Many political experts predicted that the upcoming US presidential race will be different from previous elections. One of the factors that contributes to the uniqueness of the 2008 election is the growing involvement of new media especially the Internet.
The World-Wide-Web is a significant factor in the upcoming presidential race. And the candidates and their campaigns have recognize the opportunity that the web can offer. Nowadays, every candidate owns a website which is used to gather monetary support. The web also serves as a medium to advertise the candidates and the core message of their campaigns.
For example, Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, was able to harness the fund raising potential of the Internet. He was able to raise millions of dollars for his campaign via donations made on the web. His website used campaign ads and messages in the form of online videos to spread his message of change and to encourage people to contribute to his campaign. With the help of the money from online donations, Obama was able to upset Hillary Clinton and became the Democratic Nominee.
Of course, online political videos are not just used to gather funds for a candidate's campaign. These videos can also carry messages and ads that help voters make their choice. Candidates use online videos to tell voters about their plans on various political issues and problems. The supporters of these candidates also post their own political videos to support and gain more popularity for their candidates.
These videos can be also used to educate users and encourage them to participate actively in the election process. They can learn about the candidates and the progress of the election through the Internet and online political videos. The election is one way of educating people on the different issues that are going on in society. It also helps people to see the different sides and opinions on major issues as candidates would often takes different sides to a certain issue.
However, online videos can be a double edged sword for political campaigns. The careers of many politicians have been damaged by videos posted on the web. Most of these videos are posted by groups who want to destroy a candidate's reputation. These videos highlights a candidate's weaknesses and mistakes in the hope of discouraging voters from supporting a certain candidate.
The most damaging web videos are probably the “flip flop” videos. A politician who makes contradicting statements on major political issues such as abortion, social security or immigration is caught on video which then spreads like wild fire on the web. For instance, John McCain said on live TV that he will not allow the privatization of social security. However, political enthusiasts soon posted an older online video showing McCain saying that he is in favor of privatizing social security. These types of videos can wreck havoc on a candidates campaign since they can spread very quickly.
The 2008 presidential campaign has shown that the Internet and online videos can have an significant impact on the polls as well as on the results. A candidate who can harness this campaign tool can gather funds and supporters. These online political videos can also be used as weapons for attacking the campaigns of candidates. It's obvious that any politician who neglects to exploit this tool while have a severe handicap.
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