To Include or Not to Include: Issues pages on Senator Obama's website
This blog entry is part of a Fall 2008 blogging exchange between American University in Cairo and Stanford University's Online Activism class. To read all the entries, follow this thread; be sure read the earliest entries first.
Our class on Online Activism was looking at the websites of Senator Obama and Senator McCain to study what rhetorical strategies they use online. Our group (Olivia, Ricardo and Amanda) decided to examine how the inclusion, or exclusion, of various campaign issues on Sen. Obama’s website shows ways that the Issues section of his website is directed at undecided voters.
One of the tabs under the “issues” section is “Family.” I (Olivia) was surprised to see this because I generally associate the term family in a political context with socially conservative ideas of “family values” and “the sanctity of the American family.” However, Sen. Obama uses this platform to present ideas about issues confronting working families, such as tax burdens and healthcare, potentially convincing socially conservative, family-oriented voters of his stance on these issues.
Sen. Obama also has a section on “Faith”. It serves a dual purpose: it describes Sen. Obama’s personal beliefs and helps refute the rumors that he is Muslim, while also explaining his opinion on how to reconcile religion and politics. Undecided voters have two of their concerns addressed by his Faith page- he both reassures those concerned by rumors, and promises to protect freedom of religion for those voters who do not share his own beliefs.
I (Ricardo) expected Sen. Obama’s website to include something about gun-control, and was dismayed to not find Sen. Obama’s stance on gun control on the website. Noting that there are both opponents, and supporters of gun control amongst the Democratic voters, Sen. Obama’s campaign must either appeal to both types of voters, or completely omit the issue. Rather than attempting to appear “all things at once,” Sen. Obama campaign avoided presenting a possibly mixed up message on its webpage. Sen. Obama’s website makes a general appeal among the undecided population by providing an ambiguity that neither attracts, nor excludes any specific standpoint.
Overall, Sen. Obama’s treatment of the issues of family, faith and gun control shows his careful approach to dealing with key issues in a way that would appeal to swing voters. Only time will tell if his strategy proves effective.
Comments
Olivia and Ricardo, great post.
I thought you might be interested in an article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle this morning -- it touches on Obama's relationship to traditionally conservative social issues:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/MNJM13L4F1.DTL&type=politics
See also:
http://www.rednecks4obama.com/
Posted by: Jonathan Hunt | October 21, 2008 02:46 PM
Hi Oliva, Ricado and Amanda
Really interesting post. I think more broadly, when it comes to the US elections, and I'm sure the same thing can be said for democratic elections in general, it's often silences that are the most telling.
The words on a website and the meaning it implies are all very well, but I think it is the gaps between them that provide a greater insight into the candidates and the surrounding political culture.
For example, Obama's 'Faith' webpage is used to dispel rumours that he is Islamic: what isn't addressed, the question that lingers below the surface and speaks so loudly in its silence, is why religion is such an assertive topic when it comes to candidates, and more importantly engagement in a Christian faith at that? There has been such efforts made to ensure that Obama isn't seen as Muslim, rather than simple dismissing it or arguing that it might be a private matter.
Thanks!
Posted by: Bec Beard (University of Sydney) | October 22, 2008 05:47 PM