Letter Templates
The Daily Kos (via OTB) has found the letter-to-the-editor templates available to Bush supporters on the Bush/Cheney website.
He took one of the talking points and entered it into a Google search and found that some 60 newspapers had printed a letter containing that text. He wasn't real happy with the results:
I agree with Kos in that a tactic like this is rather mindless, but I'd note that the Kerry/Edwards campaign has engaged in much the same sort of tactics. In the "Volunteer Center" area of the Kerry campaign website you find a page containing talking points to be put into letters to local newspapers.
I can't link directly to the page as you have to sign up as a volunteer in order to get to that area, but here's a screen shot of the page:
Honestly, I wish both campaigns would stop with this sort of thing. Let supporters say what they want to say about their candidate. I realize that the talking points are just "suggestions," but the overall idea of a political campaign tellings its supporters what to say isn't good for political discourse.
Besides, one letter from an individual talking about something that person truly believes in is going to resonate with the media and other readers far more than a copy-and-paste letter-to-the-editor.
He took one of the talking points and entered it into a Google search and found that some 60 newspapers had printed a letter containing that text. He wasn't real happy with the results:
About 60 newspapers have run that letter, sent by GOP automatons too stupid to vary the wording even a tiny bit.
I agree with Kos in that a tactic like this is rather mindless, but I'd note that the Kerry/Edwards campaign has engaged in much the same sort of tactics. In the "Volunteer Center" area of the Kerry campaign website you find a page containing talking points to be put into letters to local newspapers.
I can't link directly to the page as you have to sign up as a volunteer in order to get to that area, but here's a screen shot of the page:
Honestly, I wish both campaigns would stop with this sort of thing. Let supporters say what they want to say about their candidate. I realize that the talking points are just "suggestions," but the overall idea of a political campaign tellings its supporters what to say isn't good for political discourse.
Besides, one letter from an individual talking about something that person truly believes in is going to resonate with the media and other readers far more than a copy-and-paste letter-to-the-editor.
