The Internet, Media and Politics

Several people submitted an interesting column on Davenet about the differences in methodologies of the Dean campaign and other primary campaigns. Of course, the analogy doesn't have to be strictly Dean - it can apply to any candidate who breaks from the traditional norms of campaigning. and while I think people have been saying since 1996 that this is the year of the Internet in politics, for me this is the first *real* use of the Internet in a meaningful way. In any case, the question of productization in politics is a very real one, and should be discussed.

Yeah, well...

[Tuxedo Jack]

Just wait until they start spamming us.

Sigh

[CGP314]

Internet was looking for a candidate

Really? I didn't know the Internet like to be anthropomorphised.

-Colin [colingregorypalmer.net]

Please....

[djupedal]

...for me this is the first *real* use of the Internet in a meaningful way.

Step back from the keyboard for a bit...you need a good slap.

YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!!!

[cr@ckwhore]

... and then we're going to take back the internet!!! YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!

---
Memo to Mr. Dean: When you say things like, "we're going to take back the white house", exactly *who* took it? The spanish inquisition?

Two issues here...

[supersam]

There are two points to be considered here...
1. Internet Campaigning
2. Productization of politics/politicians

Its all well for us to be discussing why Dean has done so badly inspite of his Internet-campaign. But the fact is that with over 98% of American households owning television and with each American watching over 4 hours of television daily, on an average, its naive to underestimate power of the television and in turn, the power of the networks. Compared with that, under 80% of the households own a personal computer. While television is a mass medium, the Internet is still a personal medium. So it was foolish of Dean to ignore this simple fact.

But yes, he has shown that it is possible to bypass the big networks entirely and still make an impact!

Coming to the second issue... that of productization of politics and/or politicians, well, its a mutual thing! The politicians consider the voters as mere means to get elected. Moreover, the people are fed information, by the politicians, that they would find easy to accept. Productization of politicis is this method of putting a spin on everything. And its not a bad thing by default.

don't anthropomorphize computers

[DrSkwid]

because they hate that

Re:first real?

[Magada]

Hould tell you a lot about the potential use of the internet media. I know that movie under a slightly different name: "Too stoopid to follow the river". The analogy with the Dean campaign stands, dunnit?

What does the Internet want?

[AtariAmarok]

From a CNN interview conducted by Wolf Blitzer:

Wolf: "Who are you looking for in a candidate?"

Mr. Internet: "I want Howard Dean. He makes my routers and hubs happy"

Wolf: "Do you have anything more to add, in our discussion of politics?

Mr. Internet: "I took the initative in creating Al Gore"

Re:Yeah, well...

[Junior J. Junior III]

This is actually good, because people will come out in droves and vote againt candidates who spam. Clued-in candidates will finally manage to hold office, and utopia will spontaneously erupt in the Western Hemisphere.

Robo-call gone wrong

[superflippy]

As you know, we just had our primary here in SC last week. Some of my friends said they had robo-call messages left on their answering machines from the Kerry campaign that said something like, "If you want to hear more about John Kerry's economic plan, press 1. If you want to hear about his military service, press 2..." and so on. I can't help wondering how many people stood there listening to their voice mail, hitting numbers on their phone and wondering "Why doesn't this dang thing work?"

National Review?

[simpl3x]

Wow! I was looking for a "Fair and Balanced" review of John Kerry's record. Thanks! Next stop, Rush Limbaugh...

Riiiight.

[Grendel Drago]

The only ones who were harassed or arrested were the ones who engaged in violence, criminal trespass, or other actions which went beyond speaking their minds.

You know, I have the loveliest bridge to sell you, over in Manhattan.

How's that kool-aid working out for you, now?

--grendel drago