Showing posts with label Sanford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sanford. Show all posts
Sanford: More Popular than 'The Terminator'?
In terms of personal strife, our own Governor Mark Sanford has certainly seen his share. Over the past six months the married governor has endured ongoing criticism and public relations fiascos stemming from his actions related to his relationship with an Argentinian woman.
When it comes to the most unpopular governors currently in office across the nation, one might think Sanford would be a star in the topmost tier. But according to a poll released today by Public Policy Polling, Sanford doesn't even make the top 8 in terms of unpopularity. If the poll is correct, Sanford has a better approval rating than California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Budget and financial issues appear to be the root reason of the unpopularity of the eight most unpopular governors, says PPP. They include:
John Baldacci (D) of Maine
Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona
Jim Doyle (D) of Wisconsin
Jim Gibbons (R) of Nevada
David Paterson (R) of New York
Bev Perdue (D) of North Carolina
Ed Rendell (D) of Pennsylvania
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) of California
Takeaway from this poll? Even in an age when scandals like the Mark Sanford affair rock the country, more obscure, less flashy issues may ultimately have a truer impact on a governor's overall perceived image.
VIEW THE FULL POLL RESULTS
When it comes to the most unpopular governors currently in office across the nation, one might think Sanford would be a star in the topmost tier. But according to a poll released today by Public Policy Polling, Sanford doesn't even make the top 8 in terms of unpopularity. If the poll is correct, Sanford has a better approval rating than California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Budget and financial issues appear to be the root reason of the unpopularity of the eight most unpopular governors, says PPP. They include:
John Baldacci (D) of Maine
Jan Brewer (R) of Arizona
Jim Doyle (D) of Wisconsin
Jim Gibbons (R) of Nevada
David Paterson (R) of New York
Bev Perdue (D) of North Carolina
Ed Rendell (D) of Pennsylvania
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) of California
Takeaway from this poll? Even in an age when scandals like the Mark Sanford affair rock the country, more obscure, less flashy issues may ultimately have a truer impact on a governor's overall perceived image.
VIEW THE FULL POLL RESULTS
Smear Tactics: Politicians' Reputations Get Dirty
Mud-slinging, smear campaigns, character attacks - no matter what you call them, these oft-used tactics have been a staple of American politics for years. Used in regards to a political campaign to malign or otherwise damage the credibility of an individual or a group of people, it is and almost always attempted quietly and/or anonymously, so as not to reveal the source of the smear. For example...
In the chaotic circus of South Carolina politics this week, embattled Governor Mark Sanford has been accused of launching his own smear campaign against his own Lieutenant Governor and fellow Republican Andre Bauer, allegedly spreading gossip that Bauer is homosexual. While Sanford and Bauer have never been on the friendliest of playing fields with one another to begin with, political gossip circles claim that the supposed ad hominem against Bauer is retaliation for Bauer's call for Sanford to step down from office. Regardless of whether or not Sanford's camp was responsible for the hatchet job, someone apparently launched and spread the rumor.
In similar news, it was just a few weeks ago that President Obama's science adviser Jon Holdren also allegedly became the victim of a defamation attempt by traditionally conservative media outlets. An article by Climate Progress claimed that Fox News and several other media groups were twisting Holdren's views on energy and climate to paint a picture of him as in favor of mandating population control.
Libel and slander charges and prosecution issues aside, smear campaigns are not reputable methods nor are they good business practices. But they are an unfortunate reality, especially in politics. The person being targeted almost always has to spend time refuting the character assassination attempts and less time on the real issues. Read more about (in)famous smear campaigns here.
Governors and Publicity: It's Getting Viral now
With the state's current governor embattled in multiple public relations snafus of his own that just don't seem to end, South Carolina also has an impending gubernatorial race just getting its wheels churning. The concurrence of the two has us wondering just how the upcoming Governor's race will impact not only Sanford's fight to stay in office, but the outcome of the state's next election.
On Monday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dwight Drake release a mock movie trailer video entitled "500 Days of Sanford" that quickly went viral, making the rounds on Twitter, Facebook, email and statewide newscasts. The video forecasts a grim outlook for the remainder of the Sanford administration, assuming he stays in office, yet does it in a way obviously meant to poke fun at the embroiled Governor. The public relations and marketing gurus hired by Drake to create the video no doubt intended to capitalize on Sanford's uncomfortable position by further hammering him as a poor leader. At the same time, they managed to sprinkle Drake's name throughout a public that right now is fascinated with the Governor's scandal.
An offscreen voice on the video says, “This is not a love story, it’s a story about a governor’s last year and a half in office. 500 days left of uncertainty, of wondering where he is.”
Ultimately, did the 76-second video really cause the Sanford negative publicty pit to be dug any deeper than it already is? Did it position Drake as the best candidate for Governor among a field of, oh, 9 or 10 others at this point? Was it a waste of money?
An offscreen voice on the video says, “This is not a love story, it’s a story about a governor’s last year and a half in office. 500 days left of uncertainty, of wondering where he is.”
Ultimately, did the 76-second video really cause the Sanford negative publicty pit to be dug any deeper than it already is? Did it position Drake as the best candidate for Governor among a field of, oh, 9 or 10 others at this point? Was it a waste of money?
Our opinion is that it was a smart move on Drake's part. The YouTube video probably cost him no more than a couple thousand dollars at the most, and by piggybacking on the ongoing Mark Sanford buzz, his video got a lot of attention. That amount of money he spent, which really amounts to only one or two large campaign donations, got him endless social media hits plus a number of TV newscasts mentions and links to his video from TV and newspaper online newsrooms. Watch the video for yourself and decide what you think.
Dwight Drake Announces Candidacy for Governor of South Carolina
Dwight Drake, a longtime Columbia, South Carolina lawyer with Nelson Mullins, announced today that he is joining the growing group of Democrats running for Governor of South Carolina in 2010. We had to remark on this newest entry into the gubernatorial race not because of any party affiliation or the candidate, but because Dwight Drake's announcement now brings the field of candidates for South Carolina Governor to a staggering total of 12. The current candidate list reads as follows:
Gresham Barrett (R) Dwight Drake (D) Amos Elliott (D)Robert Ford (D) Lawrence “Larry” Grooms (R)“Nikki” Haley (R)W. Mullins McLeod, Jr. (D)Henry McMaster (R)Harry L. Ott, Jr. (D)Vincent Sheheen (D) Jim Rex (D). André Bauer (R) has indicated he may run, but not announced anything officially.
(Source: WSPA.com)
(Source: WSPA.com)
We are particularly keen on how this South Carolina Governor's race will play out, both in the primaries and in 2010, because of the negative publicity the state has seen over the Mark Sanford affair. Sanford has been in the Governor's seat since 2002, and his fast fall from grace has left an open-ended road for how his successor will lead the state. Interestingly, Dwight Drake was also the lawyer who represented two South Carolina students who sued Sanford to force him to accept federal stimulus funds.
Read The State.com's coverage of the Dwight Drake announcement here.
Posts
