« Blogs And The MSM: Ever The Twain Shall Meet | Main | Dan Rather, Blogger ... And An Invite To Trent Lott »
June 18, 2006BELTWAY BLOGROLL
Mid-Term Impact Of The Netroots
Each week, hand-picked political insiders answer questions posed by National Journal magazine. One of the questioins from the latest issue focuses on the potential impact of the netroots in this year's election. The magazine gave me permission to reprint the poll numbers and the select comments from the insiders.
Q: On balance, what impact will "netroots" (Internet political activists) have on the midterm elections?Republicans (71 votes)
-- Help Democrats: 14 percent
-- Help Republicans: 15 percent
-- No significant impact: 70 percent
Help Democrats
-- "On balance, the Internet has provided a new funding mechanism for the Democrats, which allows them virtual parity with Republicans in raising election money."
-- "Helps Democrats, but largely to motivate the liberal base, not to move independents or leaners."
-- "The one -- and only -- item that national Democrats can credit Howard Dean with: Galvanizing the Democrat Internet efforts. The Democrats seem to have the upper hand, presently."
Help Republicans
-- "More money raised on the left, but conservative bloggers underscore the ongoing liberal bias of major news media, and liberal bloggers drive Democrats hopelessly left of the American center."
-- "Overall, it amazes me that the Democratic Party is cowed by a bunch of bloggers who have never built a reputation nor accomplished a thing in their lives other than refining online invective. Yet, the Democrats are treating everyone who writes a liberal blog as if they suddenly became David Broder."
-- "Alternative media have already severely diminished one of the key elements to the old Democratic congressional majority -- monopoly control of the establishment media. And Daily Kos can never do to us what Dan [Rather], Peter [Jennings] and Tom [Brokaw] used to do every night."
No significant impact
-- "The largest impact of the netroots has been reducing the cycle time on information distribution, including messaging. But that impacts everybody the same."
-- "Let's be honest: The people who take the time and energy to participate in political blogs and Internet activism have made up their minds months before any election."
-- "Netroot swarms kept the mainstream media honest -- or exposed dishonesty -- in 2004, helping Bush. In mid-terms, without a single national race, swarming is harder, so it's unlikely they'll have the same impact."
-- "Most overcredited, overrated political fad since the 'Soccer Mom.' "
-- "Netroots will have a significant impact on future elections in how campaigns deal with information."
-- "When it comes down to it, those who are motivated to act via the Internet are not being swayed to a different party or to vote. They are simply using the Internet as another way to communicate."
Q: On balance, what impact will "netroots" (Internet political activists) have on the mid-term elections?
Democrats (65 votes)
-- Help Democrats: 69 percent
-- Help Republicans: 0 percent
-- No significant impact: 31 percent
Help Democrats
-- "Fundraising is where the netroots help Democrats, as they have been more successful in steering small donations into mostly competitive races."
-- "Netroots help Democrats raise money from small donors without costly overhead."
-- "They will help Democrats more than the mainstream media think, but less than they boast."
-- "Internet blogging has the promise of being the evangelical movement of the left: Now if we can get everyone singing from the same hymnal, we'll be all set."
-- "Netroots will aid the Democrats more than the Republicans but will have a greater impact in the traditional media covering the story than on the electorate."
-- "They have the capacity to instantly cut through and counter the [Rush] Limbaughs and Fox News' blubbering heads like the other corporate media entities should but don't have the guts to do so. Democrats are lucky they are doing what they are doing."
-- "This year we have the intensity advantage, and the netroots only intensify it further."
-- "When these guys get over their obsession with primaries, they're going to raise a lot of money for key Democratic candidates."
-- "Enormous help and unlimited potential for Democrats. The Net is proving to be an important source of ideas, funds, debate, and campaign volunteers for Democrats."
No significant impact
-- "My instinct is that the bloggers, at least at this stage, are not communicating with the voting class."
-- "Without discipline and direction, they can't help anyone."
-- "While the netroots may aid Democrats in raising money, the price candidates must pay in moving their ideology leftward makes general elections more difficult to win."
-- "After [losses in] Busby and Harman [races], the Democratic netroots are 0 for 21. The consultants they despise wouldn't eat if they had a record like that."
-- "The net will be a significant force in fundraising, but at the end of the day, most voters will make up their minds the old-fashioned way or just stay home."
Posted by Danny | 10:08 PM
