CGM Gets Political

Howard Dean will always be remembered for the yell that ruined his chances at becoming President. The yell crushed Dean's political aspirations while becoming one of the most frequently played videos on the Internet. It has even been remixed to Guns N Roses, Ozzy Ozbourne, and Outkast.

Politics have long been the vehicle of viral campaigns, mostly because the public has always found humor in the mistakes of those that spend the majority of their lives trying to control their own public image. What happened to Howard Dean was no exception to this rule.

What has changed in the world of politics is the embracement of consumer generated media. Despite his inevitable failure, Howard Dean is also an example of an organically-grown political Web community can fuel political success. The road paved by Dean is being followed by John Edwards. Edwards has reached out to bloggers by inviting them to dinner at his home and he has reached out to Gen Y by posting video on YouTube.

Politicians are beginning to realize that CGM and social networks are really just another forum to ask for votes. CGM gives the consumer a chance to become more involved with the political process and subsequently will make them more likely to vote. Do not be surprised if the next President has a significant presence in the blogosphere and social networks.