In the short term momentum is everything. And with one week left for T&T elections, the short term is everything. So who owns the momentum? The PNM or UNC/COP? Well let’s see what determines ownership of the momentum. In a word, it is interest. Which party is getting more attention and having more interest paid to them. Secondly, it’s how the parties are leveraging the interest to reach as many people as possible with their message of interest.
The UNC/COP has managed to outspend an incumbent party with the resources of the state or at least match them. Both parties are leveraging through media any groundswell that may be taking place, and from where I sit the UNC/COP are winning the battle. With more interesting messaging that’s more frequent.
And if we are to judge by front page headline ownership and letters to the editor, then the UNC/COP are clearly rising if not heading for a clear victory. And yes I know one week in politics is a lifetime. A major scandal on either side could turn the tide and even lead to a landslide victory. But something tells me there is nothing earth shaking to come and so the UNC/COP handlers would have to make a fatal flaw in the home stretch. So for them it should be more of the same, don’t change the script and the frequency of it. For the PNM it should be a week of some risk taking, like the equivalent of the goalkeeper leaving his goal for a corner kick. If I’m right, the PNM can’t play their normal game because they are behind and the referee is starting to look at his watch.
