One major change in the way elections are campaigned is the way presidential hopefuls have taken advantage of the Internet.
Unfortunately, politicians are not using this valuable new media tool responsibly, choosing to use it for frivolous entertainment and an opportunity to dodge the real issues.
Hillary Clinton announced her intent to run for president over the Internet, which is OK, but when she began the contest for people to choose her campaign theme song, it crossed over a dangerous line between responsible use of a new medium and pandering to the lowest common denominator to generate buzz.
Why does it matter what Hillary Clinton’s theme song is?
Unless it’s John Ashcroft’s horrible rendition of “Let the Eagle Soar,” I don’t really care.
The YouTube phenomenon “I Got A Crush On Obama,” written by a Temple University student and an advertising executive and lip-sung on the video by model Amber Lee Ettinger, popularly known as the “Obama girl,” is a callous attempt by Madison Avenue corporate sharecroppers to associate presidential candidate Barack Obama to men with a scantily-clad, large-breasted young woman.
The most ridiculous example of Web campaigning would likely come from third-tier candidate Mike Gravel.
In his Internet ad, he stares at the camera broodingly for more than a minute saying nothing. Then, he turns his back toward the camera, grabs a rock, throws it into a river and walks away.
Avant-garde? Perhaps, but this ad tells me nothing about his political platform.
Voters aren’t stupid. I don’t want to be infantilized or talked down to by a bunch of stuffy suits and ties that make more money from my taxes in a year than I will likely see in my entire life.
Politicians aren’t entertainers. If I want to be entertained, I’ll watch an otter balance a beach ball on the tip of its nose at Sea World. All I want from politicians is for them to explain what their stances on the issues are.
Eventually, people will tire of the Internet dog-and-pony shows and throw these politicians in the doghouse.