Comments on: What are Web 2.0's effects on American politics?

Question: What are Web 2.0's effects on American politics?

eswusp86 — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:18:23 -0800

I always hear that blogging and YouTube are (and/or will be) revolutionary in American politics. Is this true? How so? Can you recommend recent books, academic articles, extended blog posts and other media that demonstrate (or argue against) the effects of blogging, citizen journalism, social networking web sites and YouTube on American politics? Differing viewpoints would be appreciated!

By: Bromius

Bromius — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:23:25 -0800

For an unabashedly pro-blogging, pro-citizen-participation-in-politics POV, you must check out Crashing the Gates by DailyKos's Markos Moulitsas and MyDD's Jerome Armstrong. They know whereof they speak.

By: MonkeySaltedNuts

MonkeySaltedNuts — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:45:41 -0800

What really put YouTube & the web on the map was ""Macaca". In response GOP issues rules to avoid Macaca moments.

Somewhere I read a long article about how Webb's team was ready to take hold of such an opportunity and carefully sent out info through YouTube and the blogosphere so than when it the MSM picked it up it became a sledghammer that crushed Webb.

I can't find that article now.

By: MonkeySaltedNuts

MonkeySaltedNuts — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:47:15 -0800

crushed ~~Webb~~ Allen.

By: saraswati

saraswati — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 22:51:27 -0800

Did you see the CNN/YouTube debates? The link is to part 1/19, that user uploaded all 19 so they're not hard to find.

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:25:21 -0800

"An Army of Davids" by Glenn Reynolds (aka "Instapundit").

By: oaf

oaf — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 09:54:45 -0800

If you think it's fun now, wait until today's college students become tomorrow's candidates.

By: rmm

rmm — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 13:53:49 -0800

Seconding DailyKos' Markos - I'm sure he has some fantastic perspectives. Also check out any poli sci and technology sites, and sites like moveon.org - not sure if you can narrow it down to Web 2.0 or not (rather than 'just' blogging and YouTube) so much as people's interest to take political dialogue to the Web.

By: chunking express

chunking express — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 07:32:08 -0800

This is touched on briefly at the end of Al Gore's book the Attack on Reason.