The Common Room: Self Promotion (via Mowser)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Self Promotion

I don't think you become a politician because of your healthy dose of humility. I don't expect politicians to be genuinely self-effacing.

But isn't distributing these fliers to the public so they'll show up with them at your campaign rally in Germany just a bit, well, strange? Or do those of who did not grow up in the Facebook age just not relate to this kind of self-branding and self-promotion?

If that's the case, I'm in good company. The Anchoress has much more to say about it- and she's more coherent, too. Lots of good links.

Patrick Ruffini has something say about it, too:

The German flyers bear Obama's campaign logo and say "Paid for by Obama for America."

I'm surprised at this lapse in judgment in an otherwise well-oiled and professional Obama campaign. The last time they printed up campaign paraphenalia in a foreign language, it didn't work out so hot for them.

So, this isn't just some sober, high-minded foreign policy speech, part of a foreign trip occurring under the auspices of his official Senate office. It is a campaign rally occuring on foreign soil. They are using the same tactics to turn out Germans to an event as they would to any rally right here in America.

The Obama people previously said this wasn't a political event. But then again, I don't expect politicians to tell the truth, either.