McCain's New Strategy: Giant Yardsigns

by: Matt Stoller

Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 23:00

This is a sign in Bellevue for McCain, with me in the foreground so you have some perspective on just how massive it is.

As we all know, yardsigns vote. The race continues to tighten.

Matt Stoller :: McCain's New Strategy: Giant Yardsigns

Tags: John McCain, Barack Obama, 2008 presidential race, (All Tags)

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McCain's New Strategy: Giant Yardsigns | 38 comments

Oh noes! (4.00 / 3)

I don't have a yard sign that big.

Conduct your own interview of Sarah Palin!

by: fwiffo @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:08:39 AM UTC

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You must have yard sign envy (4.00 / 1)

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

by: kovie @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:52:15 AM UTC

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There's a rebuttal to this (0.00 / 0)

http://www.cafepress.com/08yar...

I remember I laughed when I first saw that.

by: hopecorn @ Wed Oct 29, 2008 at 13:51:23 PM UTC

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LOL! (4.00 / 1)

Yes, I've seen the giant yardsign strategy here as well, however, the signs here aren't nearly as large as the one you found...

I wonder how much you have to donate to get a huge sign like that?

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

by: lord_mike @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:12:12 AM UTC

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Can we be sure (4.00 / 8)

it's not the other way around in terms of who has to pay whom?

by: Oaktown Girl @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:32:50 AM UTC

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Finally, the October surprise (4.00 / 7)

Giant yard signs - brilliant!!!

by: rfahey22 @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:23:29 AM UTC

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When McCain is president (4.00 / 6)

every family that lost a home in foreclosure will get one of these "emergency tent shelters." That is mortgage rescue McCain style my friends.

by: T Maysle @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:25:53 AM UTC

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They invented a way (0.00 / 0)

to use that $50000 of clothes Palin "returned" .. sew 'em together and spray paint billboards on 'em.

by: T Maysle @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:28:28 AM UTC

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how to fight back (4.00 / 2)

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

by: Hopeful in NJ @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:32:18 AM UTC

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I need a new roof on my house. (4.00 / 2)

Maybe I can get one of those signs as a temporary fix. Did it look pretty durable? Bet I can get one at a pretty good discount say about Nov. 5th. With my luck, Palin's clothing budget made them go cheap on the HUGE sign budget.

by: zelt @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:33:42 AM UTC

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You'd have to Palinize the McGussets to avoid leaks (4.00 / 2)

Does Nieman Marcus sell designer duct tape?

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything...Mankind are forever destined to be the dupes of bold & cunning imposture" -- Alexander Hamilton

by: kovie @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:48:27 AM UTC

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I don't know but (0.00 / 0)

leave my gussets out of this, especially if you are talking about palinizing them. Man that is a really low blow.

by: zelt @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 04:12:41 AM UTC

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The McCain Campaign invested in an email offer (4.00 / 1)

And their yard signs got bigger . . .

by: tietack @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:47:19 AM UTC

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Oh no! (4.00 / 1)

The Obama campaign has to so something about this! Obama yard signs are proportionately smaller than other campaign signs... I'm very worried that this will throw the election. I'm not satisfied with the response, yet, from the campaign!

< /concern>

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

by: lord_mike @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 03:53:01 AM UTC

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Ah yes, yard signs. . . (4.00 / 4)

Like robocalls, yard signs are the last vestige of the damned. Or to paraphrase a political consultant I once knew - yards signs only work to remind a candidate's supporters who to vote for (and only if the yard sign is in the supporter's yard).

by: jim_treglio @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 04:13:42 AM UTC

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visuals (4.00 / 2)

I think yard signs work in suburban communities in that they make it OK to vote for a candidate you might otherwise think your community is solidly against.

But a 40 foot sign has none of that appeal. That's just the crazy guy down the street.

vodamusic.com

by: CranesAreFlying @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 08:11:04 AM UTC

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I have it from (0.00 / 0)

Darcy Burner's hangers-on in Bellevue (strict hearsay) that she shares your consultant's view and that if you want a Darcy yard sign, you can buy it from her. That is, if you need a reminder as you head out to vote ...

by: David in NY @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 14:25:07 PM UTC

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I've worked on 2 campaigns (0.00 / 0)

And what I've been told is that a desire for a yard sign is only worth how much the campaign can then "upsell" that instance of voter contact into something else (a donation of time or money).

Other than that, they're worthless, especially because they make voters THINK they're doing something when, really, they're not.

It seems to be a cultural phenomenon -- this is the first year I've seen yard signs in my parents neighborhood on LI. When I volunteered for the Kerry campaign in Phoenix/Tempe, I didn't know what to make of the obsession with them. Just thought it was kind of weird.

by: renska @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 18:43:20 PM UTC

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Rossi signs are huge also (0.00 / 0)

Typically they are bigger outside of King county. But looks like you found a big one in close.

by: jello5929 @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 04:34:35 AM UTC

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Observations from North Alabama (4.00 / 3)

I'm seeing a significant number of McCain-Palin signs (normal size only) on roadsides instead of in yards. The Obama-Biden signs are only in yards at this point. Theft of Obama signs has been widespread -- mine has been stolen twice -- and, in a bit of poetic justice, the replacement Obama signs are about 25% larger than the old ones. Nothing like as big as the McPalin windbreak, though.

