Is Frist "Mr. Technology?"
The Fix asks: Is Bill Frist the new Howard Dean?
"On Frist's Volunteer PAC site, he offers visitors several ways to interact semi-directly with him. First, Frist has a blog that is updated regularly through which he seeks to take the temperature of visitors on controversial issues like immigration and judges. To date, the blog has received more than 20,000 posts from readers, and Frist aides insist the senator regularly participates in the online debate.
Frist also recently announced a podcast, a feature that has become de rigeur for the Web sites of aspiring 2008ers. But Frist is planning an interesting twist: He allows visitors to submit questions on the site that he then answers in the "iFrist" podcast.
Frist currently has five podcasts available for downloading -- ranging from 'Feingold's Censure Stunt' to the less excitingly titled "Immigration Debate Update.' (At press time, Frist's was the 22nd most popular political podcast on the Apple iTunes Music Store.) Aides to Frist also note that a recent interview he did with Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds (a well-known conservative blogger) has already been downloaded almost 500,000 times.
Today Frist will launch a tool that allows users to participate in seven online mini campaigns. The options include taking a survey on national security, signing a petition in support of President Bush or endorsing the reelection campaigns of Sens. Jim Talent (Mo.) and Rick Santorum (Pa.). The site allows individuals to monitor the progress of the campaigns for which they volunteer online and allow them to invite friends to participate as well.
How effective any one of these online approaches will be in recruiting supporters (and donors) to Frist's 2008 cause is an open question. There is a at least one crucial difference between Dean and Frist. Like him or hate him, the former Vermont governor inspired passion and loyalty among those who believed in him. At best, Frist can be described as low-key, at worst boring. Can a man with the Tennessee senator's mien inspire people to activism via the Web?"
"On Frist's Volunteer PAC site, he offers visitors several ways to interact semi-directly with him. First, Frist has a blog that is updated regularly through which he seeks to take the temperature of visitors on controversial issues like immigration and judges. To date, the blog has received more than 20,000 posts from readers, and Frist aides insist the senator regularly participates in the online debate.
Frist also recently announced a podcast, a feature that has become de rigeur for the Web sites of aspiring 2008ers. But Frist is planning an interesting twist: He allows visitors to submit questions on the site that he then answers in the "iFrist" podcast.
Frist currently has five podcasts available for downloading -- ranging from 'Feingold's Censure Stunt' to the less excitingly titled "Immigration Debate Update.' (At press time, Frist's was the 22nd most popular political podcast on the Apple iTunes Music Store.) Aides to Frist also note that a recent interview he did with Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds (a well-known conservative blogger) has already been downloaded almost 500,000 times.
Today Frist will launch a tool that allows users to participate in seven online mini campaigns. The options include taking a survey on national security, signing a petition in support of President Bush or endorsing the reelection campaigns of Sens. Jim Talent (Mo.) and Rick Santorum (Pa.). The site allows individuals to monitor the progress of the campaigns for which they volunteer online and allow them to invite friends to participate as well.
How effective any one of these online approaches will be in recruiting supporters (and donors) to Frist's 2008 cause is an open question. There is a at least one crucial difference between Dean and Frist. Like him or hate him, the former Vermont governor inspired passion and loyalty among those who believed in him. At best, Frist can be described as low-key, at worst boring. Can a man with the Tennessee senator's mien inspire people to activism via the Web?"
posted by Matt Lewis at 5:18 AM
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