One of the most interesting facets of the 2008 Presidential election is the enormous explosion of technology, along with the new voters that are utilizing them, could fundamentally change the landscape of American politics and the process of seeking office. Here is how.
In the four years since the last presidential election, Bush Vs. Kerry 2004, we have seen an enormous growth in what are called social media. You likely know many of these media as they have changed the way particularly young Americans interact with our society. Such devices as online social networks and SMS text messaging have transformed the world, through a series of network building tools, from a sea of disconnected causes and interests into large and geographically diverse groups reinforced and brought together by modern technology, social media. Allison Fine, who authored a study for the Case Foundation on the concept of the Millennial generations “Social Citizens,” has made a particularly strong argument that social and civic participation has changed for the 18-29 year old generation that first grew up with AOL. That engagement can not be measured by the traditional metrics, she argues, largely because engagement means something entirely different for this generation.
But how has it manifested itself in the 2008 Presidential election? There are many signs that it has not only had an impact but may very well decide the outcome of the election less than one month from today. We have all heard, numerous times this political season, about the fickle nature of the “Youth Vote” and how dependence upon it would be a clear losing strategy. However, today’s youthful population is loaded with new tools that fundamentally change the barriers to entry for civic engagement that typically affect this age group.
It has been partially due, and one could argue totally due, to this shift that has, to the great surprise of many old school political hands, delivered Senator Barack Obama some of his most astounding victories. The victory in caucuses in the state of Iowa earlier this year at the start of the Democratic Primary season provides a powerful insight on how potentially game changing this largely unforeseen advantage may be. With tools such as SMS text messaging, social network organizing, and a web portal unlike anything in the history of American politics it is becoming clear that the Obama team is vying to be the first web 2.0 induced Presidency.
It would, of course, be foolish to argue that the success of a campaign is due to this technology because in the end a computer or cable internet connection does not vote. What this technology provides is an unbelievable means for capitalizing on grassroots political organizing energy. It has revolutionized the efficiency with which a campaign can take advantage of volunteer energy with tools ranging from Iphone apps to neighbor to neighbor home canvassing operations. In two particular areas, voter education and get out the vote efforts, these new media platforms have provided a boom of politically informed and active constituents that are no longer required to deal directly with their local campaign office to run a sophisticated campaign operation. In effect, it has the power to redistribute the workload to a far broader group of supporters and reduces time investment to do so.
While the McCain campaign, and the Hillary Clinton campaign before it, have to some extent stepped up to the bat on these tools the comprehension of its affect on the message environment has clearly been behind the ball in comparison. Sen. Obamas team early on invested heavily in web based and other new technology tools that proved to be an understanding of a changing communications environment and in the end provided a key strategic advantage to their campaign. Their campaign dominates on just about every front, from MySpace and Facebook supporters, to the number of videos on Youtube, to the MyBO (my.barackobama.com) accounts and online fundraising numbers it has proven to be fertile ground for network development.
What impact this clear structural shift will have on the outcome of this election is not clear at this point, and there are many converging forces that in the end are driving the powerful Democratic campaign this season, but have no doubt that its impact will be a matter of study for decades to come and likely be realized to be a paradigm shift in the structure and process of electoral politics.
The most interesting question, however, is: Will this change how the office of the President governs?