Web Use In 2008 Campaigns Shatters Records

CWmike writes "Heather Havenstein writes that the increased viewing of online political videos and the use of social networks to gather campaign data and online donations for candidates has fueled use of the Internet in this year's election cycle that is shattering records, according to a study released this week. (Download a PDF of the study.) A record-breaking 46% (compared with 31% in the last cycle) of Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about a campaign or to share their views, according to the "The Internet and the 2008 Election" report compiled by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. So far, according to the report, supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are using online tools for election matters more often that those of rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Obama was an early supporter of Web 2.0 technologies, and that effort appears to be paying off, the study finds."

You think that's far-out...

[Anonymous Coward]

The 2016 election is going to smash those 2012 records.

demographics

[YrWrstNtmr]

"So far, according to the report, supporters of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are using online tools for election matters more often that those of rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz."

In other words:
So far, younger people (generally, supporters of Sen Obama) are using online tools more often than older people (generally, supporters of Sen McCain).

Re:demographics

[Anonymous Coward]

Obama always tailors his message to the audience he's addressing and uses very particular details, which can give you a somewhat illusory sense of where he stands on various issues.

For example, when Obama spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (a pro-Israel group), he said that Jerusalem must remain an undivided capital. But after that statement was more widely reported (and criticized by Palestinians), Obama clarified his statement by saying that the status of Jerusalem must remain open to negotiation.

By contrast, McCain takes the more traditional political approach on this issue by not saying anything about who ought to end up in control of Jerusalem.

What is McCain's stance on Jerusalem? No one knows. You won't find it on any web site.

And Obama's stance? Well, you can find loads of interpretations. Republicans (of course) take the uncharitable view that he was caught pandering and executed a 180. Some Democrats say that his first statement was misunderstood, and that he is open to dividing Jerusalem. Some say that his second statement has been interpreted too broadly, and that he strongly favors a single Jerusalem governed by Israel. Some say that he doesn't really have any strong view, and that he simply wants the two groups to work out any solution. Some promote nuanced ideas combining the above opinions in varying degrees.

Now, McCain hasn't fallen into this trap when it comes to Jerusalem. But both candidates do have the same general problem. Off the top of my head, I can think of apparently-contradictory positions that McCain's given on tax policy, immigration, abortion, and energy policy. But again, much the same goes for Obama.

My point is: you can get quotes from a candidate on all sorts of issues, but it's not a good predictor of what he or she will actually do. There is no substitute for looking at a candidate's past record.