Editor's Note: Since this article was published, the mentioned website was subsequently taken down. A screen shot of the page is available to the left.
If you try going to RickPerry.com, you’re in for a surprise. You don’t end up at the Texas governor’s website, but rather at fellow Texan, Rep. Ron Paul’s campaign website.
No, Perry hasn’t dropped out of the race (yet). No, he is not endorsing Paul. Perry’s official website is RickPerry.org. While candidates and corporations often buy all domains similar to their own in order to ensure that supporters who mistype are redirected to the correct website – Perry and other GOP presidential contenders have neglected to do so.
In Perry’s case, this neglect is going to cost him – mistyping supporters aren’t just left hanging as is often the case (try newtgingrich.com) – but they’re redirected to another candidate who they could lend their support.
This amusing campaign mischief is telling about the changing landscape of campaigns and how candidates are going to fall behind if they don’t get on board with the internet, and quickly.
While a TV or print advertisement can tell you why Paul is better or why Perry is worse, that is all it can do. With this website however, we aren’t being told which candidate is better or worse. Instead, when people go searching for Perry, they just end up finding Paul.
Further, what is particularly interesting thing about RickPerry.com is that the Paul campaign claims that it isn’t their work. Whomever owns RickPerry.com controls where the website is forwarded to. This means that anybody with the foresight to buy these domains also has the power to influence and redirect supporters.
While this mishap and redirect don’t necessarily point in favor of the Paul campaign, they are yet another sign that some of the current GOP candidates could learn a lot about how to use the internet to their advantage – just take a look at Romney’s sponsored tweets and Jon Huntsman’s daughters’ viral YouTube video.
Photo Credit: Ron Paul Campaign
The Discussion
Paul's supporters are famous for campaigning on their own with their own literature, signs, and creative projects ranging from billboards and full-page newspaper ads to airplanes towing banners and even a huge blimp in his 2008 bid. One current example is "super-brochure" showing up in early states
I have to laugh - instead of talking about how dumb Rick Perry is, who can honestly say they wouldn't be susceptible to his 50 seconds of "uh . . ." and silence when asked which 3 agencies he'd eliminate. "Uh . . . that one . . ." Didn't Ron Paul give him the assist? Seriously - I could have done that, esp. under pressure. I probably wouldn't have, but I COULD have. You gotta give the guy credit for trying. It's obviously too stressful for him. I'll nominate his wife for something - she seems like a sharp cookie.
This has nothing to do with candidates being internet-savy. It has to do with the ethics, or lack there of, of their staffs and / or supporters. But then again, ethics have been gone from politics for a long time (personal opinion)
Hilarious! How funny is that? John Huntsman's daughters are really funny. I would support him on that basis alone.
Where would our funnybones be without Rick Perry? I for one think he made this campaign far more tolerable.
Proof once again that Perry has no knowledge of the world he lives in and therefore has no business in the White House.
Say goodnight Rick.
"goodnight rick"
Doesn't .org imply not for profit? Since when is any politician, let alone a governor from Texas, fall under that category?
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