ABSTRACT

The 2008 US presidential campaign saw politicians utilizing all types of new media -- Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, e-mail, and cell phone texting – to reach voters of all ages, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, and sexual orientations. This volume examines the use of these media and considers the effectiveness of reaching voters through these channels. It explores not only the use of new media and technologies but also the role these tactics played in attracting new voters and communicating with the electorate during the 2008 presidential debates. Chapters focus on how the technologies were used by candidates, the press, and voters.

part I|57 pages

New Technologies

chapter 2|11 pages

From Soundbite to Textbite

Election 2008 Comments on Twitter

chapter 3|22 pages

The Web 2.0 Election

Voter Learning in the 2008 Presidential Campaign 1

part II|70 pages

New Voices and New Voters

chapter 5|22 pages

Campaign 2008

Comparing YouTube, Social Networking, and Other Media Use Among Younger and Older Voters

chapter 6|19 pages

When Bloggers Attack

Examining the Effect of Negative Citizen-Initiated Campaigning in the 2008 Presidential Election

chapter 7|27 pages

New Voices and New Voters

Ethno-Technology in Reactions to Candidate Messages in the 2008 Campaign

part III|63 pages

New Technologies and New Voices in Debates

chapter 8|21 pages

CNN's Dial Testing of the Presidential Debates

Parameters of Discussion in Tech Driven Politics

chapter 10|21 pages

The Biden—Palin 2008 Vice Presidential Debate

An Examination of Gender and Candidate Issue Expertise

part IV|41 pages

Media Representations and Voter Engagement

chapter 11|18 pages

Just a Hockey Mom with a Gun

Competing Views of Sarah Palin on CNN and Fox