UTPL

The Charlotte Observer on Senator DeMint’s Web Efforts

Politicians feel tug of online networking
By Lisa Zagaroli
lzagaroli@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Monday, Jan. 05, 2009

His favorite movie is “Braveheart,” and his favorite TV show is “24.” He also loves playing tennis, running and sailing, according to his Facebook page.

His job title? U.S. senator.

When it comes to using social networking sites and other modern forms of communication, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., is embracing new ways of reaching out to constituents. He has pages on MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and some other Internet sites.

That makes him one of the most active members of Congress, at least in the Carolinas. Others have begun using the Web tools, as well, to share news about their legislative work and campaign activity.

These days, that involves tweeting and friending and flickering and feeding.

“What we are seeing is it’s probably more crucial policy- and legislative-wise now than from a campaign standpoint,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who has a sparse Facebook page but a souped-up Web site that was just unveiled this week and will offer a blog and more audio and video features.

“I don’t think we can ignore the folks that are more likely to get their news off of some type of online source or (talk show host) Jon Stewart vs. ones that have subscriptions to the newspaper,” he said.

2008 was a year that marked notable changes in the way lawmakers and candidates, led by President-elect Obama, tried to get their messages across to a wider array of constituents and voters using different means, said David Perlmutter, a journalism professor at the University of Kansas. It’s only going to get more common, he predicted.

“There’s definitely a tech envy,” said Perlmutter, author of Blogwars, a book about how political blogging changed elections. When politicians hear about their peers successfully using other media, he said, “you’re going to want to try it yourself.”

The Internet is giving lawmakers and viewers a chance to share a lot of information that isn’t filtered or prioritized by the traditional news media.

Much of it is serious business, but it can be fun, too.

Want to see Sen. Elizabeth Dole sitting on a motorcycle with Rep. Virginia Foxx at her side? Check out Foxx’s page on Flickr, a photo-sharing site, where images of the Banner Elk Republican include her suited up in a baseball uniform for Congress’ annual game and that pose this summer with Dole, R-N.C., and members of the Rolling Thunder.

One of Foxx’s most watched videos on YouTube – with more than 1,900 views – is a video focusing on abstinence education. At a House committee hearing, she asks witnesses whether they would support funding for optional abstinence education if that programming was shown to be more effective than comprehensive sex education. (Most of the panel said no.)

Only a speech Foxx gave about gas prices got more hits for her on YouTube, with more than 2,000 views, according to the video-sharing site’s gauge of how often each clip is watched.

A bit of a love story can be found on the Facebook page of Rep. John Spratt, a Democrat from York County, S.C.

Spratt and his wife, Jane, sitting side by side, talk about how they met in eighth grade and only strayed from South Carolina for a few years before returning. It’s actually a campaign ad.

The politicians’ Facebook pages are different from others: Members become “supporters” instead of “friends,” and you can’t send e-mail or live chat if the politician is signed on. You can post messages, though.

Though some lawmakers share personal information, they mostly post official business. DeMint gets a little more detailed than most for his supporters on Facebook, a site that typical participants use to keep up with friends. Among his interests are “reforming Social Security, eliminating the current tax code (and) defending America’s safety and ideals at home and abroad.” Supporters write messages to him like “you rock!” and “thanks for sticking up for what’s right.”

Not all lawmakers are entering the new age of communication as quickly.

“We do send out our newsletters electronically these days,” offers Corey Little, a spokesman for Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat.

Rep. Sue Myrick, a Charlotte Republican, has a Facebook page with 442 supporters, but it’s not updated often.

“There was a challenge with keeping it up,” Myrick said.

Not all Web users are looking for information overload. The most common visitor to Burr’s Web site, for example, is just looking for a way to e-mail him about an issue.

The multi-media DeMint has a blog on his official Web site, mostly updated by staff with his public statements and television appearances, and he contributes to other blogs, as well.

“New technologies allow quick and dynamic communication that reach many folks who wouldn’t necessarily read a newspaper or watch C-Span,” DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton said. “It’s a unique way not to just share the Senator’s views with a wide audience, but to interact and get immediate feedback from constituents about their concerns.”

DeMint “tweets,” too, on Twitter, which allows people to write brief updates about what they’re up to. According to an online gauge, he is the fourth most followed member of Congress on Twitter. An update a couple of weeks ago seemed appropriate:

“On a blogger conference call.”