Thursday, 8 March 2012

Gingrich Campaign Launches Anti-Romney Facebook Timeline

Here’s something we haven’t seen done with Facebook Timeline before: political opposition research.

Newt Gingrich launched a new Timeline page called the “Romney Record” Wednesday morning, fresh off the heels of Super Tuesday. The idea? To use Timeline’s chronological layout to highlight Mitt Romney’s decisions that some conservative voters may find off-putting.

Many conservatives, Gingrich included, have accused Romney of failing to be “conservative enough” to win the support of Republican voters. Facebook Timeline has given the Gingrich campaign a unique way to make that argument in an easy-to-consume digital format.

The page’s cover photo labels Romney an “out-of-touch liberal.” The “about” section highlights a Romney quote about not wanting a return to the years President Reagan, who is idolized by many conservative voters.


The Romney Record Timeline specifically calls attention to Romney quotes that make him appear a too-liberal moderate Republican whose wealth prevents him from understanding the lives of average Americans.

Posts about recent Romney gaffes include a quote about his being “unemployed,” as he left the Massachusetts governorship in 2007. Romney intended the line to connect with Americans unable to find work in a tough economy, but many found it insincere because Romney enjoys considerable personal wealth.


As a visitor to the Romney Record scrolls down the page and backwards through time, he or she is presented with news clips and video of Romney speeches, quotes and decisions from his time as governor of Massachusetts that have proved controversial with some Republican voters.

Scrolling further down the page reveals stories about Romney’s life before politics as President and CEO of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games and CEO of Bain Capital, a private investment firm. Prominently highlighted is a now-famous picture of a young Romney and his Bain associates passing proudly displaying money.


A longer trip down the Timeline shows visitors Romney taking moderate stands on issues like abortion rights and health care during his 1994 Senate race against the late Ted Kennedy.

However, some parts of the Timeline are mislabeled. For example, that 1994 senatorial debate between Romney and Ted Kennedy is called a “gubernatorial debate” in the description. 

What do you think of the Romney Record Timeline page? Do you think more of these negative political Timelines will show up in the coming months? Sound off in the comments below.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, Gage Skidmore

Source: Mashable

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