It’s been amazing watching the 2008 US Presidential race and last night’s historic verdict will no doubt go down in the annals as an incredibly significant moment in American history. However, race and the end of Reagan conservatism aside, this election really proved the effectiveness of online organisation.
The internet played a huge role in both parties’ election campaigns; ironically it was McCain who first played around with banner ads back in the Republican primaries of 1999 when he lost spectacularly to Bush.
Both candidates relied heavily on the internet to strengthen their campaigns and one might even argue that it was this heavy internet presence that really mobilised the normally disenfranchised youth vote. Barack’s very own social networking site mybarackobama.com allowed grassroots work to be as effective as possible, forcing collaboration and maximising group organisation. I won’t go into the countless other innovative online tools used in this campaign but I think it important to highlight how technology became inextricably entwined in this campaign and it helped to give a voice back to the ordinary people.
Now, I wonder how technology is going to influence/help Obama’s presidency?
p.s. do you like my beautiful Obama cup cake? It's home-made red velvet. YUM
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