During the last candidate standoff on Monday, that attention was quite negative. And, this seems to be the trend in much of the news that we find online today. Historically, the press has focused on more negative stories to entice the American audience, however new media circulation is more openly critical, and strongly opinionated.
Of all the complex and relevant issues of our day that were discussed in the last two debates, “firing Big Bird” and “binders full of women” were what America chose to talk about. Or, should I say tweet about? Governor Mitt Romney’s statements went viral sparking Twitter accounts like @FiredBigBird, and URLs like bindersfullofwomen.com, which openly scrutinize the Republican candidates plans to address the budget deficit, and women’s issues. A trend,"#bindersfullofwomen", was one of the most frequently mentioned topics on Twitter Monday night, and the Facebook page "Binders Full of Women" amassed nearly 200,000 "likes" at the time of writing. The public has ignored big topics, like the budget deficit and foreign policy, to capitalize on small mishaps that even uneducated, and politically apathetic voters can understand. In assessing media power, it’s evident that this may have a negative long-term impact on Romney’s campaign. Priming, or closely associating, the “Big Bird” and “Binders Full of Women” comments with the Republican candidate’s economic and social plans may sway some less informed voters. It is difficult to judge the impact of the sudden popularity of Romney’s statement on the election outcome at this point, but the role of social media in this year’s election will surely be scrutinized, whatever the outcome.
Anyone can own a blog, website, twitter account, or Facebook page so it’s difficult for voters to determine whether various publications are true criticisms, or false accusations. The proliferation of websites like Facebook and Twitter has given much more information to those who seek to become more informed. However, it is notable is that voters who are not actively looking for more data are surprisingly less knowledgeable, and are more exposed to false and misleading information. The concept of two-way media may facilitate more direct expression of public opinion, but it’s almost impossible to regulate what news is being shared. The public tends to over-magnify candidates slip-ups and scandals, rather that their successes, so social media is impactful in many political arenas.
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