[In March 2008, PoliticsOnline integrated the NetPulse with our weekly newsletter, The Weekly PoliTicker, in order to provide the most current and relevant coverage of the Internet in politics. Past volumes of the NetPulse can be found in our archives.]

NetPulse Vol. 11, No. 05 (May 15, 2007) ( FULL VIEW )

	HOTSPOT

Campaigns Look to Text Messaging - Text messaging is joining the ranks of MySpace and YouTube as a popular tool of Democratic Presidential candidates.

John Edwards and Hillary Clinton are both using text messaging to build support for their respective campaigns. Over the weekend the Edwards camp launched a new website, www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com, and asked supporters to text the word "Iraq" to show their support. The Clinton campaign is using text messaging to update supporters on the latest news from the campaign trail. Text messaging is just another example of how technology is changing political campaigning. Cell phones and email addresses are becoming the most useful and efficient means for campaigns to stay in touch with supporters.

Text messaging combined with blogs and social networking sites is giving the 2008 presidential campaigns the ability to create a community of supporters, and within these communities supporters are able to organize rallies, house parties, and other events in their local areas across the nation. In 2004, Howard Dean was able to recruit massive amount of volunteers, but the technology at the time did not allow the campaign to efficiently mobilize these supporters. The '08 contenders have learned from the Dean experience, but still struggle to maintain control of this brave new interactive world in politics.

www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com
www.johnedwards.com
www.hillaryclinton.com

Clinton reaches out to voters with text messages
TLK2UL8R, HILLARY

Inside NetPulse 11.05 (May 15, 2007) Quick News - 4th Annual Personal Democracy Forum Conference Hot Quotes - Internet and Politics an Uneasy Fit What's New - A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users Cool Numbers - From Africa to Germany, Blogs Reflect a Globalized World DC Connection - Tech Leaders Tell Congress: Net Neutrality Fuels Innovation In The States - Romney Plans Major Grassroots Push Sunshine for the Virtual Town Hall Internet Vulnerable to Free Speech Issues The World's Wide Web - France to be Turned into a Great Digital Nation Scottish election suffers from e-voting woes Pentagon Limits Troops' Web Access Super Sites - www.Edin08.com www.SupportTheTroopsEndTheWar.com Soundoff - Better Late Than Never Senators Boxer, Feingold, and Clinton turn online advocacy campaigns to their advantage By Eve Fox, Vice President of eCampaigns at M+R Strategic Services