Internet expands political forum

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 22, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Candidates in local and statewide races this year have embraced the Internet as a way to get their messages past mainstream media and directly to potential voters.

In the 6th U.S. Congressional District and in the statewide U.S. Senate race, candidate biographies and positions on issues are laid out on their campaign Web sites. Their television advertisements and speeches are posted on the online video site YouTube.

Both races will be decided on Nov. 4.

Leonardo Alcivar, the communications director for Republican senate candidate John Kennedy, said: “It’s important to use technology to maximize the power of your message and to amplify the power of your message above and beyond the traditional mainstream media filter.”

Scott Schneider, the communications director for Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, said while television and print media are still the most prominent means for people to get their news, e-mail provides the most rapid form of response for campaigns.

“When you can do it immediately, I think it’s persuasive,” Schneider said.

During the televised forums between Landrieu and Kennedy, reporters and supporters were peppered with e-mails from both sides questioning the veracity of the opposing candidate and supplementing the statements of their candidate.

Alcivar said the Kennedy campaign was trying to reach people who may not be watching the debate to provide background for the comments made on both sides and debunk any false statements from the opposition.

The three 6th District candidates — incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads; state Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge; and state Rep. Michael Jackson, No Party-Baton Rouge — have kept their messages mainly to the mainstream television, radio and print media.

All three candidates have a presence on one or both of the more popular social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook, though their supporter groups are relatively small. They also use e-mails and YouTube, to reach supporters and potential voters.

“If I sent out a press release, it’s not likely to get picked up, so the message doesn’t go anywhere,” said Cassidy’s campaign manager Chris Ingram. “But if I send out an e-mail to supporters and they send it to their friends, the message gets out.”

Campaigns also know “blogs,” a weblog or online journal, have the power to persuade the mainstream media to focus on an issue or topic of discussion.

“A top billing on the Drudge Report will cause a frenzy that starts in the blogosphere and makes it hard for the mainstream media to ignore,” said Alcivar, mentioning the nationally known blog.