How many people would see the blimp?

[James R]

1. How many will see the blimp itself? Fifty thousand? A million? Should people donate the the project without knowing this?

2. How many local reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Ten? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

3. How many national media reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Three? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

I think the answer, is no, no and no. I expressed interested in donating to the project yesterday, but not a single soul seems to know what we expect the Ron Paul blimp to actually accomplish. I've seen "millions will see it" and then I ask what their basis for the number is and the person disappears. I've seen "reporters will flock to it" but if I ask what reporter likes the story I'll get no response. Can the $5,000 donors be serious, when they pledge money without knowing the important information about what will actually be accomplished?

[T206]

1. How many will see the blimp itself? Fifty thousand? A million? Should people donate the the project without knowing this?

2. How many local reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Ten? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

3. How many national media reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Three? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

I think the answer, is no, no and no. I expressed interested in donating to the project yesterday, but not a single soul seems to know what we expect the Ron Paul blimp to actually accomplish. I've seen "millions will see it" and then I ask what their basis for the number is and the person disappears. I've seen "reporters will flock to it" but if I ask what reporter likes the story I'll get no response. Can the $5,000 donors be serious, when they pledge money without knowing the important information about what will actually be accomplished?

James , Ive included your 3 questions in my "Blimp FAQ thread below" along with a bunch of other questions. Elija and the others running this NEED to step up and answer these questions or else they are doing the entire grass roots campaign a serious disservice with this distraction. The time and effort could be spent much better.

[ItsTime]

I am really starting to think this whole blimp thing is a joke gone bad. It is tying up money that should be used in tv ads in Iowa New Hampshire and SC.

Where are the PACs that are doing this now?

[T206]

I am really starting to think this whole blimp thing is a joke gone bad. It is tying up money that should be used in tv ads in Iowa New Hampshire and SC.

Where are the PACs that are doing this now?

I dont know if its a joke, or just a really poorly thought out and executed idea, either way I agree that its a huge distraction at this point, and it has the potential to make the entire grass roots campaign look terrible in the press.

[LFOD]

I dont know if its a joke, or just a really poorly thought out and executed idea, either way I agree that its a huge distraction at this point, and it has the potential to make the entire grass roots campaign look terrible in the press.

Gad, get over this fear thing. It's fun! And how does raising $350k and getting one of the world's largest airships over Boston in time for the 16th make us "look bad"?

[T206]

Gad, get over this fear thing. It's fun! And how does raising $350k and getting one of the world's largest airships over Boston in time for the 16th make us "look bad"?

I dont think its "fun" to put something this big out there and not have some of these questions answered already.

You are missing the point, I never said that raising $350k and doing the blimp will make us look bad...what will make us look bad is all these promises and misinformation, or lack of information and sloppy execution.

[llamabread]

They are still organizing it. They just put out the call for applicants, so pretty soon we will be seeing some results. For only having been working on this idea for around 4 days, Elijah and his team have done a remarkable job of getting us information, and executing. Just give it a little time.

[LFOD]

I dont think its "fun" to put something this big out there and not have some of these questions answered already.

You are missing the point, I never said that raising $350k and doing the blimp will make us look bad...what will make us look bad is all these promises and misinformation, or lack of information and sloppy execution.


:) This whole thing is either going to fly, or it won't. If it doesn't go, nobody will care. If it does, then we'll see. Given the extremely oompressed timetable, I think the guys doing the actual organizing on this thing are doing great.

[James R]

They are still organizing it. They just put out the call for applicants, so pretty soon we will be seeing some results. For only having been working on this idea for around 4 days, Elijah and his team have done a remarkable job of getting us information, and executing. Just give it a little time.

Thank you!

[Naraku]

How many will see the blimp itself? Fifty thousand? A million?

Well, if it's in Boston for the 16th there's supposed to be a Pats game in a nearby city and there's the re-enactment which probably means over 50,000.

Also Elijah is looking into getting it over New York City on New Year's Eve which could mean millions upon millions. Not considering the media coverage for it.


How many local reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story?

How many national media reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story?

I'm not sure I can answer how many and I don't know if they would consider it a good story, but certainly it would be a story. The Huffington Post has already mentioned it and it hasn't even started to fly. I think that's a pretty good indicator of how likely the media is to cover the story.

It will certainly at least merit a mention on CNN's political ticker and if it flies over a local area, they'll probably mention it at least in their local news, even if as an interesting tidbit.


Obviously it's gimmicky, but that's kind of the point. People love blimps.

[Midnight77]

What I think happened is the idea got tossed out without really being thought out. I will support it providing we can see a plan and those questions answered in the FAQ thread.

[Elijah]

What I think happened is the idea got tossed out without really being thought out. I will support it providing we can see a plan and those questions answered in the FAQ thread.

These are good questions and will all be answered soon.

Thank you for your patience!

[Primbs]

The most famous political ad of all time ran only once in a small state before it was pulled. The ad is the LBJ Daisy ad using an atom bomb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKs-bTL-pRg

Since this will be the first blimp used in american political history, the media will have to cover it.

How many of Romney's 14,500 ads that have aired in New Hampshire have been seen nationwide in the news?

[James R]

These are good questions and will all be answered soon.

Thank you for your patience!

