I hesitate to post on this topic, because the MBM blog is no place for political endorsements. So rest assured that it is not my intention to endorse any candidate to you, gentle reader. Nevertheless, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the fact that the 2008 Republican Primary is offering an amazing comparison of planned order and spontaneous order. And the best part is that it's all happening at the same time in a single campaign: that of congressman Ron Paul.
The Paul campaign seems to have a real knack for putting together sorry advertisements and videos. This ad for the New Hampshire primary was so bad that Paul's supporters were almost apoplectic in their criticism (see comments). And this one managed to make the subject of campaign finances seem about as dull as, well, campaign finances.
But then there are Ron Paul's supporters, who appear to be among the most internet savvy participants in the Primary (at least at this early date). Supporters' pro-Paul videos are ubiquitous on YouTube, to the point where Paul's total YouTube channel views are second only to Barack Obama, and more than five times the next runner up (Hillary Clinton). Perhaps as importantly, Paul's supporters have been able to translate their creativity into cash for the campaign. Weeks back a small cadre of Paul fans hatched the idea of encouraging people to donate $100 on November 5th.* Through word of mouth, blog posts and email activism, the movement signed up over 18,000 participants, and yesterday the Paul campaign received roughly $4 million in donations. And thanks to another Paulista's efforts, supporters can look at those (and other) fund-raising numbers in gory detail ad nauseum.
To his credit, Paul acknowledges that whatever strength his campaign can boast has come, thus far, from his supporters, and not from an inner circle of strategists. "I have my shortcomings," he told Jay Leno. But he insists that his campaign's message has none, and it is the spontaneous and decentralized actions of his partisans in support of that message that is gaining him a level of attention and notoriety unthinkable just a few months ago.
I have no doubt that the Paul campaign will ultimately fail in it's bid to propel him to the GOP nomination. Depending on your politics you might consider that a blessing or a tragedy. But I have to say it's a lot of fun watching grassroots activity gain serious momentum for Paul despite the missteps of his own campaign. It's like watching the Keystone Cops trip over themselves while a crowd of bystanders nab the villain.
Oh, and a note to Ron Paul, if you happen to be reading: If you could somehow get the people who are raising your money to spend it for you as well, you might just have a shot at this thing.
*November 5th is Guy Fawkes Day, and marks the attempted bombing of the British Parliament. Paul's supporters, though, were more interested in Guy Fawkes Day's use as a plot device in the graphic novel and movie, V for Vendetta, in which the protagonist successfully reenacts the bombing as a protest against a dictatorial British government.
Gotta admit, that WAS a terrible ad. Maybe they could adopt the "rEVOLotion" logo.
Remember, remember...
Posted by: Kevin Bowden | 07 November 2007 at 11:01 AM
rEVOLution, that is. Though I guess a rEVOLotion would be even smoother than the Velvet Revolution of 1989 in Czechoslovakia.
Posted by: Kevin Bowden | 07 November 2007 at 11:02 AM