Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

OTHER VOICES:

Expensive, negative, combative’

Anjeanette Damon’s take on Campaign 2012

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Anjeanette Damon

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A Q+A with: Anjeanette Damon

Senior Editor/Politics, Las Vegas Sun, and host of “To The Point” on KSNV-TV Channel 3. On Twitter: @AnjeanetteDamon

What trends have you seen this election?

Early voting is increasing in importance to the point of taking over Election Day. The spending is astronomical. The candidates are spending much less time talking to local newspaper reporters in swing states. That used to be the way to escape the national press corps narratives, but now the candidates are doing five-minute local TV segments with nonpolitical beat reporters when they visit and requiring that the interview not run for 24 hours.

Any trends you are pleased with or worried about?

The move away from talking to local newspaper reporters is particularly troubling. It doesn’t allow voters to learn much about where the candidate stands on state-specific issues.

Any Nevada-specific trends?

This is the third presidential election cycle that has pegged Nevada as a true battleground state and the second cycle in which Nevada was an early caucus state. Voters here are now much more adapted to the spirit of participation. Before, Nevada was known as a state where voters rarely participated in civic-type activities and turnout numbers were usually dismal. But now campaigns have spent years recruiting volunteers, door knockers, people to man the telephones. Voters are more engaged than ever. That’s a good thing.

How would you tag this election on a blog?

Expensive, negative, combative, close, television advertisement, battleground.

Best thing(s) you’ve seen this election?

The voter participation.

Worst thing(s) you’ve seen?

The propensity for advertising, in mailers particularly, to stretch the truth or outright fabricate. Some mailers even presume voters are too stupid to know that state-level politicians have no say over the federal debt or Medicare.

Campaign cliché(s) that need to be retired?

This is the single most important election of our lifetime.

Any surprises you’ve seen so far? Any potential upsets or surprises you see on Election Day?

The hastily constructed Republican turnout machine may give Democrats a true run for their money.

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