I feel Al Gore's influence on Barack Obama's campaign.
In my opinion, Barack Obama has utilized Al Gore's The Assault on Reason to advance his campaign and begin a movement to bring back democracy.
On the use of the Internet Al Gore writes:
In fact, the Internet is perhaps the greatest source of hope for reestablishing an open communications environment in which the conversation of democracy can flourish. It has extremely low entry barriers for individuals. The ideas that individuals contribute are dealt with, in the main, according to the rules of meritocracy of ideas. It is the most interactive medium in history and the one with the greatest potential for connecting individuals to one another and to a universe of knowledge.
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Already, online organizing has become a very powerful new feature of America's democracy.
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The power of online organizing has also begun to create hope for many that America's current system of financing political campaigns--now dominated by special interests--might eventually be replaced by the millions of small donations collected online outweighing the smaller number of larger contributions from big donors.
Small Online Contributions Add Up to Huge Fund-Raising Edge for Obama
http://www.nytimes.com/...
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In addition to text, individuals are now also expressing themselves on the Internet with video and flash animation.
Yes We Can video:
http://www.youtube.com/...
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While many think of Web sites such as Facebook.com and MySpace.com as opportunities for socializing and maintaining social networks, others have very effectively used these tools for overtly political purposes. And because they are completely decentralized, their potential for fostering participation is almost limitless.
Barack Obama's MySpace Ambitions
http://mashable.com/...
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The democratization of knowledge by the print medium brought about the Enlightenment. Now, broadband interconnection is supporting decentralized processes that reinvigorate democracy. We can see it happening before our eyes: As society, we are getting smarter. Networked democracy is taking hold. You can feel it.
Barck Obama has taken his skills as a community organizer to the Internet to invite us to actively participate in a movement beyond his candidacy for President. And people have clearly responded as demonstrated by the staggering numbers of people attending his rallies, online donations, his volunteer network and incredible ground game, not to mention his record victories in the primaries and caucuses.
I feel Al Gore's influence on Barack Obama's campaign. I heard on one of the AirAmerica Radio shows (can't remember which one) that Obama has spoken with Gore every couple of weeks. Other candidates spoke with him as well. Maybe Al Gore has passed the political torch on to the next generation. Possibly, he saw the change he envisions embodied in Barack Obama. I have no basis for my statement other than my opinion and conjecture. However, whether or not Al Gore directly consulted Barack Obamas's campaign, his influence and message has been well received and put into practice.
Can You Feel It?