What the 2008 campaign taught communicators

Fifteen lessons from the longest and most expensive presidential campaign in U.S. history

Let’s be honest, the 2008 presidential election hasn’t been historic, it’s been earth shattering. Historians will measure every other campaign B.E.2008 and A.E.2008—that’s Before Election and After Election.

It has been the longest and most expensive race; it featured two strong women of two very different and opposing backgrounds; it pitted the oldest presidential candidate against the first black candidate; and it left communicators with plenty of speeches to celebrate, criticize and dissect.

“I think there has been some thrilling rhetoric in this race—rhetoric that has brought tears to my eyes and made me laugh out loud,” said former White House speechwriter Ken Askew. “Some of the speeches have been very engaging intellectually.”

Since any election is an exercise in communications, embodying everything corporate communications from PR to speechwriting, Ragan.com interviewed six communicators to learn the most important lessons the campaign taught us.

So with no further ado, the longest and most expensive and most earth-shattering election ever—in 15 easy lessons.