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 in D.C., following her graduation from Vassar College with a degree in American Culture. She moved out to California to work for the Alliance for a Better California, then later served as the Online Communications Director for Working Californians. Julia went on to work as the Online Political Director for the Courage Campaign, splitting her time between trying to fix California's broken government and advocating for LGBT equality nationally. While at Courage she worked on both the Prop 8 campaign and No on 1 in Maine. She was the primary lead on the Prop 8 Trial Tracker and the Testimony: Equality on Trial. Julia recently joined the Progress Campaign Change Committee as their Online Campaigns Director. Julia is an editor at Calitics and an occasional contributor to Crooks and Liars. She also currently serves as a trainer for the New Organizing Institute.
