The Amway Model

In two articles for class now, I have read that the GOP relied on the Amway model to run their campaign operations. Having been exposed to that sort of "pyramid scheme" through some of my friends, I am curious as to why this worked for the Bush campaign.

In the 2000, Republican consultants acknowledged that were handily defeated in the "ground game." This Democratic staple tactic involves turning out large numbers of supporters on election day through massive GOTV efforts. In the 2004 campaign, Bush consultants Karl Rove and Mark Mehlman enacted a 72 hour plan to ensure that the GOP would be competitive in turning folks out to vote according to Karen Tulmuty's article.

In addition to GOTV operations, the Bush campaign also adopted a campaign heirarchy similar to the Amway model. In a top-down structure, almost every field decision was coordinated in the Bush headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. This stands in stark constrast to the Democratic strategy, which relied on well-financed 527 organizations like America Coming Together (ACT) to turn out the vote. There was no message synergy, however, as 527 groups could not communicate with the Kerry campaign due to campaign laws and they could not mention Kerry by name. ACT could only tell people to "vote for change."

Amway rewards you for hooking your friends and getting them to spread the word about the company and their products. The Bush campaign was very similar. They "empowered" volunteers to seek out individuals who needed to be registered. The campaign shifted volunteers to various tasks from phone banking to letter writing to calling talk radio.

And like any successful "pyramid scheme," the Bush campaign rewarded volunteers. It might be a signed picture of the President or a shot for the best seats at a Bush campaign rally, but it was enough motivation to get volunteers out.

The Amway model, coupled with their own 72-hour GOTV plan, enabled the GOP to beat the Democrats on their own turf: The ground game. And in 2004, the ground game made the difference in battleground areas that determined the winner of the Presidential election.