Bishop to Boycott Obama Commencement Speech
South Bend is heating up over the controversy surrounding Obama and the local bishop...Read the post2009 College Grads: We're the Lucky Ones
Why there is hope for the graduating Class of 2009, and how they can find work in a recession...Read the postBeer in Vending Machines -- What Drinking Age?
U.S. policies on drinking age seem restrictive when examining the rest of the world...Read the postHow The Press Can Remain Relevant
Is it any surprise that Obama has employed a strategy to cordon journalists that is similar to previous administrations?...Read the postBe Afraid, Cheney Warns. Be Very Afraid.
Just when you thought the Bush-era warnings of Armageddon around the corner were over, Cheney strikes again...Read the postObama: You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry...
Obama threw down his stick, spat on the floor and growled in the face of cameras -- metaphorically... Read the postObama to GOP: 'I Won, I'm The President'
"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," Obama told GOP leaders...Read the postPalin Seeks $11M Book Deal, but Can She Read?
One can only imagine what Republican rising star Sarah Palin could possibly write about in her memoirs...Read the post
usc
politics
Tea Parties: Conservatives' New Media Launch?
The "tax day tea parties" this week marked arguably the most visible sign of a conservative uprising since before Bush 43's presidency, with over 300,000 estimated attendees across nearly 350 cities nationwide.
But the larger impact embodied by these protests is a bit more subtle: It shows that conservatives have discovered new media in a very powerful way.
Political campaigns of all ideological viewpoints have long gathered e-mail lists of supporters and built professionally-designed websites to serve as their online presence. But only recently has the Internet evolved to serve as a global town hall, with activists uploading pictures and videos from events held around the world, and networking tool, with registered organizers pooling resources and sharing plans.
In the last election season, both Barack Obama and John McCain created social networking sites and event registration tools in addition to Facebook pages and a YouTube channel. The Obama campaign was more successful with these tools for a variety of reasons (younger base of supporters, ridiculous talent on staff), but the online media landscape is changing so rapidly that conservatives have a real chance at surpassing the most impressive techniques of the '08 cycle.
Beyond the ideological debate behind Wednesday's protests, the fact remains that hundreds of events, sometimes thousands of miles apart, were linked together by the power of social media, as organizers coordinated events online and exchanged pictures (video, stories, etc.) afterward.
More on new media after the jump...
Politico's Jonathan Martin co-moderated a panel Wednesday -- the same day as the tea parties -- with USC Unruh Institute of Politics director Dan Schnur on "Political Organizing in the Internet Age." I served as a panelist alongside some more experienced campaign experts; here are a few highlights:
- Message still paramount. Almost every panelist agreed that campaigns must use new media to reinforce an established, compelling campaign message. Creating an account on Twitter is useless if it does not engage the campaign's followers in a unique and ongoing way.
- 'Day-to-day combat.' Modern campaigns now have to hire extra staff to manage the 24-hour chatter generated by blogs and online news sites like Politico, said Jennifer Palmieri, senior VP of communications at the Center for American Progress. Leslie Miller, senior communications director at Obama for America, noted that Obama's "bitter" comment went viral on a late Friday afternoon, when campaign staff would normally be winding down from a long week. Instead, the campaign was forced into a flurry of action.
The instantaneous speed of modern messaging creates both a challenge and opportunity in the "day-to-day combat" of contemporary politics, added Adam Mendelsohn, former communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Though harmful news can spread like wildfire, a campaign's response can be delivered just as rapidly through similar channels.
- Endless opportunities... to succeed, and to stumble. Palmieri suggested that new media makes each individual interview less important, but I disagreed, noting that George Allen is no longer a presidential contender after a certain "macaca" moment, and Sarah Palin's turkey pardon interview is permanently embedded in the public's memory, thanks to YouTube and other media outlets.
Toward the end of the panel discussion, Schnur pointed out that the former managing editor of USC's student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, was present and live-blogging for a new online media outlet run through the USC Annenberg journalism school. Her shift from print to online, Schnur said, was representative of a greater, global transformation.
But the larger impact embodied by these protests is a bit more subtle: It shows that conservatives have discovered new media in a very powerful way.Political campaigns of all ideological viewpoints have long gathered e-mail lists of supporters and built professionally-designed websites to serve as their online presence. But only recently has the Internet evolved to serve as a global town hall, with activists uploading pictures and videos from events held around the world, and networking tool, with registered organizers pooling resources and sharing plans.
In the last election season, both Barack Obama and John McCain created social networking sites and event registration tools in addition to Facebook pages and a YouTube channel. The Obama campaign was more successful with these tools for a variety of reasons (younger base of supporters, ridiculous talent on staff), but the online media landscape is changing so rapidly that conservatives have a real chance at surpassing the most impressive techniques of the '08 cycle.
