A thought struck me after reading a media release from the Dodd for President Team over at Campaigns & Elections today: Will a contemporary campaign ever run a campaign again without saying this:
"The Dodd for President campaign will continue to be on the cutting edge in its use of internet technology and outreach," said Dodd internet strategist Tim Tagaris. "Like his Kitchen Table Campaign, Chris Dodd's website reflects his belief in the importance of a direct conversation between voters and the campaign."
I don’t think so. So who dares to say that blogs do not have an impact on political campaigns?
By the way, the statement was presented in a media release outlining Dodd’s “new and improved” website….which will “continue to stress the campaign's innovative internet strategies”…. The release also announces that the campaign has brought in experienced blogger Matt Browner-Hamlin to do blogger outreach and that the new website will include:
Twitter, a real-time blogging tool that will enable live updates from the field, delivering real-time updates to anyone interested in the campaign via the website, SMS and instant messanger technology; Ustream, a real-time streaming video and audio site that will allow anyone to join Senator Dodd on the campaign trail from the primary states; Social networking platforms, continuing to engage users of MySpace, Facebook and other sites as a means of internet outreach.
The new site looks good, but it really doesn’t contain much information. But hey, I am used to Norwegian political websites, sites that offer no real opportunity for voters to interact with the politicians and only contain information about issues and policies; sites that are so closed and boring that I never ever pay them a visit!
- Espen