My Dad worked with Marshall McLuhan- wants to get a message to Obama campaign...how?

[mirrera]

I will post his letter here. I have never posted to DailyKos, and I thought one could post to HuffingtonPost. Can anyone advise?
Here is his letter:

for Barack Obama


Let me begin by stating that I am an Obama Supporter and don’t want him to lose but it can happen and here is why.

Some years ago I was member of Marshall McLuhan’s team - when he held the Schweitzer Chair at Fordham University This led to the opportunity to work with Tony Schwartz the great media genius (ie: the famous Daisy spot during the Johnson/Goldwater campaign). In discussing past campaigns - winners and losers - Tony thought that one of the most interesting was the Eisenhower/Adlai Stevenson race. We all know that Eisenhower won that one.

Eisenhower was considered a military leader - no great shakes intellectually, often stumbled when he spoke but nevertheless a rather independent thinker. As I recall the Democrats wanted him to run on their ticket.

Adlai Stevenson was a successful Governor or Illinois, brilliant and a gifted speaker.
His acceptance speech at the Democratic convention brought down the house and captured the hearts and minds of the media. It was so good that many if not most of his campaign spots consisted of clips taken directly from that speech. Eisenhower’s spots were, I thought, rather soft and simple. The result was that while Everyone loved Adlai they nevertheless “Liked Ike”

I thought back to this after hearing Barack’s electrifying acceptance speech - even Buchanan said it was the best speech he’d ever heard. This speech was so good that the temptation to use clips taken directly from the speech will be very strong. Don’t do it!
Here’s why.

Television is an involving medium invited to American living rooms. Each containing
a family of listeners (perhaps two to four people). The living room is not a stadium.
The close-ups of Stevensen’s brilliant speech came across as bellowing as opposed to Eisenhower’s rather quite spots. Note that McCain is often depicted speaking to small groups. Also, notice the similarity of our present candidates to the above. One is considered a war hero although rather stumbling and the other a first class intellectual.
One is considered “mister straight shooter nice guy” (even though he never hits anything) and the other is considered an elitist although he probably has more in common and has done more for “Joe Average”

So please consider Campaign spots that are conversations to a small family - which is what most of the country consists of. FDR in his fireside chats had the knack of sitting the public on his lap and discussing things such as “My friends let me tell you how corporations and banks work”. Perhaps, Barack might start by looking comfortably at the camera thanking us for inviting him into our living rooms and telling us all the things we should know. If any of the acceptance speech is included the entire stadium should be visibleso that we know he’s not yelling at us.

There are no Tony Shwartzs out there any more but I’m sure that there are some disciples willing to try. Just ask them and if they say no you say yes we can.

[eshfemme]

1. K&R

:kick:

[zeemike]

2. I will put this on the greatest page

Because is sounds like good advice to me.

[HamdenRice]

3. I was thinking about this during all the speeches

That while the DNC speeches were great, all political speech sounds a bit hectoring. In this age of modern amplification, hasn't any politicians decided to speak in a normal, conversational tone of voice when speaking to large groups, like many college professors have learned to do?

[tblue37]

4. I think most of Obama's campaign ads will feature

McCain's words more than Obama's. McCain has been sucking on his own foot approximately forever, and his own words are what will keep biting him on the ass.

[glitch]

5. Excellent advice. Why not go for a massive landslide? K & R nt

[Overseas]

6. The Obama ads I've seen are as you described -- quiet and personal.

I was just thinking that the speech was so great it should be used for ads.

But Obama has made many brilliant speeches and the campaign hasn't used them for ads much and now I know why.

[mirrera]

7. I reassured my dad also that Obama has been smart, but it is worth remembering.

I would like to get this to someone. Anyone know a staffer? It sure would make an 80 year old supporter feel good if they were at all approachable.