Question About Kerry Campaign Taking The Month of August Off / Media Time

[Yavin4]

Okay, this is a question not a criticism. I ask this to people who are more knowledgeable about the Kerry campaign. Now, I understand that Kerry didn't want to dip into his $75 million in August to run ads. However, there are literally tons of free media that he could have used. He could have gone on Larry King, Oprah, The Today Show, 60 Minutes, Face The Nation, Meet The Press, etc. Hell, he could have really shaken things up by going on Howard Stern's show the week before the Republican convention. That alone would have given him a ton of FREE publicity.

There are a lot of ways of getting media time and attention without always paying for it. So, why didn't the Kerry campaign use FREE media in the month of August?

p.s. Before any one shoots down my Howard Stern show appearance idea, all the Kerry campaign could have said was, "hey, Arnold, Pataki, Guiliani, and Christie Todd-Whitman, a Bush cabinet member, ALL made appearances on the Howard Stern show while they were running for office".

[NMDemDist2]

1. could he have gotten on those shows?

i think he should if he could and take questions from callers

[Yavin4]

4. Definitely Howard Stern's Show

Definitely Oprah's, Meet The Press, Face The Nation, etc. Heck, he shuold have gone on "The O'Reilly Factor", esp. since O'Reilly has been shooting down the Swift Boat story. Anything to keep the momentum from his convention going.

[Nite Owl]

2. Kerry and Edwards were all over

the country campaigning for most of August. I want to know where the DNC was with the ads? They could have filled in with lots of money and that's what I had heard they were going to do.

[grasswire]

3. just anecdotally...

...yesterday I saw five anti-Bush commercials during Crossfire and no pro-Bush or anti-Kerry commercials. These were all 527s, and all very hard-hitting.

[Yavin4]

5. I'm Not Talking About Ads!!!

I'm taking about going on talk shows. He did eventually go on "The Daily Show", but he should have done more of that stuff, much, much more of that kind of stuff.

Why didn't he use the FREE media?

[Cobalt Violet]

8. I didn't see any DNC ads until this week.

Okay not a lot of money will be spent in Massachusetts. Nor should it be except that alot of New Hampshire with its 4(I think) electoral votes is in the Boston media market.

[Democat]

6. Kerry needs to go on the Stern show - Howard has been so supportive!

If Kerry is too scared of Howard Stern, he needs to get over it and go on the show!

[MichDem10]

7. Great point!

Stern has said he would love to have Kerry either stop in or call in. All Howard wants is Kerry to thank his LISTENERS.

Stern has an audience of about 10 MILLION and has been harping on Bush and the Michael Powell FCC. Kerry could easily "inoculate" himself by mentioning Arnold, Pataki, Guiliani, Whitman, and the biggest right winger former Senator Alfonse DeMato.

FREE PUBLICITY TO 10 MILLION! Not to mention a free daily reminder to vote for Kerry!

Urge the campaign to use todays pop culture to secures tomorrows future!!

[TheDonkey]

9. No need. Kerry can pull out the big photo ops now when voters

are really paying attention.

It would have been a waste to go on Oprah when people didn't give a crap. Kerry's in a good position now to start spreading out all over the place to beat bush down now his masquerade ball is over.

[Yavin4]

12. Bull!

He should have scheduled both Howard Stern and Bill O'Reilly in the same week to answer the Swift Boat attack. He goes on Stern, and that alone would have caused a much bigger sensation than the Swfit Boat attacks. A Stern show appearance would be the headline.

[kentuck]

10. Good point, & while on those shows, he could say something controversial.

that would continue the dialogue or discussion the next day in the newspapers and on cable television. This would tend to keep the issues alive. The point is, they cannot be too cautious or afraid to say something controvesial.

[Leilani]

11. The Kerry Campaign s Media Strategy

if there is one, stinks!

The Repubs have run rings around them.

Yes, he should have used free media.

He should have MADE news. Then they might have covered him.

And the non rebuttal at the RNC was a disaster.