It’s hours to decision time for the Dean campaign. Earlier this week, Gov. Dean sent an email to 600,000 supporters, asking them to vote on whether he should decline, or accept, federal matching funds. This online poll is just the latest twist in a campaign that has made the internet its centerpiece.
Dean has already raised more than $30 million online. Campaign insiders describe life in the blogosphere, talk earnestly about “empowerment”, and spend time socializing in “meet-ups.” Rivals and skeptics say the Dean camp is full of white, upper-income latte lovers more suited to the virtual world of online chat than the real world of hard-knuckle politics, and that the internet buzz won’t translate to votes. Virtual Dean. The money, medium and the message.
Guests:
Gary Wolf, contributing editor, Wired Magazine
Ryan Lizza, associate editor, The New Republic
Joe Trippi, campaign manager for Howard Dean’s primary campaign.