A Preview of Election 08 - Podcasting Politicians 134
Video Blogger writes "The LA Times predicts that the 2008 election will feature the rise of Podcasting Politicians, as strategists from both parties try to ride the latest trends to secure a victory in 2008. 'You'll not only be able to text people with messages, you'll be able to raise money, deliver video, audio, create viral organizing -- where one person sees something really interesting and it gets passed on and on,' says Donnie Fowler, a Democratic strategist."
Does this mean we'll soon see... (Score:5, Funny)
I hereby predict... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I hereby predict... (Score:1)
Re:I hereby predict... (Score:2)
Podcasts spawning new political technology (Score:2)
The player is available for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.
I really don't care (Score:4, Interesting)
This technology might be fun if it helps get a darkhorse nominated, but because the people in the age group most likely to listen to podcasts don't bother to vote (demographically), I think it will be a nonissue.
In any case, I would much rather not hear about the presidential elections until '08 itself, thank you very much. Perhaps podcasts can play a role in '06 elections. Yes, it's likely to be more local, but while everybody is shitting their pants waiting for Bush to leave office in '08, you can vote for people and hopefully get them into all sort of positions that will give his administration a tough time. After all, even the president/administration has to work with people (senators, congressmen, local politicians) to make various things happen.*
*I'm independent before people accuse me one being for 1 crappy party or the other.
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
If all the people who cared enough to have an opinion actually cared enough to vote, this wouldn't have been an issue.
unless I have a better choice than a douche versus a turd, which seemed to be all that was being offered in the presidential elections the last few years......Yes, it's likely to be more local
Pretty much anyone who ends up in the White House had to win a smaller local election. You won't get better choi
Re:I really don't care (Score:4, Insightful)
Independents generally don't troll Democratic. Your attitude is precisely why, even though I dislike where the Republican party is going (religious idiocy, hawkishness, inept foreign policy, restriction of domestic freedoms, prioritizing commercial interests above public interests, etc), I won't consider registering Democratic or voting for most Democrats. If the Democratic party would propose and deliver a coherent, workable agenda, instead of attempting to cripple our government through obstructionism and presenting themselves simply as the "we're not Bush" party, I'm sure there are a lot of Republican moderates like myself that would switch.
Embracing centrist views is the only way Democrats will garner enough votes to get elected in force. Bill and Hillary and a handul of others understand this, why don't the rest of you? I'm not pleased with where this country is going, but I simply don't see anyone offering viable alternatives.
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
Re:I really don't care (Score:1)
When I framed my previous comment, I was thinking more of Congress than the White House. Obstructionism has crippled our Legislature, allowing the Executive to run amok in some w
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
Bush isn't evil. Merely incompetent.
but I think the problems in the White House really stem from Cheney, Rove and Rumsfeld.
So obviously it would have been better to bring in a new team.
Obstructionism has crippled our Legislature, allowing the Executive to run amok in some ways.
Good. I haven't seen a single idea pass congress in the past 5 years that was worth implementing. Get back to me when they have a FUCKING CLUE and some good ideas.
please don't drink the kool aid (Score:5, Insightful)
The major difference, however, is where the leadership is coming from. Repubs are primarily driven by a few think tanks and the Karl Rove brigade, which was able to whip people into shape up until this year. We've seen just in recent weeks Bill Frist (and many other Repubs) break away from the "Party Agenda" to ideas favoring what they think their constituencies desire. Which is natural; the current administration (some argue the entire Republican party) has fallen into deep disfavor among the people and Repubs are scrambling for damage control.
Dems are going through a different transition, driven by the "Vast Left Wing Conspiracy" characterized by MoveOn. There's in-fighting right now, because many of the Democratic leaders aren't leading us in a direction we're willing to go. Asserting Lieberman or Hillary are centrist is laughable; they're Right.
Many people feel that the one thing is needed at this point is obstructionism. Bush and cronies have gotten us nowhere good with a rubber stamp congress, and requires someone(s) to stop him. Bush is not nor will ever be a coalition builder. His dirty political master Rove has ensured that none of the current Republican flock will be effectual in building a coalition, with few exceptions. (Those exceptions being centrist republicans that have tended to vote against the R groupthink in the first place)
The democratic party is developing a coherent agenda for 2006. The messages are getting out to those who actually care to listen. And a coup is developing in the Dem party, driven by grass-roots efforts to make politicians accountable to the wishes of their party, not their lobbyists.
