Internet opens new doors
for candidates for the presidency

April 30, 2004

By Virginia Wilber
Iowa's Internet

DES MOINES, Iowa -- In the months leading up to the 2004 presidential election in November, the Internet is allowing the presidential campaigns of Sen. John Kerry and President George W. Bush to reach potential voters and take advantage of grassroots activism.

Iowa has already had a taste of this during the caucus season when candidates like former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean proved that online fundraising and organization can increase a candidate's visibility.

Last fall, Dean used the Internet through blogs and meetup sessions (a Web tool for forming social groups interested in politics) to rally supporters to his campaign. He also used the Net to raise more money than any other Democratic candidate, organize volunteers to go on door-to-door campaigns, distribute publicity and organize volunteers to write personal letters to potential voters.

The former governor said in the January 2004 issue of Wired Magazine, "The Internet community is wondering what its place in the world of politics is. Along comes this campaign to take back the country for ordinary human beings, and the best way you can do that is through the Net. We listen. We pay attention. If I give a speech and the blog people don't like it, next time I change the speech."

John McCormally, house fundraiser with the Iowa Democratic Party, said Internet fundraising, like Dean did, can be a huge success for politicians.

"It made contributing to a political campaign easier than ever before and got people more involved," McCormally said.

Five months later, with a more limited choice of candidates for president, the Internet is being used by both the Republican and Democratic parties to bolster support.

"Dean was successful with his fundraising efforts over the Internet and because of this there probably will be more candidates in the future that will try to emulate what he did," Kristin Scuderi, communications director for the Republican Party of Iowa, said. "President Bush and Kerry are using the Internet as a fundraising tool as well.

Scuderi said the Internet has been an excellent way for the Republican Party get information on current issues and events to voters.

"The Internet allows Iowans around the state easier access to information about candidates and political topics," Scuderi said. "It is a great sources of information for voters and a useful tool for us to get the word out to our supporters."

McCormally said one of the main ways the Internet has affected politics in Iowa is that it has revolutionized the way grassroots politics work.

"Through e-mail, we are able to alert people of breaking news or upcoming events and coordinate rapid responses all over the state," McCormally said.

An online voter file system is also used by the Iowa Democratic Party to help track identified voters and give staff at headquarters an idea of what kinds of issues matter to voters.

"It has made election targeting more scientific and allows us to contact more people in less time," McCormally said.

Besides the benefits of e-mailing to connect with supporters, Scuderi said the Internet has allowed the Republican Party of Iowa to hold online forums and chats. She said for the most part, the information found on campaign Web sites is pretty much the same that someone can get from radio, newspaper or TV but it's such discussion forums that enhance this information.

"I think the Internet provides a forum for opinions, ideas and debate," Scuderi said. "TV and radio news is limited to specific time constraintsÉ newspaper is limited on the space constraint and is only viewed daily or weekly. The Internet can be accessed anytime with the latest information."

Both Scuderi and McCormally said easy access to information has led to a more informed public, but both warned of the danger of running into false information and worry about losing the face-to-face aspect of politics.

Not everyone has access to a TV, radio or newspaper throughout the day, but Scuderi said many people work at a computer and can be more easily informed. She warned, however, to look for credible information.

"I caution people to not believe everything they see and read on the Internet; however, this is true of any news source," Scuderi said.

McCormally said it is up to voters to make sure the information they find or are receiving is accurate and it is up to them to recognize "disinformation." People tend to forget, according to Scuderi, that anyone can publish a Web page with information that may be false.

Another disadvantage to relying so heavily on the Internet is the lack of human contact. McCormally said the Internet should be no substitute for human conversation.

"People who only get info off the Internet are missing one of the fundamental pieces of democracy: discussion amongst citizens," McCormally said.

There is also a concern in politics about reaching citizens who might not have access to or be able to afford technology. This digital divide is not as prevalent in the United States as in some countries; however, it is still an issue even in Iowa.

To bridge this gap, McCormally said that the Iowa Democratic Party organizes large door-knocking efforts and door-to-door campaigning.

"We take our information to the streets...which focuses on less-likely voters," McCormally said. "These are often voters who don't have access to the Internet, and in this way we use the power of the Internet to bridge the digital divide."

Despite this divide between citizens, though, McCormally stated that the Internet really can be a great equalizer between citizens and the "corporate power that dominates politics."

In recent years, the Internet has also been used to lure younger voters to campaigns and to attract people not traditionally involved or interested in politics. Scuderi said this has been an advantage of the Internet; they can gain exposure and attract an entirely different audience.

The Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet released a study Feb. 5 based on the concept that a new group/network of citizens online is defining the 2004 presidential campaign and they may be "harbingers of permanent change in American politics."

Dubbed "online political citizens," these are people who are "Internet-oriented and politically energized, and they support their candidates by visiting their Web sites, joining Internet discussion groups, reading political Web logs and making political contributions over the Internet."

The study stated online political citizens are not cybernerds but rather 69 percent of them are "influentials," people seven times more likely than average citizens to serve as opinion leaders among their friends, family and colleagues. Also, about 44 percent of them have not been involved in politics in the traditional ways of making a campaign donation, working for a campaign or attending campaign events. They are generally more likely to donate money to candidates and more likely to use e-mail, Web logs, discussion groups and chat rooms than the general public. In all, the study found that They make up about 7 percent of the population.

McCormally said people have come to expect everything to be online and if something is not currently available, it will be very soon.

According to Scuderi, reaching every possible voter proves that Web sites are important.

"If a candidate doesn't have a Web site, they are losing out on a particular audience," Scuderi said. "I think candidates should use every medium possible to get their message out to voters... it's important a candidate tries to hit all forms of communication."

The Republican Party of Iowa has had its Web site up since sometime in 2000 and Scuderi said it is used very often. The Iowa Democratic Party has had its Web site for about 10 years and receives hundreds of hits every day, according to McCormally. During the caucuses, daily numbers of hits on the site were in the thousands.

In the future, McCormally said the Internet will continue to be a very useful tool.

"I think that the Internet has the potential to revive grassroots politics in America. Give people access to information and the organize them into a cohesive group and you have a formidable political force. The Internet can do both things and it can be a powerful tool to raise money to get the word out."