Comments on: Campaigns: Bottom-Up, Top-Down, or Somewhere in Between http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/ Not just another WordPress weblog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:22:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Rob Pierson http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-15 Rob Pierson Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:05:49 +0000 http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-15 Will - I agree with nearly everything you wrote, but I wonder about future engagement patterns from the grassroots. I think you're right, in that Obama's world-class charisma is a strong factor in the strengths of his grassroots followers. The growth of his online activist community is also driven by historical trends. The internet is being increasingly seen as a tool for political and social activity, rather than as a passive medium. Ron Paul, for instance, doesn't have quite the same charm as Obama, but the Paulbots organically developed into a suprisingly powerful online presence. This historical trend will increase and possibly accelerate over the next 4-8 years. It will be fascinating to see what paradigmatic shifts occur over the next few months, and even more so, during the upcoming presidential cycles. Justin - The campaign just hit 1 million earlier this morning. Booyakasha! Will - I agree with nearly everything you wrote, but I wonder about future engagement patterns from the grassroots. I think you’re right, in that Obama’s world-class charisma is a strong factor in the strengths of his grassroots followers. The growth of his online activist community is also driven by historical trends. The internet is being increasingly seen as a tool for political and social activity, rather than as a passive medium.

Ron Paul, for instance, doesn’t have quite the same charm as Obama, but the Paulbots organically developed into a suprisingly powerful online presence.

This historical trend will increase and possibly accelerate over the next 4-8 years. It will be fascinating to see what paradigmatic shifts occur over the next few months, and even more so, during the upcoming presidential cycles.

Justin - The campaign just hit 1 million earlier this morning. Booyakasha!

]]> By: Justin Hamilton http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-12 Justin Hamilton Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:23:12 +0000 http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-12 When the Obama camp announces in the next few days that they have 1 million donors, and broken another fundraising record in February, fewer people will be wondering how bottom up his campaign is or whether he can be a strong contender in the general. When the Obama camp announces in the next few days that they have 1 million donors, and broken another fundraising record in February, fewer people will be wondering how bottom up his campaign is or whether he can be a strong contender in the general.

]]> By: Presidential election 2008 |Republicans Vs. Democrats » Campaigns: Bottom-Up, Top-Down, or Somewhere in Between http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-8 Presidential election 2008 |Republicans Vs. Democrats » Campaigns: Bottom-Up, Top-Down, or Somewhere in Between Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:49:51 +0000 http://willfjohnston.com/2008/02/25/campaigns-bottom-up-top-down-or-somewhere-in-between/#comment-8 [...] assadleon wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI don’t believe that US Presidential elections will ever be the same again, but I also doubt that many future campaigns will gather quite as much grassroots support as Obama’s. Candidates with the ability to inspire as Barack Obama does … Read the rest of this great post here Posted by [...] [...] assadleon wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI don’t believe that US Presidential elections will ever be the same again, but I also doubt that many future campaigns will gather quite as much grassroots support as Obama’s. Candidates with the ability to inspire as Barack Obama does … Read the rest of this great post here Posted by [...]

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