The Republican Party - What went wrong in 2008 – The Brand and The Entertainment Factor

There is a lot of finger-pointing going on at the moment – from within the Republican Party and from a gleeful press - as to what caused the failure of the McCain campaign. From McCain’s “soft of Obama” demeanor to an “untested” Palin, a feeding frenzy is taking place – to what end? After eight years of an administration that was never accepted by the Democrats or a press who relentlessly attacked every policy move, foreign or domestic – it was inconceivable that any Republican would be successful in 2008. Additionally, “we the people”, are fickle. The Presidency has devolved into nothing more than a personality contest – from Ophrah to the View and Leno to Letterman, the candidates we’re treated as more “celebrity” than politician – Cable and Broadcast news followed suit, paying as much attention to what was said on the “View”, as to any policy positions. It’s about connecting with and pandering to an Entertainment medium in order to reach the “masses”. It is also degrading to the office these individuals seek.

President Bush was besieged by negative press and negative publicity the moment he set foot in the White House – bitterness over the 2000 elections was nothing compared to palpable hatred that followed in 2004. While it is a fact that the media leans, for the most part, left, it is also a fact that little was done to reach out to the American public through the media – when attacked by the New York Times or any cable or broadcast network, the administration remained silent. When the Democrat leadership used the medium to consistently attack the President, he did nothing to fight back, rather, refused to dignify the consistent attacks. Unfortunately, in today’s age, refusing to acknowledge the power of the media is short-sighted to say the least.

There were, of course, other factors: the biggest being the disconnect between Washington Republicans and their base – in the last 6 years it was difficult for many conservatives to tell the difference between a Republican or a Democrat when it came to spending, special interests and scandals. That said when the new “crop” of candidates emerged in 2006 – those that were most comfortable with the media appeared to fair better; whether it was a question of mutual admiration or not.

Former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee could be found on every network, news to talk shows – Huckabee had a instant connect with the media, until of course, he looked more like a front-runner, the gloves came off, and the attacks began; and they will continue because Huckabee, and those Republicans that can connect with the people on a more personal level through Entertainment, are a real threat to the Democrats and those “progressive journalists” who know how fast four years go by.

Sarah Palin is a stunning example of random and specific attacks by both her own party and the press. Palin, who’s support among the Republican base (which itself is derided by the press), is at 60% or better, connected more with those that were working class, than McCain, who represented Washington as usual, despite his long history of bi-partisanship. That history was what bothered most conservatives, it was Palin who brought them back to the fold and now she is paying the price. From the ridiculous squabble over a wardrobe to the anonymous tips emanating from staffers who want to hitch their wagon to Washington, there are, a week after the election, consistent negative articles as well as requests for interviews – Palin, a danger to the left because of her popularity, is also a hot commodity with the press for the same reason, and like Huckabee, she is not backing down, rather standing up and taking the time given to reach out to the base and beyond.

The charge that the Republican Brand is damaged is interesting in that it ties politics to personality - placing a political party in the same category as fast food restaurant or hybrid car – that is also true of the Democrat Brand, which faired this election – simply because they understood how to manipulate the media and the entertainment mediums. Enter the fickle “we the people”. One has to understand that President-Elect Obama is now under great scrutiny and in even greater demand, not only must he govern based on the campaign promises, he must also continue to play the part of “rock star politicians” in the press. Should he fail in either, he will begin to face the same criticism as his predecessor. Those that cannot conceive of this scenario need only look back at the love-hate relationship Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan had with the press, the difference being that those Presidents did not have to deal with Leno, Letterman and the View. There stakes are greater today, and the pressure for “celebrities” to continue to please the American Public is unprecedented. Sarah Palin understands this better than most, so do other “off-beltway Republicans” like Michael Steele, and Mike Huckabee. Should the interviews and interest, be it love or hate, continue past 2009, then one can see a new “Brand of Republican” emerging, one which can compete with the other brand – Coke vs. Pepsi, so to speak. Is this new idea of politician as celebrity dignified and does it represent the Office of the Presidency? In simple terms - Yes.