by Christopher Riner

Created on: October 24, 2008

I believe that candidates should not be required to hold press conferences. How many people actually listen to what is said when their shows are "pre-empted" due to a press conference? I feel that the candidates should be allowed to make their positions heard by any means they may deem necessary, but should not be limited to press conferences. As most press conferences go, how many of the reporters are not really reporters but are actually planted people who are to ask certain questions at a certain time? I feel that, in this day and age, the internet and/or e-mail is the way to go to get their message across. I am not saying that they should send out a mass e-mail, which would also turn people off from that candidates platform, but to make it an option to receive such an e-mail when you vote in the Party's primary. The candidates seem to always have a Tech guy who can make webpages, let them do what they do best.

Words are words, but when you see it on the internet, it seems to get across to me much better. I, for one, feel that candidates can talk, words can lie, but the person who makes the website puts a lot of what he/she believes into the page. If they do not believe what the candidate is saying, then the job they do is not as good as it could be.

Internet coverage is national and international coverage. With more than 1 million internet capable personal computers in use, the message gets out quicker and easier, plus the word-of-mouth is much clearer. With candidates, such as Governor Palin, being misquoted, it is easier and, I deem, better to see the words that they actually say than to hear them. It is much easier to misquote spoken words than to misquote written words.

Time is of the essence. When each candidate could be using the 30 minutes, 45 minutes, hour, or however long, in order to be putting the word out, campaigning...they are stopped, having to answer questions better asked and answered to the voters. I believe that these press conferences take up precious time better spent getting to know who you are going to represent.

The outlet of information should conform to the geographic location and the people you are trying to reach. First, and foremost, talk to the people, not the reporters. The reporters might vote for you, but might not. They are paid to cover your campaign, not to vote for you. The people out in the area is who matters. The power is with the people.

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