2008 Woodie Awards
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Campaigns use Facebook for grassroots efforts
By Patricio Chile on 3/1/07
A new movement in politics is coming from an unexpected medium - the social networking Web site Facebook has emerged as a way for AU students to show their support for the 2008 presidential candidates.
James Lynch, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, started a Facebook group supporting John McCain. The group, "AU for McCain," is a basis for the future Web site "dcstudentsformccain.com," Lynch said in an e-mail. According to Lynch, Facebook rallied students interested in his Web site and McCain.
"It was the simplest way to create a group and have it accessible by the campus immediately," Lynch said in an e-mail.
Caitlin Miller, a freshman in SPA, said Facebook helped with her political cause. Miller, Taryn McKinnon, a freshman in the School of Communication and the College of Arts and Sciences, and Heidi Davis, a freshman in SOC, created the group "My Next President: Barack Obama."
Miller said they formed the Facebook group after seeing the Illinois senator speak at George Mason University in early February. The girls made T-shirts for the event, which received publicity from The Washington Post and The New York Times as part of their coverage on the rally's youth involvement. They decided to sell more Obama T-shirts as a fundraiser for him but were restricted from doing so on campus because the university cannot endorse a specific candidate. However, they could sell them through Facebook, Miller said.
Though the group is still waiting for Obama's approval to use his name on the shirts, Miller said "in no time at all" students have become interested in their fundraiser through Facebook. Since the group began two weeks ago, 53 people have joined.
Roland Lewis, a first-year graduate student in the International Training and Education program, summarized how the Internet is impacting politics.
"It's a place for people to gather without physically interacting," Lewis said.
According to Lewis, the Internet has given him "balanced" information on the candidates. He can discuss and hear different views, which he said contributes to his understanding.
James Lynch, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, started a Facebook group supporting John McCain. The group, "AU for McCain," is a basis for the future Web site "dcstudentsformccain.com," Lynch said in an e-mail. According to Lynch, Facebook rallied students interested in his Web site and McCain.
"It was the simplest way to create a group and have it accessible by the campus immediately," Lynch said in an e-mail.
Caitlin Miller, a freshman in SPA, said Facebook helped with her political cause. Miller, Taryn McKinnon, a freshman in the School of Communication and the College of Arts and Sciences, and Heidi Davis, a freshman in SOC, created the group "My Next President: Barack Obama."
Miller said they formed the Facebook group after seeing the Illinois senator speak at George Mason University in early February. The girls made T-shirts for the event, which received publicity from The Washington Post and The New York Times as part of their coverage on the rally's youth involvement. They decided to sell more Obama T-shirts as a fundraiser for him but were restricted from doing so on campus because the university cannot endorse a specific candidate. However, they could sell them through Facebook, Miller said.
Though the group is still waiting for Obama's approval to use his name on the shirts, Miller said "in no time at all" students have become interested in their fundraiser through Facebook. Since the group began two weeks ago, 53 people have joined.
Roland Lewis, a first-year graduate student in the International Training and Education program, summarized how the Internet is impacting politics.
"It's a place for people to gather without physically interacting," Lewis said.
According to Lewis, the Internet has given him "balanced" information on the candidates. He can discuss and hear different views, which he said contributes to his understanding.
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