Scaling Obama: Applying the Online Campaigning Lessons of '08 to State and Local Races
Update: Panel presentations and related materials are posted at Epolitics.com:
http://bit.ly/4hmWX
Obama for America used the Internet more effectively than any political campaign in history. What lessons from his online organization, outreach and fundraising efforts can state and local candidates and activists apply in their own communities and their own campaigns, particularly when they're working with limited resources?
This panel will cover the use of grassroots mobilization tools, online video, email, cell phones, social networking websites, blogs and online advertising to find supporters via the internet, to motivate volunteers, to raise money and to turn out real-live voters on election day. We'll focus on translating the experience of people directly involved in Obama's online campaign into the world of political operations that DON'T have half a billion dollars to spend, with an emphasis on achieving political results in the real world.
Colin Delany is founder and editor of Epolitics.com, a website that focuses on the tools and tactics of Internet politics and online advocacy. Launched in July of 2006, Epolitics.com received the Golden Dot Award as "Best Blog - National Politics" at the 2007 Politics Online Conference.
Delany started in politics in the early '90s in the Texas Capitol. Since then, Delany has worked as a consultant to help dozens of political advocacy campaigns promote themselves in the digital world, and between 2003 and 2007 was the Online Communications Manager at the National Environmental Trust.
Judith Freeman is the co-founder and Executive Director of the New Organizing Institute, a training, research and development organization for technology-enabled organizers, activists, staff, and leaders. Recently, she was on leave from NOI to work for the Obama campaign's new media operation. Previously, she was the senior political strategist at the AFL-CIO, where she also co-founded the Analyst Institute. She advises political campaigns, unions and non-profit organizations on organizing, targeting, strategy and technology infrastructure. She worked for 5 years in technology at the University of Chicago where she also organized with social justice organizations.
Scott Goodstein, the Founder of Revolution Messaging LLC, was External Online Director for Obama for America and developed the campaign's social networking platforms. His pioneering work included running the first political campaign to launch niche-based social networks like BlackPlanet, Eons, MiGente, AsianAve and Disaboom. Goodstein created and implemented Obama Mobile, an advanced communication strategy that included text messaging, downloads, interactive voice response communication, a mobile website (WAP), and even an iPhone application. Goodstein loves mixing music, culture and politics. He was the co-founder of Punkvoter.com and Rock Against Bush efforts in 2004.
Julia got her start in politics working for Common Cause. She moved out to California to work for the Alliance for a Better California. Julia continued her work in the labor movement, serving as the Online Communications Director for Working Californians. She was the Courage Campaign's Online Political Director for several years before moving over to the Progressive Change Campaign Committee as a Senior Campaigns Director. Julia currently works as a Campaign Director for MoveOn focusing primarily on economic campaigns. Her blogging has been lacking as of late, but she has been an editor at Calitics and an occasional contributor to Crooks and Liars. Julia currently serves as a trainer for the New Organizing Institute.
