Arnold's unconventional media strategy explained - avoid hard questions

[Democat]

The biggest loser in California's recall election may not be ousted Gov. Gray Davis. It may be the traditional news media. Newly elected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger often didn't rely on such outlets to reach voters like traditional politicians.

Instead, the star of three Terminator films turned to Tonight show host Jay Leno, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, shock radio jock Howard Stern and entertainment news shows such as Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight to spread his message.

"Things were very controlled . . . he preferred to use unconventional outlets . . . you might call them softer, less challenging outlets," said Jeff Greenfield, a senior analyst for CNN and contributor to the news channel's show Inside Politics.

"The traditional way of doing things had become so discredited . . . the unconventionality of Schwarzenegger made it okay," he added.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/09/Columns/News_media_lost_the_m.shtml

The media is biased to the right, but the right wing is sometimes smarter when it comes to media strategy.

Our Democratic presidential candidates need to hire media consultants who understand how to work the media better than we have done in the past if we want any chance to win in 2004.

[Brian Sweat]

1. That is the same strategy that President Schleprock used.

[Democat]

2. While our guys debate on Fox news

While the Republicans are willing to have a strategy and stick to it, it seems like the Democrats just do whatever comes along.

Why do the Democrats agree to work with anyone in the media who is extremely unfriendly to Democrats?

I understand that everyone in the media is more friendly to Republicans than Democrats, but our party is going to have to start drawing some lines and sticking to some kind of strategy.

As long as we allow the far right media to make the rules and beat us up, they will keep doing it.

If Bush and Arnold have a strategy, why don't our guys seem to have one?

[w4rma]

4. Our guys do have a strategy

But our guys have practically no support in big media to help pull it off so the strategy tends to be to use any outlet we can, as often as possible. At least that's been Gov. Dean's strategy. And other candidates are getting better at using the Dean strategy.

[ibegurpard]

3. Yeah, really. Anyone who didn't see that is pretty clueless.

n/t