Internet emerging as political force

The Mercury News ^ | January 21, 2004 | Dan Gillmor, Mercury News Technology Columnist

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Net Politics: John Kerry's victory in the Iowa presidential caucuses tells us that politics remains in broadcast mode: still driven largely by TV and voters' personal impressions of the candidates as people. A technology-driven, post-broadcast era hasn't arrived.

But anyone who doubts that the Internet is changing politics in major ways just isn't paying close enough attention.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

New sites fact check politicians, journalists***For the next eleven months, no matter how much you may wish for relief, it will be virtually impossible to escape politics. Ad campaigns - and budgets - that make Madison Avenue green with joy. Candidates trying to get interviewed by anyone with a microphone (the only time they'll be this accessible). Local and national news coverage in every medium from network television to one-man weblogs.

And though this may come as a shock, some of the information disseminated during this period may not be entirely accurate. Purely accidental of course - politicians would never aim to mislead or deceive, and wouldn't want us to vote for them if they did (I hope you appreciate that I'm keeping a straight face as I type this) - but there is such a thing as healthy skepticism, and this week's websites will help you to separate fact from fiction during the campaigns of '04.***

[Thebaddog]

Newsflash! The internet has been a political force for about ten years. The networks are being shortcircuited by sites like FR and all the blogs and the shaped political messages aren't as effective as they used to be. You could go on and on.

[Yeti]

The Internet? Exchange of ideas? Influence minds? Social evolution?

Bah! It'll never happen!

[OldFriend]

The dems will be sorry they draw millions to the internet!

[C210N]

The Internet is the force that has taken 1/4 seconds from
Dean's Iowa speech, and put his campaign in the dustbin. Every internet sound mixer has his/her own version making waves to
psychiatrists putting forth their rationale for his demise: New York Post, Drudge, FR, etc.

[OldFriend]

My own personal opinion is that the deaniacs don't care a whit about his meltdown. They'll forgive anything, that's what demons do.