Lessons for candidates from Fourth of July parades

Posted July 5th, 2008 at 7:28 PM in Politics

Independence Day might be a day off for the vast majority of Americans, but political candidates and their employees work harder on the Fourth of July than almost any other day of the year. In 2006, I participated in 6 parades, if memory serves. It was physically strenuous but fun. And although I’m not usually one to say that “visibility” is worth much sweat off a campaign’s brow, the Fourth of July is an important exception.

Participating enthusiastically in parades is especially important for Democrats, who have lost elections because of a perceived patriotism deficit for decades. The key is lots of people, lots of candy (John Deeth has some interesting thoughts on how you can never have enough candy here), and lots of signs. Your political party’s parade presence should include one vehicle per candidate present; no more, no less. No SUVs allowed, but pickup trucks and farm implements are cool.

Lean on campaigns that have a lot of money for chum. The top of the ticket — statewide candidates, presidential candidates, and congressional candidates — should have stickers. If any candidates for state legislature have stickers, stop giving them money. They will probably squander your contributions on things like stickers, which state legislative candidates don’t need.

And don’t be tempted to hand out a bunch of literature up and down the parade line. That’s like the old lady who only gives out apples on Halloween. Throw candy. Frantically hand out stickers for the candidates who can afford them. And don’t skip over parts of the crowd because you don’t think they look friendly. Appearances can be deceiving, and when all you have is candy and stickers, it’s hard for somebody to be mean to you.

It’s like a debate: an average voter won’t remember the substance, but they’ll remember which candidate they think did better. Have a group of confident, friendly volunteers, and keep your message positive. And show up everywhere you can.

No comments yet