Re:please don't drink the kool aid (Score:2)
I would agree that the Democrats have a coherent agenda, at least internally, if you study their platform.
However, I would also agree that the Democrats have not run on a coherent agenda as a national party for quite a few years. Stupid or smart in its content, the Republicans have run on a coherent agenda the last several years, though I would observe that this seems to be decohering quite nicely lately. The Democrats are facing up to the rea
Re:please don't drink the kool aid (Score:2)
There are many things Bush isn't (a coalition builder, a leader, etc), but one sure thing he is: a politician. One thing that will help us is to stop electing politicians, and start electing leaders. Easier said than done, though.
Re:please don't drink the kool aid (Score:2)
Thank you for highlighting that one of the problems with the progressive agenda is that they have no idea where the center is.
I think you're unclear on the concept of centrism (Score:2)
Note on the last link, it's from a DLC affiliate site and obviously written by somebody who doesn't know who underwrites his paychecks.
As for "one of the problems with the progressive agenda is that they have no idea where the center is"... let's see. Based on polls for the American people and public statements of DLCers:
Re:please don't drink the kool aid (Score:2)
This is what ALWAYS happens. After Clinton, America took a rightward swing, and Republicans took over everything. Republicans kept running to the right (neocon, anyone), went too far, and the country is now ready to come back to the left. What is the left doing? Running as fast as they can to the left... vacating the middle, yet again. All of these slashdot liberals who believe Hi
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
And this is why I love the American two party system - you're either with us or against us; one of the good guys or one of the bad guys. It makes sense though - because everything in life is clearly black or white.
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
It's interesting to note: Clinton got a blow job, and the republicans of the time wasted how much in resources impeaching him for lying under oath about a blow job?
Our current president has a list of illegal acts and
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
Couldn't you ignore this part [Don't register as any party, register independant] of your advice and it not make any difference?
all the best,
drew
(da idea man)
Re:I really don't care (Score:1)
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
(1) To vote in normal (i.e. closed) primaries, and therefore help select the party's candidates.
(2) To have an influence on the party's positions as they're formed, and not only after they're finished and presented to the electorate as a candidate's platform.
(3) To register your general political preference. Whether 60% or 30% of voters are registered Democrats makes a difference in the national debate.
It takes a lot more than winning elections to k
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
obstructionism? (Score:2)
I think you've got exactly the Republicans you deserve representing you.
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
It's getting so ridiculous that I wish you guys would change the system to a pralimentary model with a Prime Minister instead of a President. The system seems to be unab
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
Green, no, Libertarian kinda, and Communist... only if you count Ted Kennedy.. HEYO! More seriously, Libertarians have run as Republican/Democrat and won Congress seats.. but as far as I know, no Libertarian has ever run as a Libertarian and won a seat in Congress. The US system that forces only two parties to represent the vast range of political opinions and beliefs is killing you through mediocrity and homoginization.
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
Independents generally don't troll Democratic.[/quote]
Um, yeah, I am very much a democratic shill because I hate Bush and his administration.
Even though I speak against Ed Rendell (democrat):
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=191296&cid=157 24120 [slashdot.org]
And I have the misfortune to live under one of the most corrupt mayors right now (John Street, Democrat) and witnessed in discussed
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
If you oppose their agenda, you are an enemy of the state.
Though I admit I'd most like to see Jesse Ventura in the White House. He rocked as a Governor and is free from all that political party (the poison of politics) crap.
Yeah, but he was a pussy and let people get to him.
BWAAAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!!! (Score:2)
THAT's fucking hilarious.
Crippling the government through obstructionism and presenting themselves as the "We're not Bush" party IS THEIR FUCKING JOB! That's why they are called the OPPOSITION PARTY!
Gingrich shut down the gover
Re:I really don't care (Score:1)
Seriously, though, will this affect the future election thefts? Will this affect the reality that the Supreme Court acted unconstitutionally when it decided the 2000 election, when clearly the US Constitution states in such a circumstance it is decided by congress? Will this affect the reality that the US Congress both abdicated all responsibility and acted unlawfully by acting unconstitutionally when givin Bush warmaking abili
Re:I really don't care (Score:1)
Have a good day.
