Political Campaigns Evolve from Whistle Stops to Electronic Gadgets
More than 150 years ago, the popular way for American politicians to get in touch with citizens and win votes was to go on a “whistle stop” train ride. It was an efficient way for a candidate to meet a multitude of people. As the train crossed the country on its established path, the candidate proudly waved to the crowd from the deck of the caboose.
William Henry Harrison was reportedly the first candidate for President of the United States to campaign by train, in 1840. In 2009, newly-elected U.S. President Barack Obama adopted the quaint tradition and rode a train to Washington for his inauguration.
In today’s digital age, a popular and efficient way to campaign is electric-powered gadgets: Cell phones, smartphones, the Internet and GPS tracking devices.
A politician in Maharashtra, India, National Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar, is heavily relying on GPS tracking technology for his re-election campaign. Some politicians resist being tracked by vehicle tracking systems out of concern someone might misuse it to interfere in their personal lives. Pawar says he embraces GPS tracking because it keeps him accessible to his staff and constituents.
In India the citizenry’s interest in politics is fleeting and their time is a commodity, said the politician’s campaign manager Prakash Binsale. Campaign stops are very tightly-organized events. GPS tracking helps supporters: track where their candidate is at any given moment, calculate when he will arrive at a venue and make the necessary preparations.
At the end of each day, Pawar staffers download the day’s travel history from the GPS tracking device. The tracking system records time and date, miles traveled, speed driven, direction and the location and duration of stops. Those planning Pawar’s itinerary can see from the GPS tracking report where the schedule can be tightened, so more stops can be added and more potential voters are reached.
Of course GPS tracking is only used in the Pawar campaign for internal communications. Manager Binsale explained that if the general public has access to the exact location of the candidate at any time, it would create a huge security risk.
“There are always those who will look on a candidate with ill intent,” he said of keeping the GPS tracking information confidential.
Most candidates for elected office, whether in India, the U.S. or anywhere else, are using the magic of wireless communications and the Internet to deliver their platforms and post their schedules. GPS tracking is a long way from the whistle stop meet-and greet. Cell phones, Web sites, SMS, email, Twitter and other social networking sites are the new way to communicate, whether that be with your BFF or the next leader of the Free World.
Following are some common examples of electronic campaign communication strategies:
· A personal Website for the candidate with a feedback or live chat function.
· Mass email to a phonebook of supporters, informing them of upcoming appearances.
· Posting video of debates, commercials and rallies on YouTube.
· Paid advertising on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.
A digital election is usually a campaign fought for the youth vote. It is young people who are entrenched in electronic communication. It is the 20- and 30-year-olds who would sooner text than meet a flesh-and-blood friend for coffee. They would use GPS tracking and Internet searches before they would ever ask for directions or open a phone book.
Can GPS tracking, YouTube, Facebook and all other forms of electronic gadgets and their applications ever substitute for a live presence, and watching political history in the making? Think of the historic 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington and more recently, the Obama election night speech in 2008 in Chicago’s Grant Park. The experience is not the same in photographs and pictures.
“At the end of 2009, we’re more digitally connected than ever before,” said online poster dawson1488 of current technology. “Does anyone crave real connections with people anymore?”
Source: The Business Standard
Tags: Campaigns, digital, gadgets, GPS Tracking, Political, Whistle
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