Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 12:14:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Declan B. McCullagh <dm8b+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Political Telecommunications
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 744, Message 1 of 14

Our Moderator notes:

> [ ... Taxpayers certainly do not owe free phone service to the
> members of the press. Let them put quarters in pay phones like the
> rest of us.  PAT ]

It is my understanding that campaigns often foot the bill for
on-the-road expenses, but then charge news organizations for what they
and the campaign deem appropriate percentages (of course, an incumbent
president often can avoid paying for many travel costs.)

For instance, if a candidate rents a plane to fly from Santa Monica to
San Francisco and takes a half-dozen travelling press members with
him, each of their news organizations will reimburse the campaign for
the cost of a first-class SM-SF plane ticket. In fact, having a good
number of travelling press with a candidate helps pay for much of the
cost of his or her travel.

It's interesting to note how telecommunications advances have
permanently changed the national political scene. Jerry Brown's
1.800.426.1112 phone number (which was actually run by Comp-U-Call, an
outside service in downtown LA) was at first ridiculed, then taken as
a mantra by Brown supporters, then finally embraced by his detractors
as an effective way to raise money.

In July, many 800 numbers were in evidence at the Democratic National
Convention on floor signs and campaign buttons. The Clinton/Gore 92
campaign now uses 1.800.325.9992, though they haven't pushed it nearly
as much as Brown did. After last month's hurricane, Bush read the
American Red Cross' 800 number on national television.

More recently, Knight-Ridder reported on 9.25 that, "After filling
requests for a quarter million" copies of "Agenda for American
Renewal," the Bush camp "disconnected the phone" at the advertised
800-number. According to the news service, those who still want copies
should call their local GOP or Bush-Quayle HQ. Perhaps the response
was higher than projected?

On 9.21, Clinton began airing a commercial which alternated between a
shot of the Arkansas governor at a desk and on-screen text. The
advertisment mentions Clinton's 800 number. {The New York Times} on
9.21 said that, by offering the 800 number, Clinton "seeks to give the
impression [he] has a meaty, workable plan."

Candidates also seem to be turning to computer networks as ways to
reach their supporters. During the last days of the primary season,
the Brown campaign headquarters used MCI Mail and GEnie to talk to
their candidate when he was on the road and not near a fax machine.
Both Clinton and Brown have used GEnie and Compuserve conferences or
roundtables to interact with voters directly.

Of course, this use of computer networks is only the latest data point
in a trend designed to prevent potentially harmful media analysis of
candidate remarks or positions. By going to the public directly,
candidates can avoid that possible negative slant.

In fact, Perot never even tried to go on the traditional campaign
trail, instead limiting his appearances to occasional rallies and the
talk-show circuit (on Larry King Live, for example, where he launched
his non-campaign and is expected to do so again tonight).

1996 should be rather interesting.

DISCLAIMER: I was on Jerry Brown's national campaign staff.

Declan / dm8b+@andrew.cmu.edu