The Internet Presidential Election
Michelle Moore
Melissa Mowday
English 101
20 April 2011
The Internet Presidential Election An essential understanding of how to reach and communicate with fellow supporters has been at the center of every politician’s agenda, but a firm grasp on the future of communication can be the secret weapon that wins the war. For Franklin D. Roosevelt, it was radio. For John F. Kennedy it was television. And for Barak Obama, it was social media and social networking. Social media and social networking were effective during the election of Barak Obama, in connecting his supporters, organizing his campaign, and also in reaching and changing the way young adults between the ages of 21 and 35 decided to vote, but for all the “up close and personal” feelings social networking evoke, there are advantages as well as disadvantages of using social media and social networking in the presidential campaign. Barak Obama has used this means of communication to change the face of politics in America, as well as give the people a voice in politics. Barak Obama, along with the other presidential candidates of the 2008 presidential election, crowned the internet as the king of all political media, with their use of social networking from MySpace to Facebook to YouTube. MySpace went online in 2003, Facebook in 2004, and YouTube in 2005. In the 2008 presidential campaign, these social networks provided a platform, not only for the presidential candidates to reach out to the people, but also for the people to be able to connect with the candidates, as well as with other supporters, but there was some controversy as to whether this form of campaigning would hurt or help the candidates in their efforts of becoming president. “The candidates had adopted many internet tools, including social networking websites, for the purposes of communicating with constituents and voters, collecting donations, fostering community, and organizing events” (Robertson 11). The candidates of the 2008
Melissa Mowday
English 101
20 April 2011
The Internet Presidential Election An essential understanding of how to reach and communicate with fellow supporters has been at the center of every politician’s agenda, but a firm grasp on the future of communication can be the secret weapon that wins the war. For Franklin D. Roosevelt, it was radio. For John F. Kennedy it was television. And for Barak Obama, it was social media and social networking. Social media and social networking were effective during the election of Barak Obama, in connecting his supporters, organizing his campaign, and also in reaching and changing the way young adults between the ages of 21 and 35 decided to vote, but for all the “up close and personal” feelings social networking evoke, there are advantages as well as disadvantages of using social media and social networking in the presidential campaign. Barak Obama has used this means of communication to change the face of politics in America, as well as give the people a voice in politics. Barak Obama, along with the other presidential candidates of the 2008 presidential election, crowned the internet as the king of all political media, with their use of social networking from MySpace to Facebook to YouTube. MySpace went online in 2003, Facebook in 2004, and YouTube in 2005. In the 2008 presidential campaign, these social networks provided a platform, not only for the presidential candidates to reach out to the people, but also for the people to be able to connect with the candidates, as well as with other supporters, but there was some controversy as to whether this form of campaigning would hurt or help the candidates in their efforts of becoming president. “The candidates had adopted many internet tools, including social networking websites, for the purposes of communicating with constituents and voters, collecting donations, fostering community, and organizing events” (Robertson 11). The candidates of the 2008
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