Beyond the ideological debate behind Wednesday's protests, the fact remains that hundreds of events, sometimes thousands of miles apart, were linked together by the power of social media, as organizers coordinated events online and exchanged pictures (video, stories, etc.) afterward.
More on new media after the jump...
Politico's Jonathan Martin co-moderated a panel Wednesday -- the same day as the tea parties -- with USC Unruh Institute of Politics director Dan Schnur on "Political Organizing in the Internet Age." I served as a panelist alongside some more experienced campaign experts; here are a few highlights:
- Message still paramount. Almost every panelist agreed that campaigns must use new media to reinforce an established, compelling campaign message. Creating an account on Twitter is useless if it does not engage the campaign's followers in a unique and ongoing way.
- 'Day-to-day combat.' Modern campaigns now have to hire extra staff to manage the 24-hour chatter generated by blogs and online news sites like Politico, said Jennifer Palmieri, senior VP of communications at the Center for American Progress. Leslie Miller, senior communications director at Obama for America, noted that Obama's "bitter" comment went viral on a late Friday afternoon, when campaign staff would normally be winding down from a long week. Instead, the campaign was forced into a flurry of action.
The instantaneous speed of modern messaging creates both a challenge and opportunity in the "day-to-day combat" of contemporary politics, added Adam Mendelsohn, former communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Though harmful news can spread like wildfire, a campaign's response can be delivered just as rapidly through similar channels.
- Endless opportunities... to succeed, and to stumble. Palmieri suggested that new media makes each individual interview less important, but I disagreed, noting that George Allen is no longer a presidential contender after a certain "macaca" moment, and Sarah Palin's turkey pardon interview is permanently embedded in the public's memory, thanks to YouTube and other media outlets.
Toward the end of the panel discussion, Schnur pointed out that the former managing editor of USC's student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, was present and live-blogging for a new online media outlet run through the USC Annenberg journalism school. Her shift from print to online, Schnur said, was representative of a greater, global transformation.
Join The Discussion
Categories
Most Popular Stories »
- Nintendo DSi:
- New football uniform now on display in bookstore
- Cyclist assaulted, injured by driver
- Lambert cover controversy
- Are We Having A Laugh?
Recent Comments »
Page 1/2
Post Your Comments Below
| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments
Clay
10:01AM 10:01AM Apr 19th 2009
WOW! 300,000 sounds like a lot, until you divide this by the 350 locations and then it drops to mere 100s at each location on the average! LOL! The power and propaganda of words! I do admire these people getting out to speak up though! Freedom of speech is something we almost lost with Bush! In 06' he did legally make himself a military ruler, bypassing the Constitution and the Congress! No ruler(er president!LOL!)has EVER done this in the history of our great country!
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
ranman
11:51AM 11:51AM Apr 19th 2009
Clay ,your a fuckin moron!
Rating :
Report!
IndictBushNow!
12:35PM 12:35PM Apr 19th 2009
I'm with you on that, Clay.
Rating :
Report!
harry
7:00AM 7:00AM Apr 20th 2009
just another leftwing loon......in greenville s.c friday night we had 10,000 paople. shove that in your pipe....
Rating :
Report!
stars and stripes
12:49PM 12:49PM Apr 20th 2009
7000 plus here at St. Louis
Rating :
Report!
bjnapoli
9:11PM 9:11PM Apr 20th 2009
Clay
Maybe you had better go back to school (if you graduated) and learn arithmetic. 300,000 divided by 350 is closer to 1,000 than 100. Also, study the Constitution and the history of the New Deal with FDR (if you know who he is). WWII got us out of the Great Depression, not social spending programs. Obama is making Bush look like a penny-pincher. Obama is worse than Carter and Clinton when it comes to the economy and defense. We might as well just give this country to the illegal aliens, Chinese and Arabs.
Brad
Rating :
Report!
FireEagle
8:36PM 8:36PM Apr 20th 2009
Clay,
The president of the United States IS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES. Bush went to congress for a request for war. I know you may not have been born then but the Congress approved it. They read the same intelligence briefings that Bush read. They agreed that there was a clear and present danger from TERRORISTS. Read the report about 9/11. Saddam Hussein's own generals were told that he had WMD's. When the war started the generals were asking for them. They did find some mustard gas but most of it was used it on the Kurds.
Oops.. Saddam Hussein killed the millions of Kurds and thousands of people from Kuwait.
Clay you are an idiot..
