ME and Ophelia

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NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DEAN CAMPAIGN
Internet helped not hindered Howard Dean's chances

Dean's campaign manager, Joe Trippi, announced his departure on Wednesday, January 28, 2004, after Governor Dean asked Roy Neel to come in as CEO of the campaign.

Here's a copy of Pierre Omidyar's Jan 28 post on Trippi's departure, and analyses of what may have contributed to Dean's showing (a respectable third place in Iowa, and a strong second in New Hampshire):

"First Clay Shirky suggests in an excellent piece that the Howard Dean campaign's exemplary use of the Internet (and social software) may have contributed to its disappointing showing in Iowa and New Hampshire. Then, Howard Dean's campaign manager, Joe Trippi, who was also the architect of Dean's Internet strategy, resigns (or is fired).

I guess political campaigns and the Internet have this much in common: instant feedback and near-instant reaction to that feedback. Let's just hope this doesn't diminish the perceived value of the kind of inclusive campaign Joe Trippi ran for Howard Dean."

Here's a copy of my comment on Pierre's post:

"I'm not quite sure what to make of this all. My feelings are that there was nothing wrong with the Dean Campaign itself. And that without the Internet Dean may not have got as far as he did with publicity and fundraising. Although the traditional media gave Dean a very hard time, to the point of ruining his campaign, perhaps when it came down to casting their votes, the people of Iowa and NH were not as anti the Iraq war as they were a while back, and perceived Kerry as having better credentials and a more presidential persona and gravitas than Dean, thus making him seem more likely to win against George W Bush."
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A heroes' farewell: Joe Trippi, January 28, 2004, Rira, Burlington, Vermont:

"The picture I didn't take happened as Costello, Kelly and I were leaving Rira about 1:30 AM. Behind us, Joe Trippi was embracing Matt Gross, tears in Joe's eyes. I thought about these two guys, getting together more than a year ago, to make something happen in politics. And they did" - Jim Moore.