COM 517 COMMUNICATION IN POLITICS

Campaign Practices

Speeches

1. “Knowing” the audiencePast voter behaviorsPolls (messages and themes)Focus groups

2. The SpeechStock speech (stump speech): modular

3. Speechwriting as craft and profession

4. Surrogates

COM 517 COMMUNICATION IN POLITICS

Campaign Practices

Recurring Forms of Campaign Communication

1. Announcement speech

2. Acceptance speechAssumes role of candidate and party leaderPositive response from immediate audienceUnify the partyPartisan: persuasion for the undecided

3. News conferencesnovelty (don’t overuse)newsworthy issuecredibility that comes from direct contact with

press

4. ApologiaMore focus on candidate’s flaws and weaknessesPrivate lives no longer off-the-record

COM 517 COMMUNICATION IN POLITICS

Campaign Practices

Debates

1. Predebate strategiesLowering public expectationsDetermining target audiencesDevising and rehearsing possible answers

2. Debate StrategiesRelating issues to an overarching themeDeveloping an image

3. Postdebate strategiesLarge, well-coordinated surrogate effortAds to underscore debate themesAudience members as surrogates

COM 517 COMMUNICATION IN POLITICS

Campaign Practices

Effects of Debates

1. Increased audiences

2. Audiences reinforced

3. Shifting limited numbers of voters

4. Agenda setting for voters

5. Increase voter’s knowledge of the issues

6. Modify candidate’s image

7. Freezes campaign

8. Builds confidence in US democratic practices