The goal of this page is to examine the candidates’ websites by looking at their use of multi-media (video, stories and audio), the display of their issues (the list of what they believe in and how they are different and similar to each other) and of course we will tackle just how the site appeals to the younger, college-age voters. Now, without further ado, let the reviews begin!
(These reviews were done Super Bowl Sunday, so if the websites have changed, curse the Internet gods)
Barack Obama, www.barackobama.com
Tag: “Change we can believe in” and “I’m asking you to believe…”
By the cover: When you first type in the web address, you will be sent to a welcome page asking you to sign up for the email letter. Personally, I find this annoying, so I skip this page. When I arrived at the home page, my eyes and ears were directed to a video message on the front page. That isn’t a rarity on this site, video is a huge feature and I think appeals to the young voters. Hollywood stars are featured in the homepage video and shows such people as Scarlett Johansson, quoting an Obama speech.
They’ve got issues: Unlike the other sites, Obama allows you to download his “Blueprint for Change,” which voices his issues. However, you don’t need to download any of it because, like the other sites, you can click the issue and read more about them. Unlike the others, Obama allows surfers to click an “at a glance” option where they can read specific attributes in his issues.
His issues range from civil rights to veteran affairs. Rivaling the likes of Ron Paul, Obama outlines the most issues on his site, 20, compared to Hillary Clinton’s 14.
Blog: Yep, plus links to Facebook, MySpace and several other similar sites.
Help a college kid, please: Obama’s website is geared towards college kids, so there’s no great shock that he mentions higher education in his education issue page. To look at higher education and avoid reading his plans to help the K-12, click the “at a glance” tab and it will take you to the bottom of the page.
How can I help: Obama’s “learn” tab has a “students for Obama” page. This page outlines Obama’s use of Facebook and MySpace to recruit student volunteers. The page encourages students to start their own chapters on the surfer’s own campus and has links to find chapters at your school. The page even allows surfers to download organizing tools. This is very helpful for college kids wanting to get involved.
Clothing I would wear to a party: Obama’s shop is pretty simple, but you can personalize your Obama shirt to match whatever state you hail from. I would choose Kansas or Texas because I’m sure those diehard red states are very popular when it comes to personalized “Obama for President” shirts.
News I learned while surfing his site: Arnold’s wife supports Obama. So, just add another big time Kennedy-related endorser. This time it’s the wife of a Republican. That’s like the Lakers adding another hall-of-famer like Gary Payton to an all ready loaded line-up.
Opinion: This is the most appealing site for the younger voters because it’s aimed for our age group. It has lots of video and is extremely accessible for web users. Stars, video, Facebook links = good for Kent State and other college students.
Rank: 9.5 acorns.
Mike Huckabee, www.mikehuckabee.com
Tag: Faith. Family. Freedom.
By the cover: The site is pretty simple, no pictures of him on the homepage and lots of graphics asking to make calls for Huckabee. The site has no “welcome” page asking for an email address, but it’s very prominent on the front page. The design, which is seemingly the same for all candidates, is simple with the basic options and nothing more. Unlike McCain, there is no page dedicated to why he should be president. The page has a very please-help-me-my-campaign-is-in-more-financial-trouble-than-Enron feel. He needs every visitors’ help.
They’ve got issues: Huckabee has 19 issues that range from his 9-point Strategy for Immigration Enforcement and Border Security to a definition of Huckabee’s vertical politics, which has to do with the way Huckabee runs his campaign. Some of his issues have videos where Huckabee describes what the particular issue page says.
One issue that Huckabee has that no other candidate has is a Cuba Policy. This is insightful because so many people focus on Huckabee’s faith rather than his ability to handle foreign policy. However, Huckabee would rather people talk about his preacher past than his foreign policy, but I think it’s a nice touch.
Blog: Yep.
Help a college kid, please: Huckabee’s education policy doesn’t include anything about higher education, just like the two other Republican candidates. He wants to lower taxes and doesn’t want same- sex marriages, but I have no clue what his stance is on federal college loans. Of course, I’m only looking at his website, so I’m sure he has one…I hope.
How can I help: The contribute tab and the get involved tab are at the top of the page and have links to download fliers, send messages to friends, and add Huckabee banners to your own website. However, there is no Ohio for Huckabee link on this page, so he either expects to be out of the race by our primary or he feels he has no chance. You can contribute anywhere from $1 to $2,300.
Clothing I would wear to a party: By far the most creative store as far as T-shirts are concerned. Surfers can choose from 16 designs for a shirt. Despite the design of Huckabee playing a guitar, the Chuck for Huck is the best one. Why? Two words: Chuck Norris. That’s right Chuck Norris supports Huckabee.
News I learned on his site: His newsroom page has clips, and stories. “Team Huckabee” writes some stories and other links detail when Huckabee will be on TV, useful for political junkies that think Huckabee is hilarious. But the most surprising fact I learned on this website is the “fighter of the decade” boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. endorses Huckabee. Pure amazement when I read that fact.
