This story was reported for the San Diego News Network on April 9, 2009.
California Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) climbed Mt. Shasta on April 3, while tweeting.
San Diego Councilmember Kevin Faulconer and Lemon Grove Councilmember George Gastil just became “friends.”
And, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) thinks “Holder [U.S. attorney general Eric Holder] better NOT shop around.”
These facts are all courtesy of social media outlets: Twitter and Facebook.
Around the world, elected officials are joining the increasingly popular forums that allow people to communicate via wavelengths. And, this truth doesn’t fall short for local officials.
According to a study conducted by the consulting firm Deloitte, politicians embracing social media is comparable to the days when Woodrow Wilson first used direct-mail marketing, Herbert Hoover first appeared on radio networks and Dwight Eisenhower promoted his presidential candidacy on television.
“There are just more ways to interact with people now,” Coronado Mayor Casey Tanaka said. “It’s [social media] an extra tool to make yourself accessible to residents and to answer questions and hear comments.”
Tanaka, who has a Facebook account and now actively blogs on ECoronado.com, said it doesn’t take away from his time in the community but is merely helpful.
Twitter and Facebook obtained popularity among officeholders during President Barack Obama’s campaign, as noted by the Deloitte study.
San Diego State University journalism and media studies professor Noah Arceneaux describes how Obama has used social media as “remarkable,” however, sees it all as a sign of the times, like how F.D.R. used the radio.
“It’s really a revolution but this just means it’s another form of communication,” Arceneaux said. “It just means we’re moving into the 21st century.”
Obama, who hired Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes during his campaign, was able to reach out to young voters.
“As Barack Obama’s victory shows, his early popularity on sites such as MySpace and Facebook was no passing fad,” the study stated. “These sites provided dramatic early signals that Obama’s candidacy had caught on with young people at a time when no one gave him a chance of winning the Democratic primary, let alone the Presidency. While Obama’s message and appeal had a unique resonance, anyone with an idea or a product to sell should take note — social networks have become an accepted and required part of the marketing mix.”
Political consultant Jim Ross, who managed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s campaign in 2003 and created a Facebook account for U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. in 2008, said the differences were stark. He said in 2003, their focus was to send out mass mailers and utilize the new blogosphere. However, in 2008, they were talking to voters through social networks.
“It’s a very effective organizing tool and it’s a way to mobilize the campaign and the candidate,” Ross said. “Using social media as a politician is no longer optional.”
In fact, Twitter grew nearly 76 percent from February to March and Facebook has more than 200 million active users. And, according to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, an estimated 35 percent of American adults and 65 percent of American teenagers have accounts on social forums. Although there isn’t an exact number of how many politicians are registered on its site, Facebook privacy and public policy associate Simon Axten said Obama has the largest number of supporters totaling at 6 million.
“Not just for politicians, but period,” Axten said.
Axten added: Many of the politicians who are having the most success from Facebook are those “who are using it to bring a little color to their office” and that those who are using it on a local level are “having the biggest impact.”
This is true for Councilmember Kevin Faulconer, according to his director of communications Tony Manolatos, who feels that it has helped Faulconer reach out to his district.
“Our goal is to drive people onto the District 2 Web site,” Manolatos said. “Somebody is on there everyday, sometimes a few times a day and Kevin checks his own Facebook.”
Manolatos also said, Faulconer who opened his account in January, has over 300 friends – the average Facebook user has 120 friends.
According to Brian Reich, former principal of communications firm EchoDitto and professor at George Washington University, politicians will have to embrace social media if they want to succeed.
“Politicians can get great benefit out of using social media if they embrace the true spirit and potential that the tools provide,” Reich said. “They can tap the community for more and better ideas, they can gain greater understanding of the challenges that people are facing today — and how they might be able to help address those challenges through legislation, or other work. But few, if any, are adding the kind of value to the conversation about issues that these tools could support, or engaging the audience in a way that drives a meaningful, measurable impact.”
But for National City Mayor Ron Morrison, social media isn’t necessary. Morrison said because National City has a smaller population, he is able to communicate with residents in person.
“Within my community, it’s much easier for me to be hands-on,” Morrison said. “I give out my cell and home phone number out all the time. And, I attend just about every meeting the city has — so I have plenty of one-on-one type conversations with my constituents.”
According to Luis Monteagudo, director of communications for County Supervisor Greg Cox, the same is true. He said Cox is often at community events and thus, doesn’t feel the need to tweet.
“We look at all kinds of social tools but for Greg, he is always out and has already established a good communication system with his communities,” Monteagudo said.
Reich said that may be the reason for some politicians to not adopt such resources, because they already feel part of the community, but soon, those who aren’t tweeting or Facebooking may be left in the dust with the same person who ran against Dwight Eisenhower (Who was he?).
“The politician that canvasses neighborhoods, and takes questions at town halls, and develops relationships with his or her constituents, is the one that gets re-elected,” Reich said. “The one who ignores his/her district, pursues a personal agenda and similar [actions] eventually get booted out. That, eventually, in the digital age will just be sooner.”
Just don’t retweet Michigan Rep. Peter Hoekstra’s tweet about his meant-to-be-undisclosed Congressional meeting in Iraq a couple months ago.
Hoa Quach is the political editor for the San Diego News Network.