-- COMEDY IS THE BEST STRATEGY -- for a short attention span public

Like it or not, elections are seldom decided on issues. They are decided on perceived personalities, emotions, prejudice, fear, doubt, and, if we're lucky, hope.

The Republicans have long realized the short attention span of the American public. That is why they have been so successful with short "sound-bite" sloganeering - "tax and spend", "cut and run", "soft on crime", "soft on communism", etc., etc.

You and I may care deeply about issues and may educate ourselves with all nuances and complexities of issues, but Joe/Jane Voter will not.

The Democrats cannot win with long explanations and superior knowledge. The other side doesn't care about any of that. They only care about one thing: winning.

They have a point. If you don't win, superior ideas cannot be implemented.

I would suggest that we Democrats need an up-to-date counter-strategy to GOP sound-bite attacks.

Since national campaigns are won and lost through TV impressions, we need to use that medium in a way that adapts to the short American attention span while still getting our message out in the most direct and simple way possible.

My suggest: humor, specifically short mainstream animated cartoon attacks ads.

Just as newspaper cartoons can express and focus opinions in a very blunt fashion that would be impossible or "politically incorrect" in text, animated cartoons can get away with a lot more than any other type of advertising.

I wonder if the Obama campaign has contacted people like Matt Groening, David X Cohen, or Seth MacFarlane (Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy) to help out. I truly believe that these folks could have a far greater impact on this election than the typical political advertisers.

Before the age of mainstream animated TV cartoons, the late Senator Paul Wellstone, a very progressive former college professor, beat a Republican incumbent Senator largely on the basis of his humorous TV ads.

A few Wellstone clips from Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qLSITd6_Ug
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUnnIJQYJgA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyWr9x5jbTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPYH3sTcjCc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coRZZqZtp0U

all images below courtesy of About.com

But Groening and David X. Cohen would be great to get involved - they produced a very funny ad for an Inconvenient Truth.

I totally agree that Humor is a great way to get your message across - what's hard with political humor or partisan humor is finding a joke that reaches people and isn't just preaching to the choir. A joke that gets 80% of DU laughing might not play as well outside of DU.

But if you can find humor that gets down into mainstream America, well, it's a very powerful weapon.

Oh, and once again, Seth McFarlene is a jackass.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

Results matter, not personalities.

He's gotten very wealthy fairly young - I get the impression he's a libertarian, like many who get their money without a lot of effort or talent.

And he's a total jackass.

Bryant

Political beliefs

MacFarlane is a supporter of the Democratic Party. He has donated $33,500 to Democratic causes such as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In addition, he has also donated $1,000 to U.S. Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.

they're honest, they're entertaining, and they hit hard, with the TRUTH.

:)

Joe Sixpack can relate to Homer Simpson or the Family Guy. Jon Stewart's humor might not reach the middle-of-road so-called "independent" voter as well.

I also think that animation is more focused and to the point.

I found this article about targeting Hispanic consumers with humor:

http://www.translationsandmore.com/articlepublishmay03.html