FM 202 Part 9

There are some precedents: In the early sixties in a primary race for governor in Tennessee a “Nobody” made a challenge against another Democrat. (Maybe Ray Blanton). He was the darkest of dark horses. Republicans knew nothing about him and cared even less. (But he came within a hair of upsetting the status quo of perpetual Boss Crump politics). As far as we know he had one simple campaign ploy: commercial billboards throughout the state. They were unforgettable. Kelly greens backgrounds with big yellow block letters that screamed-out “Bill Snodgrass Will Make a Great Governor” and that was it the whole campaign. We crossed party lines to vote for the dude. (He came within a hair).
Another example may give an insight into a strategy that may be used to the benefit of an ordinary American. Albert Gore (Dem.) was up for reelection in the U.S. Senate. The seat had been controlled by the Democrats since the beginning of time and there was no chance of unseating him by a Republican in the General Election. So an ingenious plan was set into motion. Lame duck Governor Frank Clement was flattered into running against Gore in the Democratic Primary. The Republicans crossed over en masse, voted for Clement, retired Gore, and came back in the General Election and elected their guy, Bill Brock in a landslide! There’s a big thing with politico gurus called “Name Recognition.” And with politics as usual this constitutes the second most pressing urgency – closely behind raising money. The idea being that voters can’t vote for a candidate unless they know his name. That may make sense to those with inquiring minds but if the truth were known we would probably confess to voting for names on ballots that we’ve never seen before or since. The name recognition for ordinary Americans will be so attached to the political philosophy hammered into their psyche by billboard propaganda that by election time the potential voter will recognize only the “NO-body” candidate. All their responses will be of the “knee-jerk” variety. They will see the ever present “whizzer” signs even in their sleep! “Whizzer” signs as one wag described it, Talks to You! They are comprised of two components: a piece of corrugated plastic board three inches wide and twelve inches long and a ten inch (in circumference) narrow rubber band. The rubber band is looped through a small hole punched in the center of the narrow dimension near the edge and pulled tight. The opposite end of the loop is then attached to an overhanging limb, twig, or anything that will support its weight (very light) so the sign can spin freely underneath the point of attachment. The rubber band “motor” insured that the sign can is constantly in a spinning motion with its two sided, two word message a’ la’ the old Burma Shave signs. It is absolutely impossible to ignore a “whizzer” and its message! “Whizzer” signs placed strategically before opponent’s four-by-eight campaign signs along the roadway have the ability to seemingly make the larger sign disappear. A Medical Doctor whose expertise is optical surgery explained that the frenzied movement of the smaller sign captures the optic senses so completely that the background either disappears or becomes an unintelligible blur. And besides being inexpensive, the little “bombs” can blanket the district with little time and effort. One “whizzer” attached to the end of a 3/16” X 3’ dowel was waved above a crowd demands so much attention that little else is even noticed. Children prefer the “whizzer”-on-a-stick” to a gas-filled balloon! Be prepared

(Part 10)