Based on a quick search for “digital democracy” over at feedster, it’s clear that this conference is going to be…

Two posts for you folks:

The Tripping Point
http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2004/02/12/point_trippi.html

Trippi Didn’t Say What Reuters Said He Said
http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2004/02/14/reuters_wrong.html

This Monday I attended the Digital Democracy Teach-In at the O’Reilly Emerging Technology Conference. Originally I was going to tag along on Britt Blaser’s introductory session to talk about campaign games, but at the last minute Joe Trippi signed on…

I just listened to Joe Trippi speak at Etech.

I understand the argument that the net is a whooly different medium, that it is infinite exponential and by its very nature underground. But there is no telling how that might be subverted in the future. Did John Logie Baird know Hitler would be using TV with a decade? Can you imagine the governors of the BBC in 1945 believing the market forces could ever exist which have led to Murdoch owning half of the world’s TV?

Unless we use the potential the internet and associated networks then we will lose it to people who think at best its optimum use is raising a few bucks for Dean, and at worse want to impose a catastrophic constriction on all media.

With respect to the Internet-powered Howard Dean Campaign, we are retrieving 1960 again, the first real use of television’s effects. It took a number of years before we really figured out how to do “broadcast politics” really well (“well” being a relative term), and it will take a number of years before we figure out how to do network politics really well – essentially gaining a new form of active engagement. The other thing to note is that the mass-media television networks have tremendous vested interests in continuing their style of “network” politics, as much as the RIAA has a vested interest in continuing the sale of plastic-coated aluminum disks as long as possible.

Apophenia, although I see what you mean about worrying that the web just helps create further gated communities, you could also argue that the alienation of modern urban life justifies coming online at the end of the day and finding people of a like mind. You may have just spent all day working in a office with people you don’t like, for a business you hate the principle of, for a token wage which doesn’t reflect your value in society. I think coming online to find people who will give you a foot/brain/ego rub is a good way to relax. And plot the downfall of the western world.

To reduce discrimination against queer folk, the people to organize with aren’t the rabid Christian right, they are likeminded and sympathetic people. Over time, also increase the number of like-minded and sympathetic people through experience and persuasion.

When you’re learning and coalition-building, it’s good talk to everyone, find and create common ground. When you’re trying to achieve the goal, you find allies, co-ordinate with them, cheer with them.

To reduce discrimination against queer folk, the people to organize with aren’t the rabid Christian right, they are likeminded and sympathetic people. Over time, also increase the number of like-minded and sympathetic people through experience and persuasion.

When you’re learning and coalition-building, it’s good talk to everyone and find common ground. When you’re trying to achieve the goal, you find allies, co-ordinate with them, cheer with them.

I found the Trippi talk disappointing because he pointed fingers. He blamed the media and the primacy cycle. He didn’t take responsibility for the disorganization in his own campaign and the lack of precinct organizing savvy that made the Dean get-out-the-vote effort less effective than Kerry. He didn’t take responsibility for communication failures and flaws. After all the candidates had taken up the anti-war message, he didn’t move on to other issues like health care and fiscal responsiblity.

It was all somebody else’s fault, none of it was the responsibility of the campaign or the candidate.

I thoroughly agree that much more can be done by enabling groups to self-organize. But when you’re running a presidential campaign, your guy needs to get more votes on election day. The Dean campaign didn’t do that.

If we want to use the internet politically, we need to close that gap.

Money corrupts. Campaign culture has become mostly about the money. So-called grass-roots organizers who talk mostly about the money, not the community or the change they want to bring, are bragging about the price tag on their soul.

I hope the mood isn’t to hail Trippi leader and martyr, but to be grateful for what the Dean campaign did with some of the energy and motivation, and resolved to figure out how to make it work in the longer term.