The Construction of a Presidential Image

Oct. 17, 2008— -- Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama can make all the promises they want, but words only get them so far in their race to the White House.

To help them get to the finish line, they need the help of analysts, strategists and consultants -- all those experts making decisions behind the scenes.

Political consultants Todd Harris, a Republican, and Mary Anne Marsh, a Democrat, let "20/20" in on some tricks of the trade when it comes to playing the presidential campaign game, and winning.

Lesson 1: Pictures matter more than words.

"It's always visual first," Marsh said. "You make your first judgment based on their looks -- right or wrong, but on their looks. Do I like this person? Do they seem friendly? That makes all the difference in the world."

Before Sen. Hillary Clinton gave her convention speech, cameras caught staffers holding up four different pantsuits to see how each would look on camera. Some might call that superficial, but Marsh called it smart.

"The pantsuit made a big difference," she said. "When she walked on that stage, it didn't look great. But on TV, it looked fabulous with that background. And then you listened to every word she said. That's smart."

Visual strategizing goes far beyond pantsuits.

"Campaigns have gotten very, very good at manipulating the picture," Harris said. "If John McCain is gonna give a speech about the economy and jobs, I guarantee you, they will put a backdrop behind him that is somehow reflective of that message, whether it's working people or a banner that says, 'Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.'"

"You could be sitting at home, cooking dinner with your TV on mute," said Harris, "but you're looking up, and you're seeing John McCain. And you're seeing over his shoulder the word 'Jobs.' And even if you're not paying attention to what he's saying, they're communicating that message to you."

Sometimes the most powerful messages aren't planned at all.