Page 12 - Laker Connection Fall 2016

Dr. Joseph Corrado is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Clayton State University. Corrado has taught courses on women and politics, African American political thought and the politics of film. Corrado earned his bachelor’s at the University of Pittsburgh, in addition to a master’s and doctorate from Temple University.
The Obama campaign interacted with voters on Facebook during his first presidential election and sent out voting reminders on Twitter. Most importantly, it used social media and its webpage to raise money.
Obama generated around $750 million dollars and attracted 66 percent of millennial voters in 2008 by his efforts. His Republican challenger, John McCain, fielded a more traditional campaign strategy that used some social media, but failed to garner traction with a diverse pool of millennials. McCain secured nearly $370 million and roughly a third of young voters.
TV, radio go head-to-head with
social media in 2016
The political strategists in this year’s election cycle are not shying away from traditional forms of media. Candidates still spend the bulk of their money on television advertisements since they can reach 87 percent of those over the age of 18 through that medium. And cable news remains the most common source of learning about the 2016 presidential election for all Americans.
But as the presidential election shifts from the nomination phase and heads to the November general election, so does the need to stay relevant in the eyes of voters, particularly the 18 to 34 year-old crowd that has made the biggest impact on candidate platforms as they demand action on issues ranging from immigration to police brutality to LGBT rights.
Since 2008, adults with internet increased their social media use from
29% 76%
The candidates know that to clench the presidency, millennials and their use of social media as a public forum for the exchange of ideas plays an integral role in the electorate.
It’s the reason almost two million young people cast votes for Bernie Sanders. Another 740,000 went to Clinton, while Trump boasted 746,000 votes by April 2016.
Newer forms of social media, including Snapchat, Instagram and the Facebook live feature, which was not around during Obama’s run, are giving candidates another platform and greater freedom to spread their message.
While nearly two-thirds of social media users actively engaged in political activism online.
Presidential candidates at the time stepped up their online efforts, including Mitt Romney, who made it a central part of his campaign strategy unlike McCain in 2008.
Obama, who ended up winning a second term, maintained his followers well into his presidency. He held a Facebook town hall, published infographics about job creation and invited his wife to hold Q&A sessions on the official White House Vine page to change how the president interacted with the public.
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