negative spot of the general election cycle, hitting Barack Obama on a number of fronts--flip-flopping, failing to support the troops, and an underlying question of patriotism among them. The Obama campaign responded, "While Barack Obama wants to change American foreign policy to wind down the war in Iraq and address the grave threat posed by a resurgent Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan, John McCain offers this patently misleading negative ad. Given his calls for a civil campaign, it's disappointing that Sen. McCain has slipped so easily into the same, tired campaign tactics that have become so familiar to the American people."

Gubernatorial Watch: Delaware
Democrat Jack Markell has released another new ad, "Book," which touts the candidates ideas for change.

Gubernatorial Watch: Missouri
Republican Kenny Hulshof's latest offering, "Strong," again goes after rival Sarah Steelman on ethanol. Hulshof suggests Steelman's ethanol plan would actually increase fuel costs in the state.

Senate Watch: Kentucky
Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell goes after his Democratic challenger, Bruce Lunsford, in his latest ad, "Gas Tax TV." The spot hits Lunsford for apparently seeking to increase gas taxes, though some of the claims are fairly misleading.

Senate Watch: Mississippi
The DSCC has launched a new ad on behalf of Ronnie Musgrove, "Common Sense," which touts his fiscal responsibility as governor. Musgrove's opponent, Roger Wicker, has been advertising for weeks with a series of introductory spots focusing on his work following Hurricane Katrina.

Senate Watch: Oregon
The Oregon Democrats have released a third ad in as many weeks, again featuring their Senate nominee Jeff Merkley, who touts his work for the middle class in "Burden." Merkley's opponent, Republican Senator Gordon Smith, has suggested the ads violate campaign finance rules.

Gordon Smith has responded by releasing his second new ad this hitting Merkley on taxes. The latest spot, "Every Night," uses a Merkley quote from a primary debate this spring against him. Merkley's campaign has released the full debate quote in a video response.

The Links: "Time Horizon"

noreply@blogger.com (Political Realm) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Served fresh (almost) daily...

General Election Polling Average, McCain vs. Obama: Obama +4.1
The US and Iraq set goals for troop withdrawal--a "general time horizon."
Obama raised $52 million in June and the two sides are nearly even.
McCain isn't sure if Obama is a socialist or not.
Michael Crowley profiles McCain speechwriter Mark Salter.
The Rocky Mountain News looks at the planned protests in Denver.
Obama hits conservatives who have attacked his wife.
Another new poll shows a sizable enthusiasm gap.
Michael Barone discusses the new map for 2008.
Everything about this story is ridiculous.
The DNC has set up an independent operation to launch ads for Obama.
McCain's camp says Obama would rather lose in Iraq than lose the election.
Rhodes Cook looks at the changing demographics for 2008.
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomes Clinton back to New York.
Obama's camp is forced to distance itself from former Senator Max Cleland.
Chris Cillizza offers his latest veepstakes line.
The Obama camp offers more detail about the coming trip abroad.
Al Gore ends speculation that he might join the Democratic ticket.
An Obama office in Wisconsin was vandalized.
Al Gore challenges the country to get off electricity from fossil fuels in ten years.
Ben Smith profiles McCain's sense of humor and the trouble it gets him in.
Netroots Nation has begun. Kos sees the power of web activists growing.
Everyone is obsessing over this JibJab cartoon. It's mildly funny.
This day in history: former South African President Nelson Mandela was born in 1918.