The “Fiscal Cliff”

What was most surprising to you? (Election Edition)

Political Imagery

Tim Pawlenty campaigns for President in Iowa: August 2011.

Photo of Bruce Mann, husband of US Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren

Political imagery is important in a campaign. Whether it is overt or subtle, political campaigns understand that campaigns are emotional ventures and that voters respond to images even more so than the substance of a campaign. Above are two photos from recent political campaigns. The first is a photo of former Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty, at an Iowa campaign event in 2011. Pawlenty, a Republican, campaigned for President in 2011, but dropped from the race after a poor showing at the Iowa Straw Poll in August of that year. The second photo is not of a candidate, but of a candidate’s husband. Bruce Mann is the spouse of US Senate candidate, Elizabeth Warren. Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has had difficulty in connecting with voters during her campaign. In both photos, there are messages sent out to capture a voter’s attention. What images do you see?