TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Candidates Try Out All The Web's Tools

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS, The Washington Post

Published: February 4, 2008

WASHINGTON - Super Tuesday isn't just draining campaigns of needed money and challenging their organizational mettle. It also is turning out to be a big test of the reach and power of the Internet, campaign aides said.

"We can only buy so much TV time, we can only physically go to so many states, so we need to rely on the Internet to get our message out and engage with our supporters," said Christian Ferry, deputy campaign manager for Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

For months, candidates have posted hundreds of videos on their YouTube channels, created profiles on social networking sites and retooled Web sites.

Meanwhile, supporters have rallied online. They mobilize, donate money and build buzz about candidates, from Texas Rep. Ron Paul, whose candidacy has been largely fueled by his rock star Web status, to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is catching up to Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York in national polls but trumps her in online popularity.

Obama set a Web record, raising more than $28 million in January. Howard Dean, now Democratic National Committee chairman, was known as the first Internet candidate, raising $27 million in 2004.

But the Web is more than raising money. Aides said it is a force multiplier. It is more fully integrated in campaigns and affects fundraising, communications, research and field organizing. It does not supplant door-to-door canvassing, as proven by results in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, where it was crucial. For Tuesday's contests, when 24 states vote, the Web is the easiest - and cheapest - way to reach supporters.

To Joe Trippi, who led Dean's Web strategy and was senior adviser to former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina before he dropped out, the difference from 2004 cannot be overestimated.

"Four years ago, we had pretty primitive tools. We had MeetUp, and that was it. Folks on MeetUp got together all across the country, but we at the campaign headquarters didn't know what they did," he said. "Now, with GoogleMaps, people can pinpoint where they are. They can pinpoint their polling places. They can go online, get voting lists and hit the ground. And the campaign can know all of this."

Internet experimentation aimed at translating online enthusiasm to offline results. The rush to find Web uses to boost candidates resulted in a free-for-all in which most campaigns "throw whatever they can on the wall to see what sticks," said Tim Tagaris, who led Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd's media team before Dodd dropped out.

Peter Daou, Clinton Internet director, said campaign strategy depends on her needs. Her use of YouTube, notably her "Sopranos" spoof, was an effort to show her lighter side. Tonight, she will hold an intertown hall meeting to be streamed on her Web site.

Online features of Republican Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, include a customized peer-to-peer robo-call and have been noted for their sophistication.

Mindy Finn, Romney's chief Web strategist, said January traffic to his site has increased tenfold since the site began in January 2007.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT