How Herman Cain is using digital strategy to fight harassment allegations
Herman Cain has called the media’s response to unearthed sexual harassment allegations a “high-tech lynching.” Whether or not you agree with that, the Republican candidate is fighting back with high-tech strategies. As the bombshell allegations that Politico scooped almost two weeks ago are overshadowed by Rick Perry’s viral flub for the moment, here are several ways in which Cain’s campaign is battling accusations that could potentially destroy his campaign — but haven’t.
On one front, the Cain camp responds by targeting keywords, The New York Times reports. A Google search for “herman cain sharon bialek” or “herman cain scandal,” yields a link to CainTruth.com, which is a paid ad placement. Located just above the latest news articles, the link takes you to a blog that aims to “bypass the media filter,” with arguments against the allegations, an investigator’s report in favor of Cain, a detailed press release about accuser Sharon Bialeck’s lawsuits and financial struggles among other similar posts.
CainTruth.com
The New York Times also found that Herman Cain bought an ad on Twitter shortly after the sexual harassment story broke on Politico. Those who searched for the candidate on the social networking site came across this:
From Team HC: Sadly, we’ve seen this movie played out before. Mr. Cain and all Americans deserve better http://bit.ly/uU0j7a
Cain’s Twitter and Facebook followings continue to skyrocket ahead those of his competitors; an OhMyGov study found that the pizza magnate gained 6,000 new Twitter followers since the scandal broke and at least 12,000 Facebook fans on November 1.
But as OhMyGov points out, high numbers don’t necessarily indicate popularity. A lot of Americans could have started following the GOP hopeful out of curiosity, to watch the train wreck. But the polls show otherwise; RealClearPolitics.com put together this fantastic graph that shows Cain’s polling average topped Romney in the days after the scandal at about 25% to his 23-24%. Only recently, on November 11, did it dip 22% to Romney 22.5%.
Cain also unveiled a brand new website on Friday. HermanCain.com looks much sleeker, with a dashboard-style home page featuring a calendar, blog posts, video and Cain’s Twitter feed (Rick Perry is the only other candidate with a Twitter feed on his front page). Business Insider called the launch a “new phase in Cain’s upstart White House bid,” including the hiring of two Atlanta-based companies, Washington Political Group tech consultancy and designers Studio 223. Insider reports that the two firms were responsible for “95%” of the website as well as Cain’s social and digital re-branding, but left the campaign two weeks ago.
Cain’s social media mastery reminds me a little of Barack Obama’s in 2008. Obama and Cain both have a similar understanding and appreciation of digital presence. As I wrote about in a paper during my last semester at NYU, the press and politicians can now compete for the attention of their audience. And Herman Cain is wasting no time in challenging the media in that race.
On another note, more OhMyGov research finds that Newt Gingrich is in another “stratosphere” in the rate of his social media output, tweeting more than any of the other GOP hopesfuls. Another candidate getting his shot as the anti-Romney, rising in the polls after an embattled campaign… but maybe more on that later.