Sincerely,
The
Re:I really don't care (Score:2)
He may not.. but I do...
"Yeah, we have seen that. What we're sick of--and it's getting even worse--is: you either like Michael Moore or you wanna fuckin' go overseas and shoot Iraqis. There can't be a middle ground. Basically, if you think Michael Moore's full of shit, then you are a super-Christian right-wing whatever. And we're both just pretty middle-ground guys. We find just as many things to rip on on the
How about using text instead? (Score:3, Insightful)
But then again pointless seems to describe many endeavours undertaken by politicians.
presidents don't write (Score:1)
Re:How about using text instead? (Score:2)
(read: Certain politicians would consider themselves at a serious disadvantage if they could only reach literate people)
Re:How about using text instead? (Score:1)
Re:How about using text instead? (Score:2)
Of course by the time 2008 comes around, these fads will all be over, by then we will have brand new pointless fads to buy into!
Re:How about using text instead? (Score:2)
Listen to bush some time, and then read his press kits. While he's trying desperately to repeat what's in the press kits (until he goes 'off script' and makes a fool of himself), other officials have a lot more elegance and charisma. Listen to Barack OBama speak - that man has passion, intensity, and intelligence. That's the sort of guy I want out in the world, trying to improve
voice is not pointless (Score:2)
Re:How about using text instead? (Score:1)
It'd be entirely pointless to be able to listen to something other than music in those 2-3 hours a day that people spend on the road, in the gym and otherwise engaged in activities that preclude staring at a piece of pape
2008 (Score:3, Funny)
Re:2008 (Score:1)
the winning ingredient (Score:4, Funny)
And as we've all seen, the latest trend in internets technology is tubes. That's right, not a big truck, but tubes.
Re:the winning ingredient (Score:1)
2. Do they come with piranha plants?
Seems like more NetRoots Campaigning to me (Score:3, Insightful)
Why podcast? (Score:2, Interesting)
If you listen to the speeches, the politicans just repeat the same pointless nothings, without any connection to serious and most
Re:Why podcast? (Score:3, Insightful)
So... you'd rather we didn't have some way of narrowing down national elections, and insteady just had a giant free-for-all where the guy with the most votes wins, but is e
Re:Why podcast? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why podcast? (Score:2)
In such countries, it is usually solved in such a way that, if no candidate gets at least 50% of the votes, the leading two candidates are pitted against each other for a second voting.
Re:Why podcast? (Score:1)
Re:Why podcast? (Score:1)
Re:Why podcast? (Score:1)
People unfamiliar with the U.S. may be unaware the U.S. does not have national political parties, we only have national committees. The DNC and RNC collect money at the national level. Besides providing the convenience of one-stop shopping for donors, I assume that the DNC/RNC can provide a significant am
Re: (Score:1)
Angela Merkel's Video-Podcast (Score:2, Interesting)
The first podcast (obviously in german): http://a4.g.akamai.net/7/4/12313/v0001/medien.www. bundesregierung.de/podcast/Die_Kanzlerin_direkt_01
All podcasts of Angela:
http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Webs/BK/DE/Aktuelles
What do you think about it?
Who in their right mind ... (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm sure there will be a large number of people listening to podcasts of their favorite politicians, but I am equally sure it will have no bearing on the outcome of the election.
It's about spreading the love (Score:2)
Let's say I'm supportng Joe Smith in the 2008 election, and my friend hasn't made up his mind between Joe Smith and Sally Jones. I listen to Joe's podcast for a minute every day becasue I'm interested. Since it's so up to date, he uses it to explain/rebuff/discuss/declare current issuse, be they on policy, personal life and decisi
ME (Score:1)
Re:Who in their right mind ... (Score:2)
Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:5, Insightful)
It's stunning, and I expect the use of mobile phones will dramatically change the future of elections! For example, to raise money, people won't call fixed lines any more, but - get this! - call donors on their mobile phone!!
The opportunities are limitless... you could actually send people text messages to remind them to vote. You could... like... get them to download your ads, if you called them something cool like "podcasts"...
