Election 2.0 gives candidates, public equal opportunities

It is hard to argue that there is any arena where the message is more critical to success than in politics, particularly in a presidential campaign. Candidates must connect and resonate with a majority of the American public, not just a regional constituency. Campaign commercials, televised debates and state-by-state stumping still remain the mainstays of message dissemination in American politics. But none of this is possible without money -- and lots of it!

To fulfill these basic needs of money and reach, the Internet has emerged as a powerful conduit to public connection, allowing candidates to reach out to millions of supporters quickly and cheaply and opening doors to millions in online donations from small-dollar contributors. All candidates now require staffers dedicated to managing a candidate's campaign Web site, where potential voters can read the details of the positions and policies that candidates must reduce into 30-second sound bites on the campaign trail.

But recent election cycles have shown that the Internet can be dangerous territory for candidates, particularly when it comes to message control. Rumors and innuendo (true or not) related to candidates run rampant in online political communities, often promoted by partisan online pundits that, once considered fringe, have gained mainstream credibility as sources of breaking political news. Web-based sources have become a spoon that feeds an ever-hungry 24-hour news cycle with the topic d'jour, forcing campaigns to make calculated response decisions. Making the right choice is critical, as time spent on these peripheral issues is time not spent on campaign message, a misdirection that candidates cannot afford.

The political pulpit that the Internet has created for the public forces candidates to maintain message discipline on the campaign trail - or suffer the consequences. A candidate going off script in one state will be instantly communicated across the nation via the Web, where any variances will be dissected by the virtual body politic. A candid remark, a verbal gaffe - all of these can become immediate online fodder with the potential to derail a campaign.

"The Internet is a great equalizer in ensuring that every candidate stays true to his or her message," said Airfoil CEO Lisa Vallee-Smith. "Any position or stance becomes well documented, and constituents have an abundance of resources to find out where each candidate stands on every issue."

The Internet is now a permanent fixture in the world of politics. The best candidates can do today is engage with the Net-roots and hope they don't appear on YouTube for the wrong reasons.

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Sites profilerate with abundance of political data

How often do you hear people say "elections are crooked and politicians lie"? Sadly, this is a common sentiment held by a large segment of the American public and a significant factor in the consistently low turnout of registered voters we see in national elections. A major source of this frustration is not knowing where to go for accurate information.

Fortunately, the Internet has created an unprecedented level of transparency in the political process. From campaign contributions to candidates' records on the issues, any voter can easily access research on a candidate through numerous Web sites hosted by watchdog groups dedicated to keeping the public informed and separating rhetoric from reality.

"Before the Internet, voters relied on published reports of where campaign funding came from," said Airfoil President Janet Tyler. "Now, the truth is out there, and it is easier to find than ever before."

While the Federal Elections Commission posts the filings of campaign contributors on its Web site, which the public can access for free, few voters have the time or the interest to pore over hundreds of pages of names. Thankfully, resources are available to everyone that eliminate the need for this tedious exercise.

At Opensecrets.org, any individual has easy access to information on all aspects of money in politics. This site lists contributions to candidates from industries, individuals and 527 groups, which are political organizations that are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission or by a state elections commission and are not subject to the same contribution limits as Political Action Committees. It also features topical-issue research and links to news on money in politics. Here is where you find out if that claim "He's taken more money from XYZ lobby than any other candidate" is actually true - and just how clean the hands are of those raising the issue.

The inevitable rush of campaign commercials is on the way as the campaign season kicks into high gear. Inevitably, the initial rounds of ads featuring candidates hugging the elderly or rallying diverse crowds of the working class will give way to negative attacks on their opponents, which will be aired ad nauseum to plant seeds in the public consciousness.

But how much truth is behind these claims? Factcheck.org, a Web site dedicated to separating rhetoric from reality in candidate campaign claims, is the place to start for detailed and sourced research.

While these are only a few of the research resources available online, they are notable for their significant contributions to creating a greater accountability in candidates and a more well-informed electorate.

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Political blogs cover left, right and everything in between

Bloggers are playing an unprecedented role in the election process, and their influence isn't isolated online. Bloggers from such sites as DailyKos, Little Green Footballs and Political Wire regularly appear on Meet the Press, CNN and other media outlets. The move to a 24-hour news cycle has forced candidates to tighten their messaging and constituents to broaden their search for information. In that search, blogs have proven a valuable tool to read and disseminate information from both balanced and politically leaning blogs.

Political Wire is a popular source for political connoisseurs looking for the news outside of traditional media. Aggregating news from top Democratic- and Republican-leaning blogs helps Political Wire keep an even-keeled delivery. Publisher Taegan Goddard also adds to his credibility as a trusted source based on authoring numerous political books and his prior role as a government official.

Those toeing a conservative political party line can supplement their daily news intake with corresponding news from the blogosphere. A popular resource is Little Green Footballs, a blog published by Charles Johnson. Often dubbed as ultra-conservative or even right wing, the blog speaks freely to conservative issues and Democratic flubs.

To counterbalance Little Green Footballs, progressive and liberal blog readers can add DailyKos to their reading list. The DailyKos woos Democratic-leaning readers with news from all ends of the spectrum from party wins and Republican woes.

Whether left, right or center these blogs and many more are playing a greater role in influencing public sentiment toward candidates and parties and as a result, who holds public office in our country. A new level of transparency for the savvy citizen and an entirely new front on the ongoing tet a tet that is the political process is unfolding before our screens.

For more political blogs to match the interests of any political view, visit http://www.politics1.com/index.htm, and click on the political blogs link.

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Airfoil continues momentum with promotions

Airfoil Public Relations continues its growth trajectory by promoting staff members Amber LaCroix, Jennifer Ristic, Andy Kill and Tim Wieland.

At Airfoil since 2005, LaCroix is now an account manager who has managed public relations and marketing programs for a number of consumer initiatives and has led strategic counsel and planning. Ristic, at Airfoil since 2004, is now an account supervisor supporting clients from both of Airfoil's offices through her extensive experience in small- to medium-sized business trade and consumer media relations.

Kill joined Airfoil in 2005 and moved to the California location in 2007. As an account supervisor, he engaged in external and internal communication programs for a variety of clients. In his new role as account supervisor, Wieland joined Airfoil in 2003 and is responsible for program management and media and analyst relations on several of the agency's consumer accounts and holds key relationships with consumer technology media across the country.

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Airfoil named a top technology firm by industry publication

O'Dwyers, the public relations industry's leading journal, has named Airfoil one of the nation's top 12 PR firms for technology. This is the third consecutive year that Airfoil has been included in the top 12.

"This continued recognition shows the strength of our technology-related communications acumen and our longstanding relationships with our technology clients," said Airfoil President Janet Tyler.

O'Dwyers also ranks Airfoil among America's top 50 independent public relations firms.

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