Candidates add email to arsenal

On Sept. 5, Michelle Obama sent a message to her husband’s email list with the subject line, “As always, thank you.” It was the morning after her speech to the Democratic convention, and she wrote: “I know your life is full — with work, or school, or family — and yet you still find the time to help out when you can. You may have a tight budget, but you give what you can afford.”

In two short sentences, plus the subject line, she used some version of the word “you” seven times. Then she noted that one family recently “skipped pizza at their favorite place so that they could make a difference in this election.” In a concluding P.S., she added: “It meant a lot to me to speak with you and everyone else last night. Thank you for everything you do.”

Both candidates communicate with their followers in many ways — through speeches and interviews, commercials and videos. But the emails sent by both campaigns over recent weeks offer a particular insight into their rival strategies.

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