This week, the Kucinich 2008 campaign tried a new tack at fundraising: asking for contributions to specifically finance campaign interns, so they can… well… eat.
Maybe this is just intern solidarity, but I though their video was genuine. More importantly, these five interns actually caused me to reach for my wallet. To be perfectly honest, I’d never considered donating to Kucinich before!
I don’t even have to agree with their political beliefs to respect that there is something authentic about this type of communication, especially from interns (the low men and women on the totem-pole). This video was moving because it allows the usually voiceless members of a Presidential campaign to be appreciated, as well as providing a new way of creating a sense of ownership.
All major Presidential candidates have or will have a strong online presence in 2008. For instance, the Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards campaigns all have well-developed online presences. No surprise there. Yet the grassroots successes of 2004 were not just about having a strong online presence, but finding the magic formula that gives people a feeling of ownership in the campaign. Kucinich’s camp is getting closer to finding that formula, by providing opportunities not only to interact with Kucinich online, but with his campaign staff and supporters.
If online video has made the candidates more personal and relatable, can it happen to the campaigns themselves? Will supporters even care about the interns who run themselves ragged for their Presidential candidate?
I think so.
