US political messaging goes next level as COVID-19 lockdown eases
Like many things in America, political campaign messaging is next level and Joe Biden and Donald Trump have amped it up dramatically as the US lockdown eases.
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The emails and texts come at least once a day, at times pleading, occasionally trying for funny.
Sometimes they’re asking for money, just an easy button click to pledge five or ten dollars, or even requesting a birthday wish for someone.
Like many things in America, political campaign messaging here is next level, and having signed up to attend and cover rallies with Democrats and Republicans across the country I seem to be on almost everyone’s distribution list.
It’s less than six months until the vote on whether Donald Trump has a second term, and after a two-month pause while most Americans hunkered down, the campaigns seemed to have roared back into life this week.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden emerged from his basement after more than two months and started swinging, while the president flitted down to Florida for an unsuccessful space launch and duked it out with social media companies.
The candidates have also jacked up their emails to supporters, and the Trump 2020 missive I received on Wednesday sounded, well, almost threatening.
“Where have you been?,” it demanded.
“Despite our best efforts, President Trump thinks he’s lost you as a supporter. He needs to know the truth, which is why we only have one more question for you. DO YOU STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP?”
It helps if you read the rest of the message with a Hollywood-style Nazi accent – think Gestapo types on Hogan’s Heroes.
“Given the fact that you’ve yet to officially take a stand for President Trump, we worry that your support lies elsewhere,” it continued.
“We wanted to give you another chance to show President Trump that you’re still with him, and we know he’s eagerly waiting for your response.
“We’re going to send him your response IMMEDIATELY so he can finally know where you stand. So, Sarah, do you stand with your President?”
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It’s quite a change of tone from the regular ones I get inviting me to a private dinner with the president, a successful fundraiser offering since the Obama administration, for which a donation secures you a raffle ticket (and slim chance of an actual meal).
From the Biden camp, the messaging is more vanilla, but some of them are starting to feel a little too faux-intimate. Dare I say, a bit creepy.
Take this email subject I woke up to: “re: I could be dialling your number soon, Sarah”, which has more than a touch of the kind of unsolicited greetings you find when you accidentally open up your direct messaging on Twitter.
Originally published as US political messaging goes next level as COVID-19 lockdown eases