Rating :
Report!
beth
10:51PM 10:51PM Apr 20th 2009
I may be wrong, as my memory at times fails, but I think if you look carefully, Mr. Nixon was the first pres to be military czar...in a decision he made when Pres. Kennedy died, and without votes from Senate and Congress.
Regardless, Clinton made a joke of the presidency and the English (American) language, and started the slippery slope that sent the finances down. His wrongs allowed everyone to feel like, if he was doing what he wanted, why not them?? So very sad....b
Rating :
Report!
Doug Mitchell
11:26AM 11:26AM Apr 19th 2009
I think we're seeing the nascent stages of conservative activism online and in person. I think it's fair to say that "generally" conservatives haven't done this kind of large scale protesting and online advocacy. My general barometer is that "when the other side starts criticizing you for your rampant in your face activism and calling you names like "terrorist" and "hate monger" you're probably doing something right". If conservatives figure out how to leverage technology as more of a policy and position tool (message) vs. a bullhorn more progress will be made at unifying fractures between them and the other parties/positions. We're really not that far off from each other anymore and we are starting to share a common bond these days...anger at the government.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
Georgia
12:19PM 12:19PM Apr 19th 2009
Don't be fooled by the numbers. There were MANY more in agreement with the tea parties. We just aren't the type to get out to these meetings. WE WILL BE VOTING! Many of us who are in total agreement with the abuses of the government are highly educated and not the so called rednecks that the liberals like to think. We are not the 'welfare' variety that want to live off the labors of others. We have worked hard and want to retain the fruits of our labors and spend it ourselves. We don't need Obama and Pelosi to do that for us.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
sllvnbrit@aol.com
3:34PM 3:34PM Apr 19th 2009
The Tea Party. Well I could say that of course you want to keep all your money to yourself why would you want to help another american in time of need. After all it isn't We The People Of The United States it is I of the United States. Is this correct? How do you people expect to mantain a country? The upper 10% are going to build roads and provide money for are military. Also your going to educate our people and through all this maintain social security?So you will be broke and living in a country that will not survive todays economy and will have no power against other countries.People will just say USA, Where's that. Remeber what your fighting for. The wealthy want to keep their position of power and control over the people which they do freely because of how scared we are of change.They want you to think that if they fall out of power your life would end all (the horrors. )Well guess what. It would end the nightmare we live and allow us the freedoms that we deserve the right to free healthcare, better unemployment benefits ,more vacation time a healthier more vibrant people. If we have that then they have no control.To the people of the Tea Party if you were to some how overcome who is going to clean your house,fix your car,prepare your food,take care of you when your sick. No one. Their won't be any middle class or lower class left to take care of you . So I guess you better get use to dirty work. You'll be doing it for yourselves.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
Don
1:36PM 1:36PM Apr 19th 2009
There were more "tea parties" & attendees than the reporter wants to admit to.
For this government to be spending our GRANDKIDS into poverty before they can even vote is not going to sit well with many.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
Don
1:40PM 1:40PM Apr 19th 2009
There were more "tea parties" & attendees than the reporter wants toadmit to.
For this government to be spending our GRANDKIDS into poverty beforethey can even vote is not going to sit well with many.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
Branden14
5:53PM 5:53PM Apr 19th 2009
People who agree with the tea party have common sense and intelligence and if you argue against that you are crazy, it's just that, well they are not using at all.
They believe in a society where you provide for your self, such as: education, health care, mail, garbage, fire department, police department, social security, ssi, unemployment, and every other thing that is not directly paid from your pocket will be taken away from you. Whatever happened to a nation where people stood proud and spoke the words 'we the people of the united states', if you agree with that saying then you have common sense in use, but they are trying to make it 'I the person of the united states'. The world is where it is because of I,I,I. When will people finally open there eyes to a world where I is combined with WE, because when you are more focused on a society and country that believes that everyone is equal and deserves the same things in life as someone who is rich. So a fair society is a place where someone making $10,000 a year can live the almost as good as someone making $1,000,000 a year. Obama is here for the people, not himself, not his advisers, not his staff, and not his family, in particular, but for every man, woman, and child in America and around the world. So whether or not you support the stimulus bill, it doesn't mean you cannot support the man, and his ideals of a perfect union. A union where everyone is equal, a union where everyone is great, where everyone deserves the same oppurtunities, if you believe this you are a true american and a human with a heart. You would think that you would want people to be able to get free medical attention no matter how much their income or their life style, everyone deserves the right to equality and help. You can judge a nation on how they treat their poor, right now America is looking like a 2nd world nation. How is it that a country like India where the people make $1,800 a year with 1.1 billion people can provide everyone health care(universal) but a country with 305 million people and makes $47,000 a year cannot? What about in Pakistan they have universal healthcare, so you are telling me that a terrorist can walk into a hospital and get medical attention for free but a good upstanding citizen in american cannot. I am not saying that all people in Pakistan are terrorists eithor by no means, but they have terrorists that hide there and can get medical attention for free. If you were to look at how america stacks up to countries who actually take care of their people, you would see that we are slipping quickly, before america use to be the top country for everything from income to press freedom, but now we are 17th for income and 41st in press freedom. Every european country provides universal healthcare except for moldova and belarus.
