So, as my lovely underlined header indicates, it is now October. This means that my project is entering what will be its most exciting (and imposing) phase as elections enter their last full month. As I have yet to find any overtly political materials on campus regarding this year's election, I can only hope that this campus might start pumping out some political activity. But hope I have plenty of, because for one thing, the debates are about to start (first one is on Wednesday oh gosh I'm so excited) so we will finally see Obama and Romney go head to head. Also, I heard a rumor that campus political groups are not planning on campaigning for specific candidates until after the deadline for registering to vote has passed (which according to the Maryland State Board of Elections website is October 16th).
Regardless, I shall stay vigilant in my search for on-campus propaganda, and will do my best to introduce my project to the real world. I've got a few solid ways to do so this week. First, while driving slightly off campus yesterday, I noticed signs posted up around College Park for Steny Hoyer and Ben Cardin. I believe I will have to venture out there and get to them with due diligence. Also, I had a follower of this blog who contacted me about posting on an old poster for a semi-political student organization called the Love Movement. When I asked him if he had any reason to be for/against the Love Movement, he responded, "Nope, it's just a political poster that ran outta love. So now, its last hope for meaning is your thumb." And heck, if that's what the public calls for I'll give it to 'em. I'm all for bringing renewed meaning to places!
I'd like to make it known here that for anyone who feels interested in joining the Post It Politics movement, feel free! Post anywhere, any way you'd like. If you'd like to know more about how to post, or perhaps if you have just seen someplace that you'd like me to try and get to, feel free to email me at kyles92@terpmail.umd.edu, or contact me anyway you know how.
Now, what's been going around the internet lately?
One political meme that I heard of recently is the Mitt Romney Etch A Sketch. It draws from a gaffe by Romney's senior campaign advisor, Eric Ferhnstrom, that he made back in March during the Republican primaries, regarding how during the primaries Romney had to come across as more conservative than his background would indicate in order to beat Rick Santorum and New Gingrich, and that when the time would come to appeal to moderate voters during the general election he would have to change his views back in order to beat Obama. Ferhnstrom likened this to shaking off the picture on an Etch A Sketch. Romney was attacked from both sides for this as they criticized him for lying in order to appeal to the public. The video below shows the initial comment, as well the reactions by American Bridge, a left-wing PAC that scrutinizes Republicans.
It's interesting to see critics to use this toy to take quite literally take the generally positive idea of a clean slate and turn it into an acquisition of not being responsible for what you say. Luckily for Romney this meme did not get much traction and largely died out after the spring (Though it did become popular enough that during the primary that the Ohio Art Company, the makers of Etch A Sketch, saw a 30% increase in sales. So perhaps they are the true winners in all this). Still, I'm interested to see whether or not this Etch A Sketch thing comes up again, now that Romney has to directly face Obama as Ferhnstrom said.
Either way, I'm excited for the debates to finally be here. They're usually a goldmine for new public interpretations of politics, from Joe the Plummer and Tina Fey's Sarah Palin in 2008, to James Stockdale's "Who Am I?" debacle in 1992. Who knows, they might lead to some great memes.
Perhaps even some Obama memes! That would be new. One thing I've noticed while searching the internet for political images during the campaign is that there are definitely more memes lampooning Romney than Obama.
Exhibit A: Little Face Mitt
It's a meme that's not overtly political, except for maybe to poke fun at our political system as a whole and how we need to try to make our politicians seem more ridiculous on the outside to match their often ridiculous character. My guess is that it's just people looking for a laugh. But why did this whole thing start by making fun of Romney in particular?
*Full disclosure. Yes, there are some Little Face Obama pics out there, but I feel that these have mostly been in response to the original Little Face Mitt
Maybe Romney is being targeted because Obama is currently doing better in the polls, or maybe because people who make memes are simply more liberal (and maybe those two things aren't necessarily unrelated). Are they due to his various gaffes? His rich man persona? I suppose we shall see as we delve deeper into the wondrous world of election season memes.
Needless to say, if there are some fantastic Obama meme's out there, please share them! I would love to balance out the internet humor-mongering.
@Post_It_2012
Regardless, I shall stay vigilant in my search for on-campus propaganda, and will do my best to introduce my project to the real world. I've got a few solid ways to do so this week. First, while driving slightly off campus yesterday, I noticed signs posted up around College Park for Steny Hoyer and Ben Cardin. I believe I will have to venture out there and get to them with due diligence. Also, I had a follower of this blog who contacted me about posting on an old poster for a semi-political student organization called the Love Movement. When I asked him if he had any reason to be for/against the Love Movement, he responded, "Nope, it's just a political poster that ran outta love. So now, its last hope for meaning is your thumb." And heck, if that's what the public calls for I'll give it to 'em. I'm all for bringing renewed meaning to places!
I'd like to make it known here that for anyone who feels interested in joining the Post It Politics movement, feel free! Post anywhere, any way you'd like. If you'd like to know more about how to post, or perhaps if you have just seen someplace that you'd like me to try and get to, feel free to email me at kyles92@terpmail.umd.edu, or contact me anyway you know how.
Now, what's been going around the internet lately?
One political meme that I heard of recently is the Mitt Romney Etch A Sketch. It draws from a gaffe by Romney's senior campaign advisor, Eric Ferhnstrom, that he made back in March during the Republican primaries, regarding how during the primaries Romney had to come across as more conservative than his background would indicate in order to beat Rick Santorum and New Gingrich, and that when the time would come to appeal to moderate voters during the general election he would have to change his views back in order to beat Obama. Ferhnstrom likened this to shaking off the picture on an Etch A Sketch. Romney was attacked from both sides for this as they criticized him for lying in order to appeal to the public. The video below shows the initial comment, as well the reactions by American Bridge, a left-wing PAC that scrutinizes Republicans.
It's interesting to see critics to use this toy to take quite literally take the generally positive idea of a clean slate and turn it into an acquisition of not being responsible for what you say. Luckily for Romney this meme did not get much traction and largely died out after the spring (Though it did become popular enough that during the primary that the Ohio Art Company, the makers of Etch A Sketch, saw a 30% increase in sales. So perhaps they are the true winners in all this). Still, I'm interested to see whether or not this Etch A Sketch thing comes up again, now that Romney has to directly face Obama as Ferhnstrom said.
Either way, I'm excited for the debates to finally be here. They're usually a goldmine for new public interpretations of politics, from Joe the Plummer and Tina Fey's Sarah Palin in 2008, to James Stockdale's "Who Am I?" debacle in 1992. Who knows, they might lead to some great memes.
Perhaps even some Obama memes! That would be new. One thing I've noticed while searching the internet for political images during the campaign is that there are definitely more memes lampooning Romney than Obama.
Exhibit A: Little Face Mitt
It's a meme that's not overtly political, except for maybe to poke fun at our political system as a whole and how we need to try to make our politicians seem more ridiculous on the outside to match their often ridiculous character. My guess is that it's just people looking for a laugh. But why did this whole thing start by making fun of Romney in particular?
*Full disclosure. Yes, there are some Little Face Obama pics out there, but I feel that these have mostly been in response to the original Little Face Mitt
Maybe Romney is being targeted because Obama is currently doing better in the polls, or maybe because people who make memes are simply more liberal (and maybe those two things aren't necessarily unrelated). Are they due to his various gaffes? His rich man persona? I suppose we shall see as we delve deeper into the wondrous world of election season memes.
Needless to say, if there are some fantastic Obama meme's out there, please share them! I would love to balance out the internet humor-mongering.
@Post_It_2012
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