Join the conversation at Left In Alabama.

by: Mooncat @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 04:58:53 AM UTC

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Is this in Bellevue, Washington? (4.00 / 2)

Because if it is, could someone post exactly where this is? It's like a tragic car wreck -- I know I shouldn't want to look at it, but I do. And just this morning I commented to my wife about who even bothered to spend the money for the regular sized McCain signs here in Bellevue. A sign this big had to be expensive. Someone's in serious denial. This is someone's way of going "LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU! THE POLLS ARE WRONG! MCCAIN PALIN! MAVERICK! MAVERIIIIICKKKKK!!!".

by: fnord @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:06:33 AM UTC

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Yes, this is Bellevue, WA (0.00 / 0)

If you know the area (or have a GPS), this is at the southwest corner of the intersection between 124th Ave NE and NE 8th Street in Bellevue.

This intersection is at the entrance to the Wilburton Neighborhood and every election cycle there are way too many yard signs here. They're also mostly republican.

It probably has something to do with 8th being a busy arterial and this is one of the few undeveloped lots on it...

I noticed it driving home from work on Friday and had to pull over to laugh. Money well spent indeed.

by: MaqOuzo @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 17:55:03 PM UTC

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I just thing it's super strange (4.00 / 1)

that the sign doesn't have Palin's name on it.

by: Elias @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:23:06 AM UTC

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palin's name (0.00 / 0)

quite a few mccain signs here in indiana just have jm's name on them. my bo sign has polar bears for obama on it.

by: breid1903 @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 12:52:37 PM UTC

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Speaking of Stolen Yardsigns (0.00 / 0)

There is a more permanent solution that a local Austinite throught up.

by: KTinTX @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:24:47 AM UTC

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Matt (4.00 / 1)

When I'm up there, can you take me on a tour of that sign?

by: hekebolos @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:28:26 AM UTC

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sure (4.00 / 1)

by: Matt Stoller @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:40:35 AM UTC

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Bush Third Term (0.00 / 0)

Check out www.bushthirdterm.com
John McCain tells his supporters before a republican straw poll not to vote for him, but to write in George W. Bush. What more do you need to prove McCain is more of the same?

by: vegasoriole @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:42:01 AM UTC

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Bush third term (0.00 / 0)

OOPS!
Should be bushthirdterm.net.

by: vegasoriole @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 05:42:54 AM UTC

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You are so wee! (0.00 / 0)

by: TeddySanFran @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 06:57:55 AM UTC

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Holy crap (0.00 / 0)

McCain is going to win this one big.

John McCain: Beacuse lobbyists should have more power

by: Populista @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 07:01:34 AM UTC

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who's the cute guy? (4.00 / 1)

by: dr anonymous @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 08:34:03 AM UTC

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One Way to Spend Money (0.00 / 0)

So that's what $84M in (socialist) government-provided campaign financing buys!

With tall grass growing in front of the sign, is the sign actually fully visible, or is there simply misleading camera perspective?

by: BBCWatcher @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 09:13:33 AM UTC

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Could be MUCH worse ... (4.00 / 3)

I've been thankful that the people who make those huge inflatable holiday yard things haven't gotten around to making campaign stuff yet.

by: just john @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 11:23:48 AM UTC

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Holes (0.00 / 0)

Like his message, this sign is chock full of holes.

by: Gerald Weinand @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 12:38:49 PM UTC

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PNW is obsessed with signage (0.00 / 0)

If that's Bellevue, Washington (and I'm pretty sure it is), then I am not surprised in the least. Suburban and rural Washington are crazy about political signage--I worked the Kerry campaign in Skagit County in 2004, and the demand for four-by-eight foot Kerry signs was incredible--lots of people wanted them in their yards.

Pity that signs cans only vote a limited number of times (about the same as buttons, bumper stickers, and youtube vids)....

by: kurtyboy @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 12:45:20 PM UTC

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After the election.... (0.00 / 0)

They should ship those things south to hurricane alley. They'd make fine tarps for people who lose their roofs.

by: markg8 @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 14:41:11 PM UTC

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Yard signs are scarce along the roadways in Prince William County, VA. (0.00 / 0)

The state has a law that yard signs posted on the rights-of-way of the road are illegal and the campaign can be fined for each and every sign posted in these areas. Fairfax County, next door, is very lax with enforcing this law, so it is covered with signs, but Prince William County government will send a truck to carry them away.

Obama signs have been so hard to come by that I cringe to see them posted in the medians for roadways. They won't last long there.

by: pol @ Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 15:32:39 PM UTC

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McCain's New Strategy: Giant Yardsigns | 38 comments

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