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DEL.ICIO.USOn the Internet, politics, and GOP wariness of social networking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Ralph Reed was at the Atlanta Press Club last week, he wandered onto the topic of American presidential politics and the Internet.
“2008 may be to the Internet what 1960 was to television. This could be our first true Internet election,” he said. “Whoever learns how to win campaigns with the Internet is going to dominate politics for the foreseeable future.”
It was one of the few areas in which Reed was complimentary toward Democrat Barack Obama.
By coincidence, the Pew Internet and American Life Project is out today with a new report on the Internet in the 2008 elections.
Among its findings:
“A record-breaking 46% of Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about the campaign, share their views and mobilize others. And Barack Obama’s backers have an edge in the online political environment.”
And there’s this:
“Two new Internet activities have stormed the political stage: 35 percent of Americans have watched online videos related to the campaign, and 10 percent have used social networking sites to engage in political activity….”
Ten percent of all Americans have used vehicles like Facebook or MySpace for political activity:
“For young adults in particular these sites are a key component of the online political experience: 66 percent of Internet users under the age of 30 have a social networking profile, and half of the young profile users use social networking sites to get or share information about the candidates and the campaign.”
The Pew report found that Democrats were more adept at the social networking. Even Republicans admit that this is so.
Nathan Tabor is president and CEO of The Conservative Voice, an Internet news site that caters to Republicans. Tabor, who’s based in North Carolina, said a quick check of MySpace pages for the two presidential candidates shows the difference.
Of Obama’s MySpace page, Tabor said: “It’s professionally done.”
Of his opponent’s MySpace page: “You go to John McCain, it looks like John Smith.”
And it’s worth noting that Obama’s page lists 398,342 “friends.” McCain lists 54,648.
But we’re talking more than Democratic enthusiasm for social networking. We’re talking Republican reluctance as well, particularly among religious conservatives who — when they think of the Internet — think of porn, gambling and other sinful activities.
Tabor said he sits on the board of a crisis pregnancy organization, which tries to reach young women before they have abortions. He suggested that the group establish a MySpace page, so that when a young girl searches the word “abortion,” the anti-abortion agency would pop up as one of her choices.
“You would have thought I had horns on my head,” Tabor said.
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Comments
By GT College Republican
June 16, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saxby-Chambliss/6143814307
By GT College Republican
June 16, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
And while you’re at it…
http://www.myspace.com/saxby08
http://www.youtube.com/user/saxbychambliss08
I mean, this guy ain’t wary of social networking!
By Operation Yellow Elephant
June 16, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Hey GT College Republican, when are you shipping out to Iraq? A smart, able-bodied youngster like yourself is much needed on the front lines, so a daddy on his fourth tour can spend next Father’s Day with his children.
By proud georgian
June 16, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
by Operation Yellow, I coud not agree with you more!
Hey GT Republican, get out of the school room and go to Iraq and let this father and husband come home (he has only done 4 tours of duty!)
By COL. [retd] A.M.Khajawall
June 16, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
Dear American Voters,
Hon. Senator McCain and Obama, besides each having many attributes and characteristics. The critical differences between the two of these presidential presumptive nominees are as under:
In my professional opinion Senator Obama leads in all above qualities.
The need of our next movement and generation is a change. The Change in ” past Washington and its Leadership”. A change we can believe in and not the seductive, deceptive, and confusing slogan of “leader we can believe in” [? Effexor ?”.
Our Greatgrand Nation has to address many present and future challenges and start with new clean “Slate and Senator”.
God Bless America. its diverse people, and our Greatgrand Nation.
Our Greatgrand Nation is needs the CHANGE at every level and for long time.
I am sure Senator Obama with the help of Senator Clinton and her supporters, can deliver that CHANGE.
Please stay involved, stay engaged, and stay informed. Please do not allow any seduction, deception, and or confusion by some partisan media and leaders effect your vote [ Psychological Terrorism ]..
