twitter + politics

The 2008 Election

Twitter Stats

Twitter Updates

19 Sept 2008 - 24 Oct 2008

13 Jan 2008 - 30 Oct 2008

29 Apr 2007 - 5 Nov 2008

8 Jan 2007 - 14 Nov 2007

Updates: Tech

•Edwards: all posts from phone; (staff) posts from web

•Obama: all posts from the web

•Clinton: all posts from the web

•McCain: all posts from Twitterfeed

Updates: Style

•Edwards - personal, from the candidate (“I”); exceptions noted

•Obama - clearly campaign updates, announcements in the main

•Clinton - personal, from the candidate (“I”); exceptions in third person

•McCain - clearly feed (Twitterfeed)

Edwards

• I've committed to visiting the town with the most demands on eventful.com, demand a visit in your town at: http://tinyurl.com/24dyxm 4:38 AM Jun 21st, 2007 from txt

• On my way to Finley hospital in Dubuque, Iowa to talk with nurses and local SEIU members. Then I'm off to a community meeting in Montice ... 10:02 AM Nov 14th, 2007 from txt

Clinton•Attempting to connect with people?

• I’m in Columbia S.C. for a rally with voters and a roundtable with South Carolina women. 12:54 PM Jan 13th, 2008 from web

• I need your help in Indiana and North Carolina – make calls and reach out to voters! http://tools.hillaryclinton... 8:17 AM May 5th, 2008 from web

• Thank You West Virginia! 4:42 PM May 13th, 2008 from web

Obama

•Mostly one-way mass announcements (262)

•201 posts: “where am I?”

•27 posts: “call to action”

•24 posts: “announcements”

•13 posts expressed an emotion

Obama Examples

• Launching Obama Mobile text messaging; text 'GO' to OBAMA (62262) to get a free bumper sticker. 6:53 PM Jun 19th, 2007 from web

• In Casper, WY at a town hall meeting & heading to Laramie. Remind all your friends in Wyoming to caucus tomorrow. http://WY.BarackObama.com 11:25 AM Mar 7th, 2008 from web

Obama Post-Hillary

•Calls to action increased

•Announcements included link to “watch live” or “watch recording”

• In Unity, NH. Heading to a rally with Senator Clinton. Watch this event live now on cable news or at http://my.barackobama.com/l... 10:18 AM Jun 27th, 2008 from web

QOTD: Why did 165,000 people sign up to get messages that were the equivalent of adverts ... in a space

where participants value “real” human interaction?

CC License: share&share alike, attribution, non-

commercial•Kathy Gill

•http://faculty.washington.edu/kegill

•@kegill, @kegill_us

•Images: Twitter.com logo, UncleSam from http://test.mla.lib.mi.us/files/images/UncleSam_2.gif