Something New

I’m working a trade show in Las Vegas this week, with limited time for serious blog entries. I’d intended to write some things in advance to post each day, but with so much “Vegas in your face” (non-stop meetings, interesting people, stories, sights and sounds) plus the election happening, it seemed that recycling old material or giving re-heated pre-prepared blog servings would be lacking in something.

All that being said, let's turn to the election. Wow. It's a new day in America.

First, congratulations to everyone whose hearts were captured by the tall, dark and handsome man who last night captured the presidency. Historic would be an understatement. We wish him the best in these turbulent economic times of global unrest.

To the McCain supporters, you had many reasons to believe in your man. The magnanimity of his concession speech was a good model for all of us. It is important that we all learn to work together. Bury your hatchets and support your president.

I’m sure this election will be analyzed ad nauseum, and I am also certain that there are many stories that will be told that have yet come to light. In the 2004 election, Newsweek had the privilege of maintaining a small unit of embedded reporters in both the Kerry and Bush campaigns. Reading that account was the last issue of Newsweek that I purchased, and I am hoping they had similar access again. The old “fly on the wall” stance is where every one of us wants to be.

Theodore White’s bestseller The Making of a President set the standard for election journalism in his coverage of the 1960 battle between JFK and Nixon. It was a campaign with many parallels to the 2008 experience. A fresh, young face with style and grace…. JFK’s handlers were better image crafters and knew how to use the media to their advantage. Barack Obama likewise is skilled at oratory and vision-making. He inspired with his speeches, but did much more than that. Did McCain use Twitter? More than 3 million Twitterers had the option of following Obama there, if they wished. I did. Obama, I believe, even campaigned in the virtual realm of Second Life. (Someone can correct me if I am wrong.)

This election reminded me even more of the Clinton vs. Dole runoff. Bob Dole likewise had a physical handicap, and likewise won the nomination through longtime party affiliation. Was he the best candidate, though? In the final verdict, youth and charisma again won out over age.

Did the Saturday Night Live appearances help or hurt the Republicans? I know it helped the SNL ratings, that’s a given.

One of my favorite moments during the election day coverage on CNN yesterday was an interview with a young volunteer who had been making phone calls on behalf of the Democrats in the weeks leading up to the election. He seemed genuinely hurt by how many people were angry at him when he’d call. Well guess what, buddy? If your people weren’t calling three to five times a day this past week, we maybe wouldn’t be biting your head off. Nothing personal, but we don’t like unwelcome home invasions.

My first deed, if ever elected president will be to include all such fake phone surveys and political calls in the National Do Not Call list. Anyone out there in Washington need help writing that piece of legislation? I will happily volunteer.