This kind of amazing insight is why the Democrats will definitely win the next elections, unless of course the Republicans simply start a new war, deport some gay abortion doctors to Guantanamo Bay for immigration violations, and install yet more unverifiable voting machines in all the swing states.
Democrats, please! If you want to win in 2008, listen to your young, radical wing. Impeach Bush. Reform Congress, starting by kicking out the corrupt Democrat congressmen who have sold out their constituents. Get people tuned into the real problems in the country... the failed war on drugs, the corruption of the ruling elite, the systematic theft of the nation's wealth by the military-industrial complex, the acts of aggression on foreign states, the institution of a spy state, the use of torture on people held without trial or representation.
Get a million people into the streets, and do this using text messages, of course, like people's revolutions have done all over the world for the last ten years. Get organised using wikis, email lists, and real grass roots movements. Forget the hype, and please, please, please don't read any more Rheinhold.
But, since you Democrat leaders seem to be part of the same machine that elected Bush, I guess I'm spitting into the wind by saying this.
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:3, Insightful)
In fact conservatives have made a political dynasty out of this very prin
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:2)
In California, the marijuana initiative passed with 56% of the vote.
Where I live (Colorado), we had a marijuana initiative in Denver last year (IIRC).. Denver is by far the largest city in Colorado, and usually votes democrat.. the rest of the state votes republican.. so Colorado is R.
In Denver, the initiative passed 53%-46%
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:2)
As it currently stands, municipalities (like Denver) or entire states (like California) can vote to liberalize their marijuana laws, and it doesn't make a bit of difference, because the feds just storm in and override the local laws, arresting grandmothers with glaucoma, and AIDS/cancer patients who use medical marijuana.
Funny how th
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:2)
Enforcement of federal law does not seem to be a discouraging factor.. after all, people are willing to come out and vote for m
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Oh My Gawd, it's so true! (Score:2)
I think it's funny to hear a complaint like that from someone with this line in their
Gerrymandering has turned Congress into a cartel of power.
It amazes me when I hear people complaining about Gerrymandering as being the source of a problem, when it is nothing but a symptom of several problems.
The source of the problems of Congress has largely to do with the fixed number of Representatives we now have, as set by a law in 1911 when the country
He says this like it's a GOOD thing... (Score:4, Insightful)
That closed-loop, forward-to-your-friends behavior is already an echo chamber ringing loudly with nonsensical, tin-foil lined inanities (across the idealogical spectrum) and apocryphal pablum. We already see enough "I don't usually forward this sort of thing, but this is really spooky!" crap from people that we still pretend are our friends.
Political-camp-driven psuedo-factoid-chain-letter type behavior is going to continue to amplify the already tunnel-vision madness that typifies the current election cycle for people in both parties. None of it persuades anyone to change their mind about anything because the simple act of receiving it in your inbox subjects it to already well-armored biases (well founded or otherwise) that result in the same instantly applied judgement that's used to throw out V1@gr4 spam. This sort of stuff may help a candidate keep her already-loyal base stoked up, but is there any question about those votes anyway?
Re:He says this like it's a GOOD thing... (Score:1)
Seriously, though, is Howard Rheingold aware of this turn of stupendous events??? He'll want to know...that's for sure...
Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:3, Insightful)
And no, I didn't boycott the election because Kerry and Bush were both Skull and Bones members, thus proving the Illumanti conspiracy true once and for all (although I did find it odd).
I didn't vote because I felt both men were bad for America.
This isn't Pepsi v. Coke, Microsoft v. Apple; this is the future of the free world at stake! I don't buy the "lesser of two evils" argument for one second.
Re:Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:4, Insightful)
I agree, both Kerry and Bush were bad for America. Which is why, when I voted, I didn't vote for either of them, I voted for a third party.
Which got something like a fraction of a percent of the total vote, but still... If enough people who disagree with both main-party canidates vote for third parties, eventually it might have a very small difference.
It beats not saying anything.
Re:Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:2)
Sadly, I wasn't keen on any of the 3rd parties in '04 either.
Is Thomas Jefferson available for '08? He'd get my vote.
Re:Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:3, Interesting)
Those supporting Libertarians (and other assorted liberty-centric parties such as the Constitution party) should consider the
Free State Project [freestateproject.org], and move to New Hampshire. We're already having an effect here.
