Internet Emerges as Powerful Campaign Tool for US Presidential Candidates

The internet has emerged as a powerful political tool in the US elections. Political analysts believe that in the upcoming presidential election, the internet will be one of the main tools for politicians. According to these analysts, the World Wide Web has become an important means for fundraising, sending political messages, mobilizing supporters, and even organizing rallies and determining strategies. Millions of dollars have been raised for candidates through the internet, and tens of thousands of people have gathered at hundreds of meetings and rallies. Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont and one of the nine Democratic candidates in the upcoming election, despite not being a well-known figure, raised more money using the internet than many other candidates, surprising many of his rivals. Professor Michael Cornfield, a specialist in the political use of the internet at George Town University, states that Dean's success in using the internet is due to his appeal to young and liberal voters, as he does not have a background or membership in the established Washington political club and is willing to be known as a staunch opponent of President Bush's economic policies and the Iraq war. Professor Cornfield estimates that 120 million Americans have access to the internet, and about 50 million people regularly browse web pages and websites. Dean's campaign encourages an army of unknown and unfamiliar individuals to organize without organizational oversight, simply because they share his views, to distribute political announcements and statements, engage with news media, and arrange meetings and internet chats. Grant Reer, a political science professor at Syracuse University, says that unlike Dean, most veteran politicians avoid innovative use of the internet for their political activities and do not allow free use of the internet by their supporters and campaign staff. Still, the use of more expensive and traditional messaging tools, such as television and print advertising, is more prevalent, especially since a large segment of the American voting community still does not have access to the internet. In any case, so far, 65,000 people have registered online to help Howard Dean's campaign.