John Thune's Message Strategy

Development Phase: Define Message

Thune chose to make his message a commentary on Daschle’s inability to represent South Dakota. As the challenger Thune needs to emphasize areas where Daschle is weak and he is strong. A decrease in party identification and change in media has necessitated a different focus for campaigns. “Advertising in the television age is more about projecting a likable persona than about communicating ideas about governance” (Steinhorn 2004, 111).

	In following this belief, Thune focuses his message on Daschle’s connection to the state and his values. Thune discusses policy issues, but does it to illustrate value differences. On his web page he has "The Clear Difference" a comparison list mentioning his and Daschle's positions on issues. Many of the issues shown relate to values (Johnthune.com).
photo provided by John Thune's Campaign website		photo provided by John Thune's Campaign website

Strategic Phase: Convey Message

Once Thune chose the theme and means of comparison he needed a process for conveying the information. Faucheux discusses five ways of developing the type and timing of campaign ads. Thune choose a standard pattern of “aggressive attack”; he opened positively, went negative before the Daschle, responded to attacks, and closed duel track positive/ negative (Faucheux 2002). As a challenger Thune needed to attack so constituents had reason not to reelect Daschle. Attack ads are important for a challenger to gain recognition since they are better remembered than solely advocacy ads (Khan and Kenney 2000).

Opening Strategy: Advocacy

photo provided by Steve Sibson

He portrays himself as a common man in South Dakota with South Dakotan values. His opening and closing TV ads show his daughters talking about him. The two girls evoke a normal family environment by bickering, laughing and teasing their dad. In “Unique People” he discusses how growing up in South Dakota means he understands the people (Johnthune.com 2004). These ads define Thune favorably and inoculate him against attacks on his character.

Continuing Strategy: Comparison

He contrasts positive ads of himself with unfavorable ads of Daschle. He attacks Daschle for forgetting his origins, and becoming a "political machine" ("Pioneer Principles" JohnThune.com 2004). In his Mt. Rushmore ad, Thune describes how Daschle favors interest groups over regular citizens. He even insinuates that Daschle is a liar, because he "says one thing and does another" (Straight Talk Johnthune.com 2004).

Thune used other opportunities to attack Daschle. He accepted a challenge from the Rapid City Journal for more debates because they allowed him to illustrate Daschle's disconnect with South Dakota values (Rapid City Journal).

Thune’s strategy was successful. He defined himself and Daschle on his terms, enabling him to direct the focus of the campaigns.

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Contact Anne Pearlstein at anpearlstein@davidson.edu

Created 7 November 2004. Last Updated 13 November 2004.