Yours truly,
COL. [retd] A.M.Khajawall Disabled American Veteran Forensic psychiatrist, Las Vegas
By TW
June 16, 2008 9:01 PM | Link to this
If we just give Saxby his $163,900 - do you think he’d quit?
The man cheered the White House on as they misled good Georgia soldiers and their families about Iraq.
Supporting Saxby Chamblis is spitting in the faces of the families who’ve lost oved ones in Iraq.
When the Senate was charged with investigating early claims that the White House had manipulated the intel on Iraq, Saxby skipped the meetings so he could go play golf. Check it out.
Only thing worse than a weak-kneed liberal is a loser. And if the last eight years have shown us one thing, it’s that the republicans are losers…nobody likes a loser.
By betty boop
June 16, 2008 11:50 PM | Link to this
Betty Book says you go kids — you network, write it up, talk it up. You know that there is a lot going wrong — gas prices, war, foreclosures, the economy, education, the environment — and you want to seek new solutions. You want a candidate that is willing to make changes, seek new solutions. The Repugnicans don’t network — what are the going to say to each other. We really screwed up — Wish I had not bought that gas guzzeling SUV, war is good, greed is good, I love high gas prices, foreclosure is a good thing. Maybe they could praise the really super job W has done spending us in to a 6 plus trillion dollar debt. After all, he managed to blow the surplus in the first two years of his first administration and has been spending money hand over fist ever since. That big ole rebate we are getting will be going in the gas tank of a lot of Americans because it will not be enough to save the house from foreclosure and they are going to be living in their cars.
Betty Boop
By tom ga hunter
June 17, 2008 6:13 AM | Link to this
Saxby Chambliss big spending, big government, draft doddger, Liberal. He & his lobbiest son are bad for the Republican party, bad for Georgia, bad for the USA & definately bad for wounded vets,, you go DRAFT DODGER.
By Bitter EX democrackkk
June 17, 2008 7:50 AM | Link to this
Saxby, thanks for adopting my
‘THANK a Democrat’ campaign! Absolutely, democrackkks ARE to blame for our predicament…now THEY want to add another .53 per gallon to YOUR gas costs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHY do democrackkks ALWAYS OPPRESS the citizens? GET the people OFF the PLANTATION!!!
By tom ga hunter
June 17, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this
Bitter EX democrackkk
How much do you think Saxby’s “Burn Food” bill has added to the price of gas?? Food?? How about his bill that adds $.51 to the cost of imported Ethanol?? Saxby Chambliss “out of state special interest’s best friend”
By tom ga hunter
June 17, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
GT College Republican
Saxby is NOT a Republican he’s a RHINO..Do you know what the sugar industry got for their less than $100,000 contribution to Saxby?? a Subsidity of $3,000,000,000 & the taxpayer also gets to pay twice the world market for sugar. Saxby Chambliss working for Georgia..NOT
By betty boop
June 17, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Saxby Shameless would love to blame the Dems for everything he has done wrong; but, I have got to tell you that dog won’t hunt! Bill Clinton left this country with the largest surplus in years and George and Saxby spent it. After the surplus was gone they kept spending it.
Saxby has never seen a lobbiest buck that he did not like and wouldn’t take. He has sold himself and the State of Georgia to the special interests to an unprecidented extent. Furthermore, he is so greasy from leaning over the pork barrel it’s a wonder he doesn’t slide out of his seat all the way back to Georgia. The Repugnicans’ response to these truths is to blame it all on the Dems — A Republican House and a Republican Senate majority for most of the last eight years and its the Dem’s fault. There is not anybody dumb enought to buy that. When somebody trys to sell you the party line, just remember they are going to set the hook IN YOUR WALLET. It isn’t just globel warming, it’s Republican hot air.
Betty Boop knows when somebody like Saxby is trying to sell her a pig in a poke, and she is going to poke the pig at the ballot box.
Betty Boop