ABSTRACT
Barack Obama's rise to the presidency was quite rapid, though not as rapid as that of his successor. Barack Obama's 2008 campaign focused more on social media than any previous effort, though even more emphasis on social media communication would take place in subsequent elections. Media use data collected by Pew, illustrates that throughout that campaign and during Obama's eight years as president, the media environment qualified as a mixed one. By 2008, the news media environment had "evolved into a hybrid arrangement where traditional and new sources co-exist, complement, compete and conflict with each other". Conservatives had been turning to Fox News for a less liberal perspective on the news for more than a decade before Obama and John McCain faced off in 2008. The White House website during Obama's tenure likewise offered opportunities for citizens to obtain email updates and provided clickable opportunities to engage with and otherwise participate in ongoing administration political activities.
