Response to Hail to the Tweet

The Obama White House's use of social media and online technology has shown that whether you agree or disagree with their policies, this administration "gets it."

From the earliest days of the campaign, Obama and his team made a conscious decision to use the power of the internet in a way that no other presidential candidate had previously. Through e-mail lists, online meet-ups, and short video clips, Obama was able to convey his message in a new and effective way. Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites gave the candidate access to young voters who no longer tune in to traditional newspaper and broadcast television for news; but it also showed young people that Obama was a leader not in the mould of their parents' kind of politicians. The fact that Obama, a presidential candidate, even knew what Twitter and Facebook were burnished his image, and telegraphed that he was a new, progressive, modern, "in-touch" kind of guy.

Some people argued that Obama's team's use of new media and social networking was mere pandering, but it is obvious that this approach did resonate with voters. (Plus, remember, Obama set fundraising records, in large part thanks to collecting small amounts through grassroots canvassing.)

As a result, I think it was a foregone conclusion that Obama would, as president, continue using online technology to disseminate information and reach constituents. (I believe at this point, it would be pretty difficult for any candidate--even if they are total Luddites--to campaign or serve without heavy use of the internet.)

While the White House says it has been able to use FB, MySpace Twitter, etc to advance its purposes and increase communication with the public, there are perceived drawbacks as well. One of the biggest is that President Obama has held fewer press conferences than his predecessors, drawing the ire of the Washington press corps. In a clash of old media vs. new, journalists have complained that Obama and his team have actually limited the flow of information to the public by avoiding the traditional routes of dissemination. The administration says the complaints are sour grapes from elite media outlets who are angered by competition from young upstarts.

It has also been interesting to see how the White House has had to adjust its communication strategies as a result of pressures from online media and social networking. Public opinion on contentious issues can reach fever pitch in a matter of days now, thanks to instantaneous online communication. Gone are the days when the White House could choose their own timetables for discussing policy, social issues, cabinet appointees, etc. If news breaks in the online world, the White House must react immediately (for fear of seeming impotent) and most often a response can be floated faster online than through the old channels. Setting up a press conference and alerting the media takes a decent amount of time, Twitter and Facebook are instantaneous.