Reaching out to the netroots
This isn’t local but it is exactly the kind of thing I’d like to see more national campaigns do. From the Obama campaign:
Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign — choosing a running mate.
Sign up today to be the first to know:
You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone.
This will only be really meaningful if the Obama campaign sends the message out before the info leaks to a reporter. If the Obama campaign manages to pull this off, so that supporters hear about the pick at the same time as well-connected political journalists, it will be a milestone in the democratization of the media.
Update: In the comments, stlo points out that Kerry did this in 2004. So this isn’t so much of a milestone. I’m going to do some research to see if this appeared in the press before supporters received the text message.
Related posts:
Plus they get potential email addresses to work and solicit into the Obama campaign.
Frankly I think this is more about growing the Obama email list than working a process to bypass the media.
It’s both.
No candidate will ever make a campaign decision based on good will. What’s important about this era is that there are increasingly ways for campaigns to help themselves while also empowering the grassroots.
Perhaps - - but apparently - per openleft - it’s been done before - Kerry in 2004.
Good catch! I didn’t know that. It wasn’t as publicized.
Thanks - I vaguely remember the Kerry announcement but no matter - it depends on which email list you were on I suppose if you were informed.
Of course, the difference in 2004 and now is the rapid growth of blogs - to help convey that information. Not that blogs didn’t exist in 2004 but there are more now than back then.
This VP thing from Obama results in everyone knows at the same time is a tool to grow the base. It’s the same with “free” Barack bumper stickers from MoveOn, or all the other things.
A cheap way to get a good solid list with emails and telephone numbers that then can be used and exchanged with others.
engaging the netroots, empowering the grassroots and such other terminology is a bit of a stretch in my opinion.
Don’t get me wrong I’m pleased in the concept but still think it is about “the list”.
it’s a smart move on many counts. it gives folks something other than the olympics to talk about. it generates even more buzz about the pick. blah, blah, blah.
but the real genius here is that the campaign is harvesting loads of data that they can use later. let’s just say this: not everyone opens all their email, but everyone does open their text messages.
smart.
Yep that was my point with the list - Voice, telephone and text although good add with the txt messages.
Regarding the Olympics - well after the US win in the 4×100 swim medley - Barack who? Geez did the US swim anchor close.
For me I’ll read about Obama’s VP on a blog somewhere rather than subject myself to the txt or emails in this particular case.
That was a great race. I know nothing about swimming and even I could appreciate it.