Tour De Force De Facebook

Originally posted 2/7/07.

For those who don't know, Facebook is social networking web page, similar to MySpace, originally designed for academia. As a person who attended a large university, this instrument was invaluable. If you met someone at a social event but didn't exchange contact information, they could easily be located with key bits of information (say, first name, residence hall, and major). A great tool for the day following a party...

But here's where I see the real power of such a web page: there are 'groups' users can join based on their interests. One called "For Every 1,000 that join this group I will donate $1 for Darfur" has attracted 472,425 individuals. That's an organic groundswell of political capital which should open the eyes of every American politician.

Keep an eye on February 12-17; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is sending a special envoy to Sudan during those days and afterwards Jan Eliasson flys to New York to file his report. Mr. Ki-Moon has taken an aggressive stance concerning Darfur, saying slow progress is not tolerable, and I'm eager to see how hard he presses this issue.

As for the 08' presidential election, it's widely recognized that Dems have an advantage in internet-based party building, and my Facebook survey is no different. Hardly any Republican candidate has more than a few thousand supporters registered to groups supporting their candidacy. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton has a few thousand supporters but virtually as many opposing her candidacy. John Edwards has fewer supporters but receives no where near the same level of invective. Then we come to Barack Obama...

Mr. Obama has well over a dozen groups numbering in the thousands (mostly 1-4) which support him (can anyone say, "State-based grassroots"?) and a single group sixty persons short 57,000. For the savvy 21st century politician, these are your foot soldiers.

There are some pundits who pick Edwards over Obama and there are several lines of logic; Mr. Edwards has been campaigning constantly since 2004, he's allied with labor (a must in a Dem primary), his resonant message of "two Americas" and the 800-pound gorilla, he's white. That kool-aid isn't for me.

Mr. Edwards is a one-term former senator whose name produced trivial support in 2004, even in his home state which President Bush carried by twelve and a half points. He's an average debater, at best, with a trial-lawyer background that makes him, at times, appear fulsome. He's played well while no one was paying any particular attention, but will fade as the bright lights are focused.

The most daunting challenge for Mr. Obama will be the Clinton hitman machinery, but I think he'll get the nomination anyway.

UPDATE: as of 2/20, Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack) has 290,357 members and is growing each minute (over 100 in the last hour). John McCain for President - One Million for McCain reached 1,000 on February 6 and, two weeks later, has yet to 1,500.