What my campaign did this summer.

T-minus 51 days and counting and it looks like Hope on the ropes. I felt like doing a summer report card on some of the major areas of the campaign dysfunction. (Jetpacks decided to revisit his political side because the campaign was getting less and less about advertising. I actually think you can take something away from this mess though from an advertising POV.)

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Strategy. You wouldn’t recommend a brand change it’s message, yet both candidates have done just that. It’s working for McCain as the new ‘candidate of change’ while Obama has gotten away from Hope slightly. The surge has worked for McCain more than it has for Obama.

McCain: B+
Obama: C+

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Specific message. Give the GOP credit. Predictable, yet effective. They are war heros—Dems are not. You will be made to feel less like a man because Sarah hunts bears with her teeth—and you don’t. Women, children and the feeble? Dems can’t protect you, but the GOP can.

Give Obama even less credit for not being more direct in this regard. If it’s possible, he draws a point out longer than I do. When O’Reilly asked him recently if the U.S. would consider a military option against Iran, he should’ve said yes. Done.

In that setting with an audience clearly against you, this may not win converts, but it wins points. Instead, he did what it always seems like he’s trying to do: Challenge the premise of a question by trying to reframe it. Which is fine, but answer first. Explain after if you don’t like the way it was asked.

And more cred to McCain for distancing himself from being Bush’s third term by saying as much, even though Obama has an opening there to attack McCain’s oh-so-similar policies.

McCain: A-
Obama: C

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A different kind of politics? Eh, nope. Looks like the hockey GILF has Obama’s jersey pulled over his head while both her and coach throw a few uppercuts. Questions about community service, senatorial experience, ads that quote sources that actually never were, um, sources, and the fear card.

Obama can’t argue the executive experience point because technically, he loses there. He can’t jump on a bookburning bandwagon either because there isn’t one—she never banned any. (She asked a librarian if she would have a problem banning books if requested to.) Still, that’s an important point glossed over by McCain’s side: Spin it all you want, but who thinks to even ask that question unless you have something in mind.

All he can do is go after her for lying about knowing what her people were up to in Troopergate. Obama also vowed a new kind of politics but chose Washington insider Biden.

Which also goes back to strategy. McCain gets extra credit here for turning his homework in on time: The choice of Palin took the focus off McCain and put Obama on the ropes in a defensive mode debating some of those issues above. Someone needs to remind him it’s McCain vs. Obama, not Palin vs. Obama. Likewise, Obama could get around mentioning her specifically and instead attack her views in the context of McCain being just more of the same Bush-type policiess.

(This class was taken pass/fail.)

McCain: Fail
Obama: Fail

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Use of traditional and digital media.

TV. Both sides have been cautious on which shows they appear. At this point before the upcoming debates, both are playing prevent but the media is barking and won’t shut up. The media supporting both sides claim the other is getting treated with kid gloves. Yeah, I could see how they’d think that. For every polite Chris Wallace vid with McCain, there’s an Obama and Oprah. Then I’ll see your Gibson/Palin and raise you an O’Reilly/Obama.

The only true source to keep things fair and balanced was Tim Russert.

McCain: C
Obama: C

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Radio. Quite simply, McCain rules here—without spending one dime because afternoon drive does his work for him. Radio doesn’t need an internet connection. It’s been on a long time, convincing a lot of people in key states that they’re not safe from terrorists. McCain benefits from this traditional form of social media. Each afternoon, host and listener gather from 12-8 pm—straight.

Compare that to Obama’s audience who will be on MyTwitterSpaceBook all at once, maybe interacting with other users but not hearing a clear, strong message beyond ‘Bush sucks!’

In both cases though, it’s still both sides preaching to respective choirs.

McCain: A+
Obama: D

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Internets. Obama has used as many channels online to appeal to both new and undecided voters while McCain’s approach has been to use the same tools to cement his base. Damn if both aren’t quick to update right after a national disaster. The RNC even tied their convention in with a telethon to aid Katrina and Gustav victims, and now, McCain and Obama take on Ike. Score!

McCain: B+
Obama: A