This is how america matches up to Norway.
life expectancy: Norway 80.2, america 78.2.
infant mortality: Norway 3.3/100,000, united states 6.3/100,000.
human development index: Norway 0.968, united states 0.950.
Education: norway 0.989, united states 0.968
unemployment: norway 2.50%, united states 8.50%
income equality(0=complete equal - 100=no equality):
norway 25.8, united states 40.8.
poverty: norway 4.3%, united states 12%.
satisfaction with life(higher=better): norway 246.67, united states 246.67.
homicides: norway 0.78/100,000, united states 56./100,000.
per capita income(gdp nominal): norway $102,525, united states $47,025.
individual taxes: norway 0 -47.8%, united states 0-35% federal, 0 - 10.3% state.
press freedom(0=total freedom, 100=no freedom):
norway 1.50, united states 8.00.
economic freedom: norway 70.2, united states 80.7.
corruption(10.0=none,0.0=corrupt): norway 7.9,
united states 7.3.
democracy(10.0=complete democracy, 0.0=no democracy):
norway 9.68, united states 8.22
stability(0.0=stabile, 150=no stability): norway 16.8(most stabile), united states 32.9.
global peace(1.00=complete peace, 4.00=no peace):
norway 1.343, united states 2.227.
Norway has a strong welfare state,
universal healthcare, free college, and many other public services are provided through taxes, they have alot more public services then the united states. They garuntee you a home with food at all times, you will always have that.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
mary
5:21PM 5:21PM Apr 20th 2009
You are such a dishonest intellectual, it is frighting. Do you know in Norway, there are very little jobs available? To get a job as a fisherman, working part time, you have to bribe someone or know someone. Women, usually don't work, they have high depression rates, usually just one kid per family. Get your facts straight. Why can't you be take care of your OWN healthcare? The constitution states it is there to SUPPORT not be the sole party for your healthcare. Your, responsibility is to take care of your healthcare, not we the taxpayers. I think those that believe the government should take over your healthcare are just plain lazy. Now go read your history books. YOU WANT SOMETHING FOR DOING NOTHING.
Rating :
Report!
sllvnbrit@aol.com
7:09PM 7:09PM Apr 21st 2009
People who agree with the tea party have common sense and intelligence and if you argue against that you are crazy, it's just that, well they are not using at all.
They believe in a society where you provide for your self, such as: education, health care, mail, garbage, fire department, police department, social security, ssi, unemployment, and every other thing that is not directly paid from your pocket will be taken away from you. Whatever happened to a nation where people stood proud and spoke the words 'we the people of the united states', if you agree with that saying then you have common sense in use, but they are trying to make it 'I the person of the united states'. The world is where it is because of I,I,I. When will people finally open there eyes to a world where I is combined with WE, because when you are more focused on a society and country that believes that everyone is equal and deserves the same things in life as someone who is rich. So a fair society is a place where someone making $10,000 a year can live the almost as good as someone making $1,000,000 a year. Obama is here for the people, not himself, not his advisers, not his staff, and not his family, in particular, but for every man, woman, and child in America and around the world. So whether or not you support the stimulus bill, it doesn't mean you cannot support the man, and his ideals of a perfect union. A union where everyone is equal, a union where everyone is great, where everyone deserves the same oppurtunities, if you believe this you are a true american and a human with a heart. You would think that you would want people to be able to get free medical attention no matter how much their income or their life style, everyone deserves the right to equality and help. You can judge a nation on how they treat their poor, right now America is looking like a 2nd world nation. How is it that a country like India where the people make $1,800 a year with 1.1 billion people can provide everyone health care(universal) but a country with 305 million people and makes $47,000 a year cannot? What about in Pakistan they have universal healthcare, so you are telling me that a terrorist can walk into a hospital and get medical attention for free but a good upstanding citizen in american cannot. I am not saying that all people in Pakistan are terrorists eithor by no means, but they have terrorists that hide there and can get medical attention for free. If you were to look at how america stacks up to countries who actually take care of their people, you would see that we are slipping quickly, before america use to be the top country for everything from income to press freedom, but now we are 17th for income and 41st in press freedom. Every european country provides universal healthcare except for moldova and belarus.
