AARP Focus Group: 'Change' and 'Experience' Messages Not Working With Denver Swing...

AARP Focus Group: 'Change' and 'Experience' Messages Not Working With Denver
Swing Voters
Undecided voters may sit out 2008 election without details on proposals,
accountability

DENVER, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An AARP focus group in Denver
found that neither the Obama campaign's focus on "change" nor the McCain
campaign's focus on "experience" appears to be working with undecided voters.
The panel of 21 swing voters, conducted by Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research,
Inc., found that these voters want specific information on their proposals --
including how the candidates plan to pay for them -- and accountability on
their promises.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO )
"The presidential candidates are hurting their chances with swing voters
by reducing their ideas to bumper sticker slogans," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP's
Executive Vice President. "These key voters are going to base their choice on
key details about how the candidates will help all Americans build lifetime
financial security and have access to quality, affordable health care."
The most frequent questions asked by the panel's voters centered on how
the candidates plan to pay for their proposals. The swing voters expressed
skepticism that the candidates would be able to fulfill campaign promises and
demanded specific financial information to go along with general proposals.
The swing voters on the panel said that they may choose neither candidate
based on the information they have now. They expressed concerns that Senator
Obama may not have substantial answers to key issues, while Senator McCain's
answers too closely align with President Bush.
"The good news is that both candidates have a golden opportunity to win
over swing voters," added LeaMond. "The bad news is that after the longest
and most expensive presidential campaign in our history, neither side has
successfully gotten through on what they specifically want to do and how they
plan to do it.
"This is a wake-up call for both campaigns."
AARP sponsored the focus groups with 21 swing voters on August 24, and
will conduct a similar focus group on August 31 in St. Paul/Minneapolis before
the Republican National Convention.
AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people
50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and
affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates
for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or
candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+
Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million
readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members
and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication
dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website,
AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security,
protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from
thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all
50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
SOURCE AARP

Drew Nannis of AARP, +1-202-434-2560, anannis@aarp.org; or Megan Holston of
Coburn Communications, +1-212-382-4450, Meghan.Holston@CoburnWW.com