Situation... you are a candidate running for Governor of Georgia, a state with massive problems, your name recognition is low, and you live in a small rural section of the state, and the most votes you've ever gotten is 8400 and change.
I get it, you desperately need to raise your name recognition, so instead of climbing the Corey tower, you decide to take a 1,000-mile walk around the state.
Ya, know to meet the people and check things out. All in all not a bad idea, except for a few slight problems with the execution.
Dude, a little free DFI advice: maybe you want to wear, I dunno, a t-shirt with your name on it, carry a sign, or perhaps have pace car with the campaign information with ya.
The picture is priceless, there he is; a white guy, in a white shirt, khaki pants, a straw hat and sunglasses walking along the street with a friend also dressed spectacularly. The guy doesn't even seem to be able to attract a honk or a wave, hell I get that going to my mailbox.
The interview is stellar as well, he just lights up the camera-not. Really the most pressing problem is garbage-really? It's so precious that he doesn't even seem to understand that it's already against the law to litter!
A little more free advice, maybe you'd want to link your walk website to your election website in some way? But hey at least the guy is on Facebook and is Twittering, kind of, last update was 11 hours ago. Austin's walkabout really could be interesting, but somehow.it's.just.not.
Sad.
Comments (3)
Taking a page from history too, with 'Walking' Lawton Chiles, the former Dem Gov of FL who did the stunt first in 1970 when running (successfully) for the US Senate. Chiles was also re-elected to the U.S. Senate twice, in 1976 and 1982. The walk was pretty successful in garnering free media attention during the time too, and he was forever more known as 'Walking Lawton'.
From Chiles' wiki entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawton_Chiles
The 1,003-mile walk
"In 1970, Chiles decided to run for a seat in the United States Senate. At the time, despite his 12 years in the state legislature, he was largely unknown outside his Lakeland-based district. To generate some media coverage across the state, Chiles embarked upon a 1,003-mile, 91-day walk across Florida from Pensacola to Key West. The walk earned him the recognition he sought, as well as the nickname that would follow him throughout his political career – "Walkin' Lawton". In his journal Chiles wrote that sometimes he walked alone, while other times he met ordinary Floridians along the way. In later years, Chiles would recall the walk allowed him to see Florida's natural beauty, as well as the state's problems, with fresh eyes. After the walk, Chiles was elected easily".
This is another ancient piece of political history brought to you by TV. Or the lack thereof. JMP
Hey, I thought this was
"D" FI!
I think he looks just great. And all that cross-linking and tweeting and stuff is just confusing.
Could we use Will Fowlkes as a stunt double for A. Scott? We could set up embarrassing situations and post the photos on Facebook. With the hat he just might pass.
My favorite was the details of all the plants and animals he saw while walking, and very little about the people he met. Gracious little was said about them.