There are several good items as food for thought within this 9 minute NPR report on the GOP and social media below via Project Virginia. There's no question as to its growing importance. But close observers of this primary season should also note some serious issues that still exist on the Right, particularly as regards campaigns. I'm concerned of how that will play out on the margins in 2010.
I think some perhaps more establishment-oriented campaigns suffered from not really getting it and being reluctant, or slow to both adopt and adapt. The pace of things can be mind-boggling. And simply hiring a New Media arm as an adjunct to a traditional campaign doesn't simply solve the problem.
To the extent New Media-thinking is integrated into a campaign can make a difference, as it impacts on content, messaging, and other areas. The rules are different out here, as opposed to the rules that govern more traditional outreach efforts. And the reach of New Media is actually changing politics, as well. People are listening. But they're also feeding back. And when feedback is ignored, as it still often is, it can be disastrous for a campaign.
It's much more than simply Tweeting, having a Facebook page, or sending out spam emails. I hope we have enough people who understand that on the Right as we move toward November. I know some do. But I'm not sure our broader established political consulting class does, frankly. I don't see it as a matter of whether or not the GOP wins in November. I do see it as a matter of by how much. And that could prove to be very important over the next two years given where things stand.
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