Political Campaign Analysis

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Political Campaign Analysis

Advertently, political science analyses of presidential campaigns do consider the role of political propaganda in presidential campaigns. Mostly, such propaganda get produced by one presidential candidate or their teams with the aim of discrediting other candidates and the most common forms appear as video commercials. Commonly, they highlight wrongs other candidates did, their weaknesses, wrong personalities, and other reasons why they are unfit to become presidents.

The first video film of such kind is one produced by President Barack Obama’s campaign team against Mitt Romney in 2012. It opens with a commentary from President Obama, introducing himself and establishing that he is to prove the various wrongs Mitt Romney has done to America. The accusations include shipping firm jobs to Mexico and China in business, outsourcing of jobs to India while in the position of Governor, securing tax havens, and storing large amounts of money in Swiss bank accounts.

On a bare ground, this video looks effective in its propagandist strategy. The first point to note is the fact that most of the claims are backed with considerably credible sources of information. Such include the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, ABC News, and Vanity Fair. Ann addition to this is the fact that Romney’s speeches are also inserted in between each claim to the effect of the claim. However, it is worth noting that the authentications given for the sources may contain more information. Such is concealed. Furthermore, the commentaries from Mitt may not authenticate his relation to the claims. In some, he simply says “…America…” which may even mean nothing. This is the hallmark of propaganda.

Another video commercial of the same type is from the 2000 Bush VS. Gore campaign and is titled “Successful Leader (Bush 200). As opposed to the first, it seeks to give the candidate mentioned credit. With a mix of narrator and text appearances, the video says through a narrator and then shows in texts: How President Bush signed tax cuts, reduced government spending, improved schools, improved cases of lawsuits, and is compassionate.

Though very effective, no evidence other than flashing images of Bush in functions is presented. In a way, the commercial presents Bush as a good leader and an achiever who is the best for America. Although it does not discredit the opponent, it can sway voters in pursuit of the mentioned goods and successes.