Opinion: Considering the amount of money he has, Huckabee’s site isn’t terrible; it’s just a little behind. The access and usability is pretty good and you can totally understand where Huckabee comes from by his site, huck—I mean heck, you just have to read his tag line to understand his positions. But I think his website appeals to college kids who want simpler things in life. It’s not geared toward the usual college voters, but it’s better than Romney and is a MySpace page away from being on McCain’s level. McCain’s site, along with Mitt’s, give a darker feel to its appeal. Huckabee is more uplifting, and it should be. It’s not surrounded by black colors. The endorsement of Chuck Norris could help because of the cult following that the TV Texas Ranger has with college students.
Acorns: 7. 5
Hillary Clinton, www.hillaryclinton.com
Tag: Make History.
By the cover: The first thing you see is Hillary’s face when you go to the site and her tag “make history.” I’m assuming this is the norm, but when it’s Super Tuesday, it changes. Next to her smiling face is a “join our team offer.” The set up is the same as the rest of the sites with tabs at the top of the page.
They’ve got issues: Hillary has 14 issues on her site. She’s got all the usual stuff, but by each issue box she has a picture of herself next to the box. Issues range from strengthening the middle class to health care. In each issue page, Hillary has speeches that surfers can read.
One issue she has that no other candidate has is a “champion for women” issue. This is not surprising for obvious reasons.
Blog: Yep.
Help a college kid, please: Like Obama, Hillary mentions college loans and even uses the words “pell grant.” She has the most to say about college loans and this can be found in her education issue page.
How can I help: There is a take action page at the top of the homepage. In this page, surfers can register to vote, plan events/parties and start their own blog about the former first lady.
Clothing I would wear to a party: I like the “Hillary cares about me,” shirt. For $14, it’s the one shirt that would make my conservative father melt and die if he saw me walking around town in.
News I learned on her site: With video, audio and links to articles about her, Hillary’s newsroom page is pretty multimedia. By reading her message to John Edwards, I learned that she is forgiving him for all those negative comments and really wants his support.
But she doesn’t need it. Hillary has a ton of endorsements, including the New York Times and Barbra Streisand. Nice.
Opinion: Love her, hate her, Clinton has a pretty good site with lots of extras with her issues and is very user friendly. The site also allows surfers to contribute in many ways. But I think they could tone down the visuals of her face. Fourteen pictures of her on the issue page is nuts— I don’t think anyone will forget what she looks like after 30 seconds.
Acorns: 8
John McCain, www.johnmccain.com
Tag: There really isn’t any tag on his homepage, but the stars suggest his military background.
By the cover: When you first go to the site, you are sent to a welcome page asking for the surfer to sign up for the daily email, but you can skip this step. The welcome page asks you to donate money, which loses points in my book because he is immediately asking for money. The homepage has a picture of him with breaking news as the centerpiece. He has an “in the news” section and a supporter spotlight. The spotlight has a constantly changing roll of high-profile endorser.
They’ve got issues: McCain’s issues range from taxes to lobbying and ethics (not surprisingly for the father of McCain-Feingold). He has 14 issues on the page that you click on to learn about what he believes in. He is the only candidate who mentions the space program as one of his issues. You can find past speeches on these issue pages as well. Some issues have a video link, whiles others just have an outlines plan of his positions on that particular issue.
Blog: Yep, plus a McCainSpace page
Help a college kid, please: His education plan isn’t even listed on the right column of issues that hang down and you have to scroll past 10 issues before you get to his education plans. Once you get to the page, like Huckabee, there is nothing there about college loans and helping students to get jobs after they graduate. His education plan focuses more on K-12.
How can I help: His “get involved” page is more focused toward older voters and not college students. However, his page allows users to join his team, offers options for women and veterans who wish to support him and has a “contact us option.” You can get involved on his McCainSpace page as well.
Clothing I would wear to a party: The weakest field yet in reviewing these sites. McCain doesn’t let you just buy shirts or hats, instead you have to donate a certain amount of money to receive anything. Want a hat that just reads “McCain?” Well you’ll have to pay $75 to get it. The designs aren’t even cool on the clothes; it just says his name with blue and white colors. Huckabee kills him in this category.
News I learned on his site: His newsroom is pretty in-depth with a multimedia page, speeches, press releases and an “In the news” section. All of these pages do a pretty good job getting the surfer the information about McCain. One thing I like is his media request option. Now, there might be media request on the other candidates’ sites, but I couldn’t find them, so I would say McCain’s is easy to access. I requested something on Super Bowl Sunday but have not heard anything back from him yet.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Norman Schwarzkopf endorse him. I don’t need to mention how much machismo and overall coolness that is.
