Do Democrats Own the Internet?

No. Especially not in this town, with your help.

Patrick Ruffini :: Do Democrats Own the Internet? Following the Q1 money reports, bloggers and the pundits are all atwitter about Democrat online fundraising numbers. My friend Robert Bluey pens a column rounding up the story in Townhall. Other places with good thoughts on this debate are Kung Fu Quip (authored by ex-RNC Internet director Mike Turk), David All and the Bivings Report.

I have my own perspective on this issue, having led the RNC’s Internet operations in 2006 and now serving as an outside advisor to one of the GOP campaigns (Rudy Giuliani). And as someone who monitors trends on this daily (in my post last Sunday, I actually expected Obama’s Internet number to be higher), I think much of the commentary on this is missing the point.

Dems around her do NOT embrace open systems. I do.

But the article's author and I agree about the merit of comments being only a few short strokes away from a windfall of cash donations.

In their world, at this time, most of the talk is driven by money. Money, money, money.

In Pittsburgh, the talk and buzz does NOT need to be driven by money. Issues, trust, knowledge, solutions, relationships and deeds can count for 70-percent of the buzz. Money, machine, and media account for the rest.

The value of an open system approach on the internet is to build 'value' that won't show on the fiscal balance sheet.

Another article, same message.

Survey Gives Good Reviews to Online Product Reviews: "marketers should take away from the survey is that the brands that exploit the two-way communication potential of Web 2.0 will gain an edge over competitors. 'You want to find a way to engage with the community in a dialogue,' said Murray."