The religious zealots can move to South Carolina [christianexodus.org] Similarly, the Greens could move to Oregon [pacificgreens.org]... Florida can remain a neutral zone, where
Re:Just make sure to VOTE this time please (Score:2)
Sure, some like-minded neighbors might make things more "friendly", but that's not a "deal breaker" IMO.
In other news: (Score:2, Funny)
Is it a bad sign... (Score:2, Funny)
Podcasting's influence totally overrated (Score:2, Informative)
One of the most optimistic predictions of a podcast audience comes Forrester Research Group, who says that [imediaconnection.com] 12 million people will regularly listen to podcasts by 2010. So let's roll that number back a bit and generously say that the 2008 podcasting audience is 10 million. Of that, maybe one-tenth will be tuned into anything political; the rest will be listening to crap l [podshow.com]
Re:Podcasting's influence totally overrated (Score:2)
With the price of portable musi
Re:Podcasting's influence totally overrated (Score:1)
My fear about political podcasting is that it will just be the same crap served up in a different dish.
When I finally see a politician who regularly updates his/her own blog, with his/her own fingers... now that will something remarkable.
PodCasts will be archived and pre-approved by NSA (Score:1)
All about alliterations (Score:2)
But huzzah, we have a new toy to make politicians look "modern" and "in touch with current technology". I'd love to hold an interview with them about a few "modern" issues like net neutrality, copyright law and DRM and find out how much they really know about the things they make laws about.
Considering the laws we get, my b
And 'Net neutrality? (Score:3, Insightful)
This podcasting politicians thing makes me think that if Congress allows ISP's to play favorites with what files get priority treatment, you can bet your last US dollar that there will be a law mandating that priority treatment be given to all use of the Internet by politicians spouting campaign propaganda, at no additional cost to the politicians. While we wait for Google to load, Senator so-and-so's daily video podcast will come flying onto our desktops.
"Both parties" (Score:2)
Podcasting is so 2005 (Score:2)
I am personally at wits end with podcasts. I have always been an avid talk show listener, tuning in to both commercial and public radio. I was excited when 'podcasting' started, first as streaming audio, and then as downloadable mp3s. I still enjoy listening to professionals bloviating on podcasts. What I dislike
Re:Podcasting is so 2005 (Score:1)
podcasts (Score:1)
Still pretty pointless... (Score:2)
So called "Democr
You Dont Need Podcasting To Win Techie Votes (Score:2)
instant lockin of the entire techie vote.
That would be quite annoying... (Score:1)
Text me and it's over. (Score:2)
I'm running for the US Senate in WI (Score:2)
First half hour is Milwaukee Journal/Sentinal's Washington correspondent Craig Gilbert discussing the Senate race. Then, I'm on for the 2nd 1/2 hr.
Topics include cellphone location tracking, and the DOPA (Deleting Online Predators act), passed in the house last week, which would require schools and libraries to filter chatrooms andso
Re:Nothing (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:2)
Kerry's Communist medal was on both television and in the newspapers back in 1983 - I remember it because I am a Vietnam Vet - and I remember what Kerry did. I am not the only person who remembers it - it was in the NY Times and the Houston Chronicle.
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:2)
Here's the problem. You're adding 2 and 2 and getting 97. I'm willing to accept that the government of Vietnam may well have "awarded" everyone who participated in Vietnam Ve
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:2)
Just because someone is not fully trusting of the motives of government does not make them
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:2)
The assumption that government social programs are inefficient is not supported by the facts. Medicare, for instance, is the most efficient insurer. Less than 3% of Medicare's total costs go to administration. 97% of what comes in goes back out in medical care. Of course private insurers don't publish their numbers, but there is no
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:1)
Re:Liberalism and Conservatism (Score:2)
See, another thing about being young is one tends to be very passionate about things. Young folks often think The End Of The World is just around the corner, if X or Y doesn't happen soon. Folks past 40 years of age, or thereabouts, tend to be more sanguine.
Re:Good (Score:1)
Re:The election? (Score:2)
Oh that horrible American exceptionalism... those arrogant bastards! Why in the world would the slashdot editors not correctly label a story from the LOS ANGELES TIMES as being from the United States! Those bumble-thumping, fat and greedy, israel-loving, arab-bombing yankees are at it again!