Jul 30 2007
Google-olitics
The blogoshere and news headlines are a blaze lately with articles on “Politics 2.0” and candidates harnessing the Internet and social networks to gain wider exposure and raise money.
But what if you’re not a candidate or PAC and you want to influence a campaign? Or make your voice heard to other voters about an issue or a politician that you love or hate?
Traditionally this was a difficult task. You used to have print flyers and knock on doors or pass them out on street corners. In today’s world, you just start a blog. Think blogs don’t matter? Do a Google search on “Pete Roskam”, the Congressman for IL-06.
The fifth result down is Dump Roskam, a blog “Dedicated to tracking Roskam in DC. This blog will show his policies and votes that are way too conservative for Illinois.” A little more poking around Google gets you to The Roskam Record, a blog “Committed to monitoring Rookie Congressman Roskam’s words and actions.”
In a world where, if you don’t appear on the first couple pages of a Google search you don’t exist, this type of publicity can be very damaging for a candidate’s image.
As a congressman, Roskam is up for reelection in 2008. Now, as much as I wish that traditional big media and 30 second sound bites on TV won’t be an influence in 2008, they will. However, as the Internet takes on a more influential component of campaigning its going to be tough for candidates to protect their online identity. (Just ask Hillary Clinton after the famous YouTube video that kicked off the 2008 political season).
Surely it won’t be long before a web savvy campaign manager creates a smear campaign by helping supporters to optimize their blogs and web sites for search engines and Google page rank. However, in the meantime, here’s to the Internet helping individuals get their voices and opinions heard!!
