Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Semiotics of Competence

David Broder, known for his centrist views of politics (and a scourge of many on Daily Kos), comes away from a visit to the Obama campaign headquarters impressed


As I posted on this a few weeks ago, I think the business of running an efficient and focused campaign is a key element to making voters feel comfortable for voting for a first-term senator. The semiotics of competence and organization goes a long way to making voters more willing to give a relatively inexperienced candidate a chance. It's not the prime narrative of the campaign--that would be change--but a crucial one nonetheless. 

That this story made it to Broder, who has been around since The Boys on the Bus, is a sign that this narrative is breaking into the mainstream.

--J.S.

1 comment:

Miles said...

The extent of voluntarism associated with the Obama campaign is still a largely unwritten story, eclipsed somewhat by the story of the number of small donors (not quite the same meme).

I agree that this narrative is crucial to the campaign's rhetorical messaging. Can the Obama campaign pivot from being tarred as a "celebrity" to being lauded as an unprecedented organizer/leader? Let's watch how this question is handled next week at the convention...

Miles