Campaign and Political Consultant
Jakarta – Political campaign is such a theatrical drama staged by political actors, i.e. Richard A. Joslyn (in David L. Swanson and Nimmo, (ed.), New Directions in Political Communication: A Resource Book, 1990). What if Joslyn’s statement compare to another political figure’s at political parties’ campaigns in Indonesia recently? Demokrat’s campaign at Gelora Bung Karno by notable campaigner, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conveyed a number of government’s goal achievements during his reign. He spoke that nation security and stability is uprising.
SBY also remarked another four achievements in terms of law enforcement, including corruption eradication, economic development, welfare improvement, and internationally recognition of Indonesia. In the other hand, PKS held campaign in Widya Karna Field, East Jakarta.
The president of PKS, Tifatul Sembiring, spoke that 2009 General Election was the last chance for senior politicians as in the next election 2014 they would be substituted by the younger ones. Since now, PKS brought out candidates under 50 years old. Meanwhile in Jember, East Java, the head leader of PDIP, Megawati Soekarno Putri warned the people to distinguish between gold and worthless brass when they voted in the general election. Joslyn statement above now appears apt. The political campaign is merely dramatical scenes. The oration, either by SBY, Tifatul Sembiring, or Megawati as above, is only dramatization of occasion in order to attract the audiences as constituents. Political campaign is a form of business managed by some agents whose purpose is to persuade the prey targets to accept, modify, or discard certain ideas, and attitudes. The political campaign is parable to face makeup. The model will be looked more attractive after her face has been retouched by makeup. The attractive look is the success meter of the makeup artist. As well as the politicians and political parties, they become more attractive after the campaign is nicely polished. But there is one curiosity, who is the ‘makeup artist?’ for those political campaign and politicians? Spin doctor in practice, political campaign is more likely to fail. But there are quite some numbers that succeed, because it was well-designed by the expert acts like spin doctor. In the beginning, the term spin doctor is widely known among political world as political public relation consultant. These consultants give service to build political image for their clients (usually for certain politicians). Whereas the other service is giving negative impression to the opponent. (Handayani, 2005). The profesion of this public relation consultant which is also called press agent or publicist was initially built by a couple Cleam Whitaker and Leon Baxier at Los Angeles AS in 1933 under the name Campaign Inc. The term PR public consultant was used until 1984, after the campaign team Ronald Reagan replaced it with spin doctor. McNair in his book ‘An Introduction to Political Communication’ (2003) defined spin doctor as individual who posses the ability to control public, trigger the mass, and take charge of media, as well as being the political conceptor in provocation. Spin doctor is in the middle level between the promoting politicians and the media journalists who will promote them. Hence, a lot of parties repute spin doctor profession as a kind of communication skill that combines the public relation principals, advertising, and marketing (Changara, 2009). One of the eminent spin doctor during Reagan’s reign is Michael Deaver. The incident of Reagan’s shot was the outset proof of Deaver expertise as spin doctor. In the middle of uncertainty, Deaver invited the journalists and cameramen to pay a visit to the president. Deaver intended to give some clue to the world that Reagan was getting well, and his state function was still manageable to handle. Under the spotlights, Reagan seemed to be signing some accounts and other important documents. Deaver wanted to show Reagan acted notably among other Hollywood stars. In this case Denver wanted to change people’s opinion even with pseudo event. In Indonesia itself spin doctor is usually known as campaign manager, winning election institution or political consultant. These institutions give service in directing public opinion about the candidate’s imaging. These institutions use every communication lines to build the political image of the client by establishing and directing opinion to persuade the public and win the election. By using communication media in establishing the public opinion, spin doctors are deluding their coercion attempt into persuasion (Etman dalam Louw, 2005). The role of spin doctor is not only standing between the political parties and the media, but also in charge in determining the arena of political power struggle. Approaching the general election 2009, the political parties and the politicians was presented many choices of political consultancy institution. Say the Indonesian Survey Institution, Indonesian Survey Circle, P2P LIPI, and Reform Institute are some examples of many other political consultancy institutions emerged in Indonesia. The result of the legislative and president election 2009 will proof, who is the best political consultant in Indoensia? *) YANDI HERMAWANDI, Political and Media Analyst; active in The Lead Institute Universitas Paramadina, Editor in Rajawali Pers publicher. No. Hp.: 0856 2191 350