Something extra to point out: McCain appeals to independent voters, which is why I like the “Undecided” tab at the top of the page. You can read why John McCain is for you and more about John McCain, plus there’s a video.
Cindy McCain, his wife, has a diary page, but it hasn’t been updated since September.
Opinion: McCain tries hard to appeal to younger people, but fails. His website is pretty straight, just like his straight talk express. The website has the McCainSpace page, but I think his page is more geared to the older Republican faithful. I don’t like the constant nagging of donations, which is on every page of his site. However, there are a lot of good things that other candidates don’t have, like the undecided page.
Acorns: 8
Mitt Romney, www.mittromney.com
Tag: True Strength For America’s Future
By the cover: You go to the site, and you arrive at a welcome page with a video. This page asks for the surfer’s information and contribute. You can skip this page. The first thing you see is a revolving news page with attacks on McCain and asks you to send a message to Mitt via text message. Also, there’s a MittWire, Mitt TV, Get to know Mitt and even a photo album. The homepage has a lot of information and is kind of cluttered. You can tell this is a man who spends money and with an interactive add for his T-shirts, he is aiming for younger voters.
They’ve got issues: Romney has 12 issues, and like Clinton, each issue has a picture of him next them. Unlike other candidates, Romney has videos with each issue. You can download his issues to your desktop. Each issue has the “Romney plan” attached to it.
The one issue he has that no other candidate does: “Confronting Radical Jihad” and “Combating Nuclear Terrorism.”
Blog: Five Brothers blog. This is a blog written by members of Mitt’s family, so it should be pretty critical.
Help a college kid, please: Romney addresses a college plan, referring back to his years as the governor. McCain and Huckabee did not address higher education in their education issue page.
How can I help: The “Show Your Support” page has many of the same tools that Obama and Clinton have, from joining “Team Mitt” to a fundraising tools page. The “Show Your Support” page also asks you to send a personalized voice message to your phone. Nice touch.
The best feature I have found on any site: Create your own personalized voicemail greeting from Governor Romney. This is awesome and creepy at the same time, but you have to pay $25 to do it, damn.
It gets better, you can sell your trash, like old toys, bikes and baseball cards on the “Mitt Market” page. Using auctionPal Inc, you can help Mitt win the election. Awesome. This site is blowing me away in laughter, so in a way, it’s appealing to me. No wonder this guy is a billionaire.
Clothing I would wear to a party: Shirts with faces are always good, and Mitt has that too in a limited time only offer to design your own T-shirt. This guy is rich because he knows how to capitalize.
News I learned while surfing his site (besides learning how this guy became a billionaire): His news tab has many options, press releases, speeches, debate central (which no one else had) and even a chat archive.
Because Romney has his newest ad on his site, I learned that John McCain and Hillary Clinton are very close.
Opinion: This site is the best Republican site out there, and it should be because like I said, Mitt is a billionaire. He goes overboard with his name— everything is Mittsomething. Why he even asks for donations is beyond me. However, he scores high on asking for donations in different ways. He has original ideas (for site features) and I think that goes a long way for me as far as being multimedia and appealing
Acorns: 9.5
Ron Paul, www.ronpaul2008.com
Tag: Hope for America
By the cover: Video in the middle of the page, along with ever changing pictures. He has a “Who is Ron Paul” to the left the video and pictures. There are a list of upcoming events and daily updates as well.
They’ve got issues: With 21 issues, plus 28 of Dr. Paul’s writings on the issues page, Ron Paul really tells it like it is. His issues range from the usual to American independence and sovereignty. He also discusses racism, which makes him the Republican candidate who discusses racism. The issues also come with videos on the page.
Paul’s issues reflect his libertarian views.
Blog: Nope, the only one without one.
Help a college kid, please: He talks about it, but in the libertarian beliefs. Paul has writings on The Family Education Freedom Act. His big feather is the “Make College Affordable Act.”
How Can I help: His “Get Involved” page offers grass root tips and a “Spread the Word” drive. Ron Paul is one of the most talked about candidates on college campuses, so the grassroots campaign must be working.
Clothing I would wear to a party: Again, shirts with faces are awesome, so I could the red, white or blue one with his face. But I think I would go with the students for Ron Paul shirt, because I’m a student and if I was supporting him, I would wear it.
News I learned while surfing this site: His news tab has press releases, articles, video and a YouTube link. I learned that Ron Paul had a Super Tuesday Super Sale on his site.
Opinion: If it seems I’ve slacked off on his website, it’s because I have. Ron Paul has so many other student sites on the web that his own site is more about press releases and donations. Because he is the last one I reviewed, the review gets slacked because as a whole, all of these sites are the same. They all have the same basic structure and I saved his site for last because I thought it would a little different. All in all, it’s got the same basic things that McCain has. It has more than Huckabee, but less than Romney. It’s more complicated than Obama’s but less scattered than Clinton’s.
Acorns: 7.5
