Technology changing campaigns

Once upon a time, it might have been a relatively simple thing to run for president of the United States.
Not anymore.
Technology, particularly the Internet and the speed of worldwide communications, changed all that.
Once upon a time, a politician could flub a few words in private or speak “inelegantly” about something or make a candid observation that would hit a sour note when shared with a broader audience.
Those days are gone.
If you doubt that, just ask Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.
Both of them have been bitten by the relentless 24/7 microscope-like attention.
And both have said things they wish they hadn’t.
Whether it’s Obama’s “cling” remark or Romney’s “47 percent” clunker, they’ve paid the price for the increased focus that today’s media technology has brought about.
And, like it or not, that sort of attention is going to be the rule, not the exception, from here on out. If anything, it’s likely to get worse, thanks to technologies we can’t even imagine yet.
The irony is that instead of giving us greater insights into the thinking of our political leaders this intense scrutiny is simply going to make every future candidate more and more cautious, more and more selective in his or her remarks, and more and more timid.
By showing us more, it’s created a situation in which less will ultimately be revealed.
Look for future campaigns to be even more sanitized and safe then they are today.
That’s not Mitt Romney’s fault. It’s not Barack Obama’s fault. It’s not even the media’s fault.
It’s just the world we live in today. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]