Conservative
Type 40
interesting take on two competing campaigns.
President Obama's complex campaign message poses a challenge - latimes.com
President Obama's complex campaign message poses a challenge - latimes.com
Wai a second... Obama is whining because someone is using his tactic? Blaming the other guy? Really?The slogans of both campaigns are simple: "Putting Jobs First" for Mitt Romney, "Forward" for President Obama.
But when it comes to the core message that each candidate is trying to get across in TV ads and campaign appearances, Romney has boiled it down to a simple argument. Obama has not.
As the president himself readily acknowledges, the simplicity of his Republican challenger's case lends itself to easy persuasion.
Romney, Obama told campaign donors last week in Beverly Hills, reminds voters constantly of their unhappiness with the stalled economy. "That's the essence of their campaign," he said. "It's very easy to put on a bumper sticker: 'It's Obama's Fault.' "
It is no easy feat for a president to craft a compelling argument for a second term in tough economic times, as Jimmy Carter andGeorge H.W. Bush can attest.
Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton each showed how a challenger can shape a clear message calling upon voters to oust a president who has failed to turn around an ailing economy.
A built-in advantage for Romney, he said, is voter anger over high unemployment. "All he has to do is tie Obama to the discontent," Sipple said. "He has a much simpler task."
Obama's counter-argument is layered with nuance and complexity.
Either way, Green said, both sides have good reason to strive for simplicity. "The electorate tends to respond to clear messages," he said. "And the electorate generally doesn't do as well in interpreting nuance."