Top Presidential Campaigns Took Few E-mail Breaks in August
Top polling presidential candidates used e-mail to promote campaign events, discuss issues and drive users to sign petitions and watch videos.
Top polling presidential candidates used e-mail to promote campaign events, discuss issues and drive users to sign petitions and watch videos.
Presidential campaign e-mailers got little rest in August, whether or not supporters were around to read their messages. As in prior months, top polling Republican and Democratic presidential candidates promoted campaign events, discussed issues and current events, and drove users to sign petitions and watch videos of TV ads and debate footage.
According to information gathered by Email Data Source, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senator John McCain each used e-mail to pronounce themselves the only Republican candidate who can defeat the Democratic nominee in the 2008 election. While Giuliani focused a lot on hard poll numbers, McCain relied on tales of courage and experience to get that point across to newsletter recipients.
Giuliani’s campaign sent seven messages in August and McCain’s sent 11, according to Email Data Source.
The campaign for newly-declared Republican candidate and ex-Senator Fred Thompson sent eight e-mail messages in August focused on issues like earmark reform, healthcare and second amendment rights. His e-mails also linked to more social media sites — from Flickr to Twitter — than any of the other top six campaigns observed.
The campaigns for Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton and John Edwards each sent fifteen e-mail messages to registrants in August, and both used them to discuss issues like healthcare as well as show disdain for prominent Republicans including Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales and Karl Rove.
The 11 e-mails sent in August by Democratic Senator Barack Obama’s campaign featured issues including the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and promoted upcoming events such as the candidate’s appearance on Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” and campaign barbecues in his home state of Illinois.
While most of the top-polling campaigns sent some e-mails from national and statewide campaign staffers, John McCain and John Edwards also got the family involved. McCain’s wife and mother each solicited birthday wishes and contributions for the Senator, and Edwards’s wife, Elizabeth, also sent a message to her husband’s supporters.
Recent E-mails from Hillary Clinton for President Exploratory Committee |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“Improving Health Care Quality” | “Neera Tanden, Hillary for President “ | 8.23 | healthcare quality, healthcare proposal | proposal, healthcare quality |
“Join us this Thursday!” | “Ace Smith, Hillary for President “ | 8.27 | California campaign event | RSVP, volunteer |
“Letterman, Oprah, and Ellen” | “Patti Solis Doyle, Hillary for President” | 8.29 | upcoming TV appearances | questions for Ellen, TV listings, contribute |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |
Recent E-mails from John Edwards for President |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“Help Stop a Naked Power Grab” | “David Bonior, John Edwards for President” | 8.27 | California’s Electoral College, vote tallying fairness, manipulation of 2008 election | sign petition to oppose CA ballot initiative |
“You Need To See This” | “Elizabeth Edwards” | 8.28 | Portsmouth, NH campaign video | Watch video, Join the campaign, make a contribution, spread the word |
“She’s going to give you a hug” | “Beth Leonard, Edwards for President “ | 8.29 | Portsmouth campaign video, healthcare struggles, Elizabeth’s hug of cancer survivor, share video | watch video, share video |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |
Recent E-mails from Obama ’08 |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“BBQ for Barack” | “Jon Carson, BarackObama.com” | 8.23 | attend a BBQ for Barack in Illinois | sign up and get map to BBQs, donate |
“Special video: A strong foundation” | “Barack Obama” | 8.28 | Hurricane Katrina, FEMA, plan to rebuild Gulf coast, plan video | Watch video, Donate or volunteer for Habitat for Humanity |
“BBQ for Barack — New locations across IL” | “Adam Hitchcock, BarackObama.com” | 8.29 | New locations added for BBQ for Barack in Illinois | invite friends, Sign up and get map to BBQs, donate |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |
Recent E-mails from Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“The Only One Who Can Beat the Democrats” | “Michael DuHaime, Team Rudy” | 8.21 | polling in swing states, contribute, campaign commitments | contribute, campaign commitments |
“Team Rudy Weekly Wrap” | “Rudy Giuliani, HQ” | 8.24 | polling, contribute, “Rudy Reel” video links, supporter comments, press coverage | contribute, video links, press coverage |
“Labor Day Update” | “Brent Seaborn, Strategy Director” | 8.30 | Campaign strength, polling data | Gallup poll |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |
Recent E-mails from John McCain 2008 |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“A Special Message from ‘Johnny’s Mother'” | “Roberta McCain” | 8.27 | video message, Childhood leader, experience, leadership, character, Naval service | Donate, video, sign birthday card |
“Sneak Preview: Courageous Service” | “Rick Davis, McCain Campaign” | 8.29 | “Courageous Service” video | Watch a preview |
“The McCain Update” | “John McCain Campaign” | 8.30 | Campaign trail, “Courageous Service” video, national leadership team, thank you from Cindy McCain, debate watch party kit, send photos from campaign trail | Join our team, take action, make a donation, online birthday card, press coverage, leadership team, debate kit, photos, book promotion |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |
Recent E-mails from Friends of Fred Thompson |
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Subject | Sender | Date | Message/Issues | Content Links |
“Weekly Update 8.21.07” | “Friends of Fred Thompson” | 8.21 | Speech at National Convention of Veterans on Foreign Wars, defense of freedom, gun laws, polling update, supporter quotes, press coverage | spread the word, press coverage, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter |
“Weekly Update 8.28.07” | “Friends of Fred Thompson” | 8.28 | Campaigning in Midwest, threat from “radical Muslim fundamentalists,” polling update, supporter quotes | tell a friend, press coverage, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter |
“An Important Announcement from Friends of Fred Thompson” | “Friends of Fred Thompson” | 8.29 | Attend or host house party, intention to run, campaign declaration webcast, donate | national house party, host parties, webcast, bus tour dates and locations, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter |
Source: Email Data Source, 2007 |