Well the official announcements have been poring in steadily over the last two weeks. It is early in the process but taking a look at the Democrats communications strategies could prove informative. First to bat, on DebatablePolitics.com, will be Hillary Clinton. She is leading the polls so it is as good a time as any to look at what it seems she is going to do this campaign.
All candidates will have to implement a multi fazed communications plan. This campaign will run for more than a year, so their communications will have to change focus throughout to keep a fresh face on their campaign.
Hillary, however, seems to be opening what will likely be the most intricate strategy. Her opening weekend "I'm in it to win it!" plug is over, in fact her campaign dropped it, by plan I bet, the Monday afterward. Now she is into the first real phase of her strategy.
Let the Conversation Begin...
It is a pretty sound theme, that catches attention better than the pundits are giving it credit for. It conjures up some sort of race, ladies and gentleman start your engines...
This phase is designed to really make the voter feel like they are part of the process. She will try and create the perception that she has not chosen all of the issues she is going to run on, she wants our view on what is important to us. While this may seem a bit hokey to some hardened political hacks, it could pay huge dividends if she can pull it off in connection with the next steps they will likely roll out.
As an entire package her communication strategy likely looks something like this:
Let the Conversation Begin.
This is what you the voter told me is important.
This is what I am going to do about it.
Here is OUR vision for the nation.
Final overall slogan/theme, the final push.
The big risk she runs with this strategy, of course, is that her opponents will came out of the gate hard. With the massive field in play this year their primary objective will be to define Hillary in their own terms. The process she is engaged in will not allow her that sort of clarity early on, and if she strays to far away from it she loses the strategies principle strength.
That type vof plans principle strength is that, if successful, her supporters will really feel like they were part of shaping her campaign and policy views. If she can pull that off then she will have a significantly energized core of voters going into the general election. Your best volunteers are the ones that feel engaged in the process. That would be a powerful advantage for the general election.
In order for this to work she must be able to keep her opponents at arms length from her. She can not afford to let them define her position on any issue for her. Another problem she confronts is the current label being stuck on her, politically cautious. It is funny to me that anyone bold enough to run for President of the most powerful nation of the world is considered cautious, but that is the image right now. For this strategy to work she must live with that for now. It is something she will have to escape from by primary time though.
If she can manage that and she ends up with the nomination she will be a formidable foe for the Republican candidate in 08.
High Risk/Big Reward.
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