Hillary Clinton has a problem: Unlike her presumptive opponent Donald Trump, she lacks any ability to “shoot from the hip.” Clinton has long been criticized for lacking in authenticity, but with Trump ready to tangle, Clinton will have to find a solution to her lack of appeal.
One big social media move, however, is threatening her ability to compete, especially online, where much of Trump’s rabid fan base resides—and where a campaign’s most ardent, dedicated followers are visible in the trenches. Trump’s followers (mostly) come naturally; Clinton-allied SuperPAC will spend $1 million to convince you hers are.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Clinton-allied SuperPAC “Correct the Record,” (on Twitter as @CorrectRecord) is hiring paid Internet trolls who will “find and confront” anyone posting unflattering messages about or bearing false witness against the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee. The online army, which is supposed to look grassroots and organic, is made up of former reporters, bloggers and public affairs professionals.
No doubt, the social media legion will look just as organic and natural as the candidate herself, particularly in comparison to Trump.
Correct the Record is the brainchild of longtime Clinton ally David Brock, also the founder of American Bridge, a vast left-wing opposition research and media dissemination network (in tribute, social media users looking to counteract a Connect the Record account often tag their responses with #BrockBots). It’s been in beta for a few months, but it’s already collected at least one high-profile victim—that of actor Tim Robbins.
#FeelTheBern @CorrectRecord pic.twitter.com/KNaPsVPSeS
— Tim Robbins (@TimRobbins1) April 25, 2016
Up until now, Correct the Record has been making up errant social media defenses when Clinton was attacked online, without guidance from the campaign’s crisis communications team. Correct the Record is still prohibited from openly coordinating with the campaign, because of its SuperPAC status.
But regardless of its level of campaign coordination, Clinton and Brock are exposing Clinton’s frightening lack of digital knowledge—and self-awareness—with this project. Internet culture abhors what it considers to be “fake” attempts at control, and Correct the Record certainly fits that description.
Where Trump can command an army of online trolls to “correct his record” across social media platforms (often without regard to Trump’s actual history), Clinton and her allies must pay millions for digital support. True believers will troll for free—but Hillary doesn’t have many.
Trump, on the other hand, has exhibited a talent for effective social media. According to a Fortune magazine analysis, Trump scored the maximum possible for “authenticity” on social media (Clinton got barely half his score), and ranked only behind Bernie Sanders in sheer numbers. Outlets have compared Trump’s social media mastery to a ground game. He’s racked up twice the amount of social media content as Clinton, and his Twitter audience is a veritable political powerhouse. Clinton’s can barely compete.
A group of fake Twitter lackeys certainly won’t help, well, correct the record.
