SPEARFISH, S.D. — Although political campaigns for national office are hideously expensive these days, you don’t necessarily have to spend big to spend smart. South Dakota Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Kephart’s campaign is employing a unique web-based technology to reach new donors and potential voters.
Never before used in the political realm, Kephart’s online presentation (www.GOPpower.com) uses a proprietary combination of streaming video with synchronized Power Point slides, called Vforum, to deliver his long-format campaign keynote anywhere, anytime. The viewer can watch the previously recorded talk straight through, choose to browse by topic index, or, better yet, let the interface automatically search for keywords in the speech and take the viewer to them.
Kephart, 57, a first-time political candidate, entered the South Dakota U.S. Senate race for legacy issues. “My generation, the ‘baby-boomers,’ have done a dreadful job of leaving America a better place for the next generation. I was married late in life. I have two daughters, ages 8 and 12; I got into this race for them. Our parents, the World War II generation, left this place better off for us. We have abjectly failed to do likewise.”
Candidate Kephart, who owns a marketing consulting firm, decided to leverage his knowledge of online technology and try it out in his own campaign. “Vforum, the web-based platform I’m using, was initially developed to facilitate distance learning for critical military and law enforcement applications. During my primary campaign appearances, I’m frequently given only 5-10 minutes in front of an audience. It’s just not enough quality time. Vforum gives me an extremely cost-effective way to convey my full message to prospective voters 24/7, without interruption. The response has been very positive.”
Kephart, a conservative with populist leanings, adds, “Washington, D.C., what I call the ‘District of Cynicism,’ will never be able to deliver on any of its promises unless and until the broken dialogue between the major parties is transformed. Elected officials must get back to putting America first, before party, personal political advancement, or special interests. Wall Street and K Street are killing off Main Street. I’ll use any tool that helps even the fight.”
Brian Douglass, President of digital OutPost, the Carlsbad California-based developer of Vforum, said, “Mr. Kephart has been a client of our firm since the late 90’s. We’ve done several high-profile projects with him over the years. When he told us he was running for the United States Senate, putting our Vforum platform to work for his campaign seemed like a natural fit given our past collaborations.” Douglass and his partners were early pioneers in developing video compression and transmission technology when they all formerly worked for GTE. “We developed Vforum for serious world-wide training solutions. Although we have produced several successful military and government applications, we’ve never previously had the opportunity to apply Vforum to the political field. We’re excited about having a positive impact in such critical times.”
Kephart, who likes pushing technical and political barriers, concluded, “If I make it through the primary and get elected in November as a Senator, I intend to produce a monthly live Internet TV show for America entitled ‘Report to the People.’ It will have an 800 call-in number and web portal with automatic archive. Any citizen will be able to phone in and ask me about some pressing issue or stuck piece of legislation. This technology’s proven in the field and has the ability, properly deployed, to return some power to average Americans. I’ve been using video streams in corporate applications for ten years. It just amazes me that not one of our 435 Congressmen or 100 Senators has put this to work yet on a regular basis to serve their constituents. I guess they’re afraid of what might happen… I’m not.”
About Sam Kephart
For additional information or to receive a press kit on U.S. Senate candidate Sam Kephart, please contact Stephanie Mauszycki (mah-chess-ski) at 605-639-3159 or visit www.SamKephart.com, or email sam4senate@aol.com.
About Vforum
Vforum is the latest way to deliver a message more effectively online. This virtual forum utilizes video, synchronized with PowerPoint, to enhance visual appeal and information recall. A searchable format allows users to find information instantly. Fully captured, edited and hosted by digital OutPost, Vforum provides a way to reach a large distributed audience with one consistent and effective message. For more information or to schedule a demonstration, contact Meg Purvis at digital OutPost, located in Carlsbad, CA, at 1-800-464-6434 or email sales@dop.com.
[tags]South Dakota Republican, US Senate candidate Sam Kephart, Vforum virtual forum, digital OutPost[/tags]