"Soon" (1.5 days) Has come and gone. When will I get my answers? Today? Tomorrow?

[James R]

Any answers yet? Its been two days now.

[Tarzan]

Any answers yet? Its been two days now.

Everyone is working as fast as they can. The project was only started a few days ago and the volunteer effort is making the arrangements to get the blimp flying. I regret you have not had all of your questions answered. For the amount of work needed to get this done we need a bit more patience. Some questions are still being answered... again, we have only had a few days to get this planned and are still working hard.

Several decisions and questions are being resolved by the blimp team. It may take a few days to get all your questions answered. This will be done in the form of a FAQ which will be posted by Elijah. We cannot give you a firm date but we ARE trying hard to get the answers so we can have them for everyone.

Please imagine how much needs to get done... the legal work, hiring a small professional staff, coordinating with the airship company, beginning plans for the itinerary, creating graphics and artwork, trying to negotiate the best deals and scheduling interviews with the MSM... yes, they are already calling!!!

So, please hang on a bit longer. The answers are being assembled and will be made public in a few days. There is just an awful lot to get done and there has not been a lot of time to reply to the messages on the forum... as much as Elijah would like to get that done as quickly as possible he (and the other volunteers) still have to go to work to pay the bills and get a little sleep.

Patience please... it IS coming!

[Tarzan]

1. How many will see the blimp itself? Fifty thousand? A million? Should people donate the the project without knowing this?

There is no way to know for sure. The itinerary is still being planned on how to maximize exposure with the constraints of transit time. Visiting several college and university towns is one consideration. This would require transit along major routes to good population centers. The Boston TeaParty is a definite! As to the number of people who will see it we cannot say. The number will easily be over one million. This could be substantially more as the MSM picks up the story. The media is also being targeted for rides on the blimp. This will create a natural means of further exposure. The numbers are difficult to predict... but consider how many people will see it as it flys above Boston... then visits several population centers over the first month... then gets exposure in the MSM.


2. How many local reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Ten? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

As of yet no LOCAL reporters have been targeted. However, this should be a relatively easy mission once we begin contacting them... especially with the offer to allow them a ride in the blimp.


3. How many national media reporters have expressed that the blimp makes a good story? Zero? Three? Should people donate to the project without knowing this?

Our efforts are focused on the things necessary to get the blimp airborne with the graphics in place and ready for Boston on Dec 15-16. But, four reporters have called US and interviews have been scheduled. They are from newspapers in major cities... this should get the ball rolling... including with the smaller newspaper and media outlets.

We have only had a few days to work on this project... and there is a LOT to be done. But the answers are coming up YES, YES, YES!

More official information will be available in a few more days.

[James R]

There is no way to know for sure. The itinerary is still being planned on how to maximize exposure with the constraints of transit time. Visiting several college and university towns is one consideration. This would require transit along major routes to good population centers. The Boston TeaParty is a definite! As to the number of people who will see it we cannot say. The number will easily be over one million. This could be substantially more as the MSM picks up the story. The media is also being targeted for rides on the blimp. This will create a natural means of further exposure. The numbers are difficult to predict... but consider how many people will see it as it flys above Boston... then visits several population centers over the first month... then gets exposure in the MSM.



As of yet no LOCAL reporters have been targeted. However, this should be a relatively easy mission once we begin contacting them... especially with the offer to allow them a ride in the blimp.



Our efforts are focused on the things necessary to get the blimp airborne with the graphics in place and ready for Boston on Dec 15-16. But, four reporters have called US and interviews have been scheduled. They are from newspapers in major cities... this should get the ball rolling... including with the smaller newspaper and media outlets.

We have only had a few days to work on this project... and there is a LOT to be done. But the answers are coming up YES, YES, YES!

More official information will be available in a few more days.

"four reporters have called US and interviews have been scheduled."

For national stories or local stories?

[Kalash]

He said there were no LOCAL press contacts yet...


So apparently the media things this is gonna be big.

[MozoVote]

I have to admit, it's hard to NOT look at a blimp. And they are LOUD. Blimps occasionally fly past my house to circle a football stadium. You HAVE to go outside to verify what the heck is making that that buzzzzzzzzzzzz and where the heck it is.

[Tarzan]

http://ronpaulideas.com/images/BostonWhois.jpg

http://ronpaulideas.com/images/BostonRevolution.jpg

[Mental Dribble]

hmmm do you think it wsa good to leave out the words For President on the blimp?

Good work and thank you for all your doing.

James. You need to chill man, when you want to get on others about whats happening with this campaign, ask yourself. What are YOU doing to spread Ron Pauls message?

[Tarzan]

hmmm do you think it wsa good to leave out the words For President on the blimp?

A lot of discussion went into the decision and having "for president" was certainly one of them. In the end it was decided to leave the blimp message more open.

Instead of having someone look up and see the blimp... then realize it was "some guy running for president"... we wanted to leave a question in peoples minds.

This way Ron Paul supporters will have an open door to answer the question "who is Ron Paul" and what's the "Ron Paul Revolution"? The hope is to leave people thinking about the blimp and not discount it as just another political ad.

This way the questions have a better chance of remaining on their mind... and, give Ron Paul supporters the opening to win converts and votes by explaining the answers to those questions.

[noztnac]

The point is not how many see it from the ground but how many see it on tv and on the net.