November 7, 2012
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Local politicians avoid email, phone advertising, prefer soliciting in person BY HABIBEH SYED & BEN COOPER
the voter is more likely to listen to messages and read emails from Staff Reporter & the candidate. Student Affairs News Editor According to Schwartz, political nominees usually contact While President Barack people who have registered for Obama and Republican Presidential the party. Since anyone can find Nominee Mitt Romney relied on registered voters information email and telephone advertising in most states, it is easier to to attract voters, local politicians get a hold of voters’ personal in Delaware used face-to-face contact information than noninteractions to improve their registered voters. chances of winning. University alumna Jennifer Democratic Nominee for Muzzi, who graduated last spring, Delaware State Senator Paul said over the past few years she Baumbach said national nominees has received emails from Obama’s can access large databases campaign. She said she gets them containing email addresses and at least once a week and usually phone numbers. However, he said ignores them. The emails do not his campaign staff does not email bother her as much as the phone voters due to the difficulty in calls she has received. finding such information. Muzzi said she is registered as He said sending mass emails is an Independent voter and recently also ineffective because he cannot received a phone call from a local cater the email message to each Democratic campaign asking her individual voter. Politicians can to complete a survey. pay for services that claim to have “The only thing that bothers phone number and email lists, me is how did these guys get my according to Baumbach, but his phone number because I have a campaign staff does not use them. cell phone,” Muzzi said. He said he does not think She said the phone calls do not making recorded phone calls is bother her though if a real person an effective way to get voters’ speaks on the other line. support either. He Freshman uses other means C a r o l o u of the Internet and Schlegel social media such said she does as his campaign not receive website, Facebook emails from and Twitter. politicians “I don’t but receives think you end multiple phone up convincing calls whenever too many people an election is with Facebook,” near. She said Baumbach said. most calls “But you can she receives keep people are friendly, charged up to r e c o r d e d continue helping.” messages J o s e p h urging her to Schwartz, a vote for the political science candidate, p r o f e s s o r but she is not at Temple -Joseph Schwartz, always happy University, said them. political science to hear emails and phone “ W h e n contact is only professor at y o u ’ r e useful if a voter doing Temple University busy has shown interest something in the campaign. and the phone Schwartz is constantly said emailing voters requires less ringing, it’s really distracting,” people and time than phoning Schlegel said. voters does but it still does not Delaware State Senate serve as an effective approach. Nominee Bryan Townsend said he Many people easily ignore and also knows of services that offer eventually delete the emails, personal information of the voter, he said. but recorded phone messages and “A lot of political organizations mass email advertising do not believe that personal door-to-door interest him. contact with voters if possible is Townsend said he won the most effective,” Schwartz said. State Senate primary election by Baumbach said because voters knocking on doors and meeting can ignore unrecognized phone with voters in person. calls they see on their caller IDs, “I just think that that goes he relies primarily on traveling to show that, yeah, you can have from door-to-door to speak with all this advanced technology voters in person. but nothing beats face-to-face Once the candidate and the communication with a voter,” voter have met, Baumbach said Townsend said.
“A lot of political organizations believe that personal doorto-door contact with voters if possible is most effective”
Students agreed that celebrities use their power to influence uninformed voters.
Courtesy of usmagazine.com
Celebrities endorse candidates BY CHRISTIE GIDUMAL Staff Reporter
From actor Clint Eastwood to singer Bruce Springsteen, celebrities are getting involved in the current election. Political science and international relations professor James Magee said he understands the reason behind celebrity political participation. “Because they are celebrities they make a difference,” Magee said. They have money, they have a voice, and they have an audience. They have instantaneous recognition. By virtue of the fact that they are very, very wellknown people, well-known to the public, they have influence.” Junior Maggie Stohler said she thinks fame gives celebrities the power to influence important issues. “They think they have the voice that regular people don’t, so they want to use it,” Stohler said. Junior Debbie Zandi said she believes celebrities’ impact on the election is determined by voters’ political knowledge. She also said the opinions of political pundits, like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, could influence opinion. People who do not know much about politics are more susceptible to outside influence, she said. “If you have one concern or have read one unbiased article then I don’t think [the opinion of] Hilary Duff is going to make a difference,” Zandi said. Sam Losow, a senior political science major, said he agrees that uninformed or undecided voters are more easily swayed if they see their favorite celebrity endorsing a political candidate. He said celebrities have the ability to abuse the power they hold and shape the election. Daniel Kinderman, political science and international relations professor, said he believes the impact of celebrity endorsements is a symptom of a larger issue in American politics. “Their system does not endorse deep thought, does not endorse contemplating the issue or even understanding things,” Kinderman said. “It’s very superficial. Clint Eastwood got more attention than Mitt Romney did at his own convention.” Eastwood recorded an automated phone call, or robocall, in which he tells voters to fire President Barack Obama for failing the nation. He then appeared at the Republican National Convention, where he gave a speech criticizing Obama.
Both Magee and Kinderman said both political and popular celebrities can have significant financial influence on an election as well. Bruce Springsteen’s fundraisers have helped Obama with his campaign this year, but anonymous contribution by political celebrities have an impact that is protected by law. With the Supreme Court decision on the Citizen United v. Federal Election Committee case to allow corporations to donate unlimited amounts of money to campaigns via Super Political Action Committees, people, including political celebrities, can anonymously donate to campaigns. “People have always had the ability to donate to a campaign, but not in the same way that it is now occurring,” Kinderman said. “That magnifies the impact of certain citizens and private interest on the whole political process. Citizens United is a disastrous decision and the impact on democratic politics on America is very negative.” Magee said the Citizens United decision allowed people to become political celebrities and influence the election, but remain out of the public sphere, such as Charles G. Koch and
David H. Koch. The two brothers are owners of the second largest privately owned company in the United States, Koch Industries. Magee said the Koch brothers inherited a large sum of money and reinvested, becoming even wealthier. They proved that money talks, he said. “Money talks a lot more now that corporations can contribute and speak anonymously,” Magee said. “You don’t have to expose who your donors are, and it’s not really clear who’s giving what, so we don’t know who’s participating across the board.” Political celebrity status does not exclusively apply to those outside of the public eye that financially support campaigns. According to Magee, Obama had celebrity status during his 2008 campaign, however he is not the only public official to benefit from celebrity status. Magee said Palin, who ran for Vice President in 2008, also became a political celebrity. “Whether she has anything to say is immaterial,” Magee said. “It’s the fact that it’s her presence that revs up an audience.”
THE REVIEW/Grace Guillebeau
Celebrities use the Internet and social media websites to make their opinion about the election known.