COM-MANDER In Chief
While the Internet doesn't define who will be the next president more and more candidates are using its resources to facilitate their election.
By Cal Creek, Jayplay writer
Illustration: Zac Newton
Democratic candidate Howard Dean has raised more money on the Internet than any other presidential candidate in the history of the media. Wired magazine reported that former Democratic candidate Gen. Wesley Clark decided to run following an Internet-based push from several organizations trying to press him into the race, such as www.draftwesleyclark.com. And President George W. Bush has felt both the wrath and the mercy of the Internet with reelection Web sites and anti-Bush Web sites advocating his leave of office.
With each year the Internet affects a new aspect of society. The Internet's latest societal development can be seen in the current race for the White House as various presidential candidates use online tools to promote their campaigns.
Newspaper, TV and online media are converging, increasing the Internet's importance, says Phil Noble, founder of www.politicsonline.com. The Internet allows for more options than any other medium, such as reading articles, viewing video clips, volunteering or contributing money. "The Internet allows for more activity to be done in one place. You can get more accomplished," Noble says.
For example, to help President Bush's reelection campaign Web site users fill out an information card at Bush's official reelection Web site, www.georgewbush.com. They are then given a list of tasks to do, such as writing letters to newspaper editors, recruiting friends to volunteer or helping to register voters.
Noble's Web site, www.politicsonline.com, began in 1996 as a division of Noble's traditional campaign consultation. The Web site provides news regarding online politics, as well as tools and strategies for client political world. Produced in Charleston also does extensive living them
Some of the tools available at www.politicsonline.com are a hot site of the week, a downloadable campaign manager program and the latest stories about online politics.
Another Web site featuring a political theme is www.meetup.com. This Web site provides users with a global network of local venues, which helps people organize group gatherings. Supporters of the democratic candidates John Kerry, Clark and Dean have used the Web site to establish meetings with other supporters in their area. Users enter their zip code to find groups meeting in their area. After finding a group that interests them, Web users can vote on where the monthly meetings will be, get directions and view the agenda for the upcoming meeting.
Noble says the big story of the 2004 race has been Dean's use of the Internet. Noble says Dean used the
Paul Johnson, KU associate professor of political science, says he is unsure if Dean's use of the Internet has been significant. "We're starting to doubt he's actually raised money on the Internet that he couldn't raise in other forms," Johnson says.
Even though more voices can be heard on the Internet, Johnson says people aren't necessarily listening to them, which was part of Dean's downfall.
Internet as his organizational backbone, raising $40 million and 500,000 supporters. Until a few weeks ago, Noble thought Dean's success was an amazing story. "He used the Internet to go from nobody to the front-runner." Noble says. "He used the Internet to do new things."
KU students have noticed the growing relationship between the Internet and politics.
Justin McFarland, chairman of the KU College Republicans, has used the Internet to improve his own knowledge of politics and improve the College Republicans Web site.
"It's a great way to volunteer and ask questions," the Lenexa junior says. McFarland says he thinks the Internet will someday replace TV and newspapers as the dominant medium in covering politics. "It has a greater potential. If you know where to look, you can learn a lot," he says.
The KU Young Democrat's have also used online tools. The group has started a blog, says President Tom Keating, Marysville junior. A blog is a journal that is available on the Web. The KU Young Democrats have begun a dialogue with east-coast students through their blogs. Keating says the students have had a fun and interesting time talking politics with students from Brown University. Keating says he was impressed by Dean's prowess on the Internet and his use of www.meetup.com.
During the week of the 2000 presidential election America Online, or AOL, set records in simultaneous member usage and number of member hours spent online. These records showed the growing usage of the Internet in the elections. The 2004 election will reveal the next step in that trend.
Local support
Three democratic candidate have gained an online following from the Web site www.meetup.com. Nationally, Kerry has 37,900 members; Clark, 66,900 members; and most notably, Howard Dean has 188,000 members.
Supporters of the Democratic candidates Dunn and Dennis Kucinich have meet-up groups in Lawrence. If they remain in the race, you can vote on the locations of the meetings at www.meetup.com.
>>Dean in 2004 - 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 3.
>>Kucinich in 2004 - 7 p.m.
on Thursday, March 4.
— Cal Creek can be reached at ccreek@kansan.com.
Joulogy 20.04
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