A Web of Politics

         by Billy Mabray      August 2004 

As I’m writing this, the Democratic National Convention has just begun in Boston. A month from now, the Republicans will host their convention in New York City. This presidential election will likely go down in history as one of the most hotly contested races ever. Also, and possibly as important, it will be known as the election in which the Internet mattered.

Of course, every election year since the Internet became popular, pundits have asked if that would be the year the Internet would play a part in political contests. Each year, more candidate Web sites were created, more political discussions occurred, and more campaign news was distributed. In the grand scheme of things, however, the Internet was contributing very little to the political process. There was no “Internet Demographic” worth paying attention to, and the news on the Web was the same as that on television and in newspapers.

What’s different this year? Everything. Candidates are paying attention to the Web because they realize that is where the race could be won or lost. Candidate Web sites are not just billboards, but interactive communities that are energizing their supporters. A large part of the organizing, fund raising, and campaigning being done this year is happening online. For the first time, bloggers – amateur journalists who regularly write news and opinions on their personal Web sites – have been invited to cover the political conventions. Candidates will be paying close attention to what these bloggers write. This dramatic shift in campaign strategy started with Howard Dean.

As a candidate, Howard Dean will be little more than a footnote in the history books – a shooting star that shone brightly then burned out quickly. His campaign, however, is the stuff Internet legends are made of. Joe Trippi, Dean’s campaign manager, saw the potential for using technology to organize and excite supporters. The Dean campaign used their “Blog for America” to keep supporters updated on the latest news from the campaign trail. They used MeetUp.com to bring people together all over the country. Trippi connected with supporters and raised awareness – and lots of money – for the movement. Howard Dean may not have done well in the primaries, but his campaign set a standard that all other major campaigns follow.

Another organization that is using the power of the Internet to further its political goals is MoveOn.org. MoveOn, which has approximately two million members, raises money to support a variety of liberal candidates and progressive causes. Through their e-mail lists and their Web site, they have been able to raise millions of dollars to support candidates and to run advertising in battleground states. MoveOn has been highly successful in organizing hundreds of thousands of people to participate in petition drives, house parties, and even a nationwide bake sale.

What we are seeing this year is not just politics making use of new technology. Politics is being transformed by technology. People who had never followed politics before are now finding it fun and easy to get involved. Young people are getting excited about the democratic process and are registering to vote for the first time. All across the country, people are interacting – with each other and with the candidates – in ways they never have before. Instead of just being advertised to, average Americans are becoming part of the political conversation. By making it easier than ever for citizens to get involved, the Internet is taking democracy back to the people.

Billy Mabray and his wife, Angela, own Smart Goat, a local software
development and Web design business.  They are members of the CCOKC. Comments or questions on the article are welcome and can be addressed to:   billy@smartgoat.com.