Like it or not, US electioneering is the shape of things to come

Aug 27 2008 By Matt Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Choosing a leader for what is after all the most powerful nation on earth is not a job to be done in haste.

Having said that even by the standards of previous US Presidential Election contests, this year's race for the White House is turning out to be a marathon rather than a sprint.

And, as in any long distance endeavour, there are signs of fatigue.

Now though, at long last, the final phase – or at least Polling Day itself – is on the horizon.

It's not just the structure of the contest that makes it long and gruelling for those involved and those watching from the sidelines. The really exhausting aspect must surely be the intensity of the media attention focussed on every utterance of the candidates.

This week attention has again centred on the Democrats and in particular on the Barack Obama camp.

If any observer was under any doubt about the importance of the media to this campaign, they should consider events as they have unfolded this week.

First of all Democrat supporters received a text message notifying them that their hopeful had chosen as his running mate veteran Senator Joe Biden.

It's interesting to speculate on the reasoning behind using text messaging in this way – especially on a political battleground where the TV networks play such an important part.

Was it to demonstrate a personal approach from the Obama camp?

Once the news was out, his campaign analysts and strategists immersed themselves in gauging the reaction of the electorate – the people who will finally make or break their man's dream on November 4.

And it's in this type of constant self-examination that campaigners and supporters themselves feed the media machine they have courted so assiduously.

One BBC commentator described the decision to place Mrs Michelle Obama firmly centre stage at this week's Denver Convention as a response to counter the view that some voters were looking for evidence of sincerity from their candidate.

Adding his children via video link may leave some feeling even less convinced by his sincerity.

But for maximum sit up and take notice impact, it's going to be hard to beat the appearance (reportedly against doctor's orders) of Senator Edward Kennedy at the Denver event.

To observers from afar, this type of choreographed and stage managed media campaigning may deflect attention away from policies like deployment of armed forces and managing one of the world's most powerful economies.

But it's what comes with the territory for US Presidential hopefuls.

And, whether advocates of more conventional political campaigning like it or not, it's the shape of things to come in our world of instant mass media communication.

The winner will turn to be the one who has exploited these new opportunities most effectively. Who knows if that means the right person gets the top job? Time will tell.

MATT JOHNSON is chairman of Mando Group