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In this class, we looked at the role of the Internet in Howard Dean's 2004 campaign, and began to look at the 2008 Obama campaign as well. In particular, we looked closely at how the Dean campaign harnessed and benefited from network effects, and then began to explore the role of outside "free agents" in the 2008 race, notably Phil de Vellis and Joe Anthony.
Citation preview
DPI-665Politics of the Internet
Feb 29, 2012
“How Electoral Politics is Being Changed”
Micah L. Sifry
Audio: http://bit.ly/wtcA9O
CC-BY-NC-SA
Topics for discussion
• How did the Dean campaign use the Internet to tap into “network effects”?
• What do Phil de Vellis and Joe Anthony represent, as new actors in campaign organizing?
• What is the difference between distributed work and decentralized power?
Dean campaign background
• Youthful, desperate, “nothing to lose”
• Joe Trippi, campaign manager, had dabbled in online communities
• Rise of the “netroots” in 2002-03
• Dems were searching for a viable anti-war presidential candidate
Other reinforcers
Hyper-empowerment
• Joe Anthony, super-volunteer
• Phil de Vellis, super-messenger
Obama tools
Food for thought
• What is the difference between distributed work and decentralized power?
• Who was empowered by the Obama 2008 campaign?
