2008 election needs new media playbook

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A veteran of the 2004 U.S. election campaign says presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are wasting their money on television advertisements.

Matthew Dowd, who served as chief strategist for President George Bush, says the way voters follow campaigns and make decisions this year is entirely different due to the proliferation of communication channels, The New York Times reported Monday.

"At this point, the ability to create and drive a message narrative is all but impossible," Dowd said. "There is so much flow of information that they (voters) just begin to discount it all."

Dowd says the fact so many once-trusted news organizations are under fire means campaigns would be wise to discard the standard playbook.

"The only things that are going to change the equation of the election are the four debates," Dowd said, referring to the three meetings between Democrat Obama and Republican McCain plus the one vice presidential debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.