In thinking about Obama's first press conference, it took me back to the days of JFK, when he actually used those events to communicate with ALL of America, and how FDR did the same thing with his "Fireside Chats" (and no, I am NOT old enough to have been around for those). And then yesterday, this diary by gsadamb talked about using podcasts to communicate with supporters. I have an idea that I haven't seen discussed yet (but will admit I may have missed in all the hub-bub around here) that I think would be even better, and in a way even more fun.
Come below for the very brief explanation.
Those of us who were volunteers for, or contributed to, the Obama campaign were used to getting text messages and emails all the time. In addition, every time I made another contribution, I was asked to forward a message on to others, documenting my support for Obama and asking them to join me.
So, the Obama organization has millions of emails of supporters. But most of us also have millions of email addresses in our address books. And some of those even belong to die-hard "Obama is an atheistic muslim socialist gun-stealing redistributing anti-American etc., etc.
Why couldn't the new transition team ask all of us whose emails they already have if we would like to continue to get weekly updates on transition (and after January 20th) administration actions, positions, plans, etc. And oh, by the way, do you have any friends who also might like the opportunity to receive such updates? Then by all means, send those addresses on to us, the new administration, so we can share this opportunity with them as well.
Of course, you wouldn't want to endlessly send emails to folks who didn't want them, but after offering the "unsubscribe" option, my guess is that at least a few folks would opt to keep getting reports on what the AntiChrist was up to, and over time, they might even find that extending unemployment benefits, or improving Part D of Medicare might actually help them, and then maybe they'd be a bit more open to messages about how oil, formed millions and millions of years ago (as opposed to 6,000 years ago) is running low and we need to get energy from the Sun (which, by the way, has been pumping it out for BILLIONS of years).
Anyway, you get the picture.
And I just can't imagine anything more fun than a few of my right-wing relatives getting a weekly message from President Obama.