This is how america matches up to Norway.
life expectancy: Norway 80.2, america 78.2.
infant mortality: Norway 3.3/100,000, united states 6.3/100,000.
human development index: Norway 0.968, united states 0.950.
Education: norway 0.989, united states 0.968
unemployment: norway 2.50%, united states 8.50%
income equality(0=complete equal - 100=no equality):
norway 25.8, united states 40.8.
poverty: norway 4.3%, united states 12%.
satisfaction with life(higher=better): norway 246.67, united states 246.67.
homicides: norway 0.78/100,000, united states 56./100,000.
per capita income(gdp nominal): norway $102,525, united states $47,025.
individual taxes: norway 0 -47.8%, united states 0-35% federal, 0 - 10.3% state.
press freedom(0=total freedom, 100=no freedom):
norway 1.50, united states 8.00.
economic freedom: norway 70.2, united states 80.7.
corruption(10.0=none,0.0=corrupt): norway 7.9,
united states 7.3.
democracy(10.0=complete democracy, 0.0=no democracy):
norway 9.68, united states 8.22
stability(0.0=stabile, 150=no stability): norway 16.8(most stabile), united states 32.9.
global peace(1.00=complete peace, 4.00=no peace):
norway 1.343, united states 2.227.
Norway has a strong welfare state,
universal healthcare, free college, and many other public services are provided through taxes, they have alot more public services then the united states. They garuntee you a home with food at all times, you will always have that.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
Brenda
6:36PM 6:36PM Apr 19th 2009
I had not gathered for anything like this since I marched in support of our Troops during the first Gulf War. But I proudly stood up against this BO regime with my pride amongst many others in my small town.
I can pretty much guarantee that the 300,000 is underestimated. How can I assume that? Because many, and I do mean many little town had Tea Parties that were not even listed. And I mean alot of little towns. All things considered, I am proud of Americans/taxpayers for standing up along with the rest of us. There were many, many people just in our town alone that drove by on their lunch breaks, etc just to honk their horns in support of what we were doing. Many said they wanted to be there but were working. So I think that's a great turnout considering it was a work day and believe it or not, there are still some Americans that do have jobs, at least for now.
Great job Americans!!!! I was proud to stand among you and will continue to do so!!!
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
BJV
6:49PM 6:49PM Apr 19th 2009
I WAS AT ONE OF 5 RALLIES IN A 50 MILE RADIUS AND WE HAD A CONSERVATIVE COUNT OF AMOST 10,OOO- FOR JUST OUR 5.
ANYONE THAT PUTS THESE RALLIES DOWN OR BELITTLES THEM OR TRIES TO DENIGRATE THEM ARE THE SAME MENTAL MORONS THAT FEEL IT'S OKAY FOR THE LEFT TO PROTEST- THAT IT'S OKAY TO HAVE CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS SLANT THEIR "REPORTING" TO THE FAR LEFT, BUT FOX IS BIASED?!
THEY VOTE THIS KENYAN FACIST IN -A PERSON SO FILLED WITH HATE FOR THIS COUNTRY THAT HE PUTS TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT ON OUR CHILDRENS BACKS- BOWS AND SHAKES HANDS WITH LEADERS THAT HATES US- APOLOGIZES TO EVERY AMERICA-HATING COUNTRY,APPOINTS PEOPLE THAT THREATEN THEIR OWN PEOPLE,AND TRIES- DAILY- TO TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHTS.
THE LEFT-THE STATISTS- ARE SO THREATENED BY THIS CONSERVATIVE OUTCRY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR COMMUNIST WON ONLY BY 7 % =67-62 MILLION VOTERS= 52% -48%,
AND THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THIS ASS-HOLE HAS ONE TERM.
WE ARE NOT -AND WE HAVE SHOWN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW- GOING TO STAND BY AND LET YOU AND YOUR IDIOT MESSIAH RUIN OUR COUNTRY.
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
BJV
7:01PM 7:01PM Apr 19th 2009
WHERE IS MY COMMENT I POSTED?! EVERYTIME I POST ON THIS SITE, I HAVE TO COME BACK AND COMPLAIN.LOOKS A LOT LIKE SOME STATIST CENSORSHIP GOING ON HERE!
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
BELLCORD
9:53PM 9:53PM Apr 19th 2009
JOHN MCCAIN'S TECH BREAKTHRU WAS THE TELEGRAPH...HE'D WIRE AHEAD BEFORE HE LEFT ON THE MORNING STAGE....
Rating :
Reply to this commentReport!
| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments