How do DNC Dems spread the word: Twitter, text, or telephone?
How are the Democratic delegates getting out their party's message while at the DNC? Are they texting like Obama? Social networking on Twitter or Facebook? Or relying on the old standards: phone and e-mail?
When Barack Obama announced he was going to release the name of his vice presidential pick via text message, he affirmed that this method of communication is no longer relegated to teenagers, but has penetrated the mainstream. According to Nielsen research, 2.9 million people received the text, even though the mainstream media announced Joe Biden's name well before it was even sent.
Texting's popularity has certainly been evident at the Democratic National Convention. Even the most unlikely of delegates have whipped out their cell phones and proudly described the text messaging protocols their states are using to organize floor votes, gathering times, etc. Since you're reading this blog post on CNET, you're probably thinking: big deal. But I give a certain amount of credit to Obama; his VP stunt seems to have brought the concept of text messaging to a higher level of national consciousness that has influenced a wider, older demographic. Case in point, my mother began texting two days ago!
While the majority of delegates appear to have embraced text messaging, fewer are blogging and even fewer are using the social networks to get their messages out. There's the occasional college student who's using Facebook to update friends and family, and a small handful of people who know that Twitter is now a proper noun.
I have a feeling, however, that the same way the Democrats embraced presidential candidate Howard Dean's technology efforts four years ago, the party will come around and be using tech in the mainstream in four more. Although, I'm not so sure I need to be following my mom on Twitter...