Lee Brenner on How MySpace Initiatives Target Younger Voters

Lee Brenner: It is the first election where the internet has been part of the core
strategy of the presidential campaigns from the beginning and not
necessarily just a second thought or an afterthought of the regular
campaign. It’s been the way they’re raising money, the way they’re
communicating with the millions and millions of people that are
spending their time online.

Obviously, Obama has done very well. But McCain has done
pretty well as well. All of them have social networking pages.
Obama has I think over 60 official MySpace pages, one for every
state, one for every major constituency group. They’re using it to
organize their supporters organize new supporters, register new
voters, raise money and it’s been a core part of their strategy and
that’s the way how they really participated in getting this new
electorate, this new generation involved.

The polling companies are starting to figure out that these people
don’t necessarily have landlines. A great majority of this new
generation doesn’t have a landline. They’re not sitting at home
during the dinner hour waiting for our people for this polling call.
So there are new ways where it’s on the internet through cell phone
usage and really finding this. We actually adjusted a poll with
NBC News and with the Wall Street Journal

Actually polling utilizing online and telephone to poll these new
voters and returning voters to really talk about what and how
they’re feeling about this election.

Male: And what did you find out?

Lee Brenner: We found out well that they are more inclined to meeting tour
Obama right now. I mean this is about two weeks ago when I do
another one but they’re open to new ideas. They’re all about the
ability of the government. They don’t just trust the government but
they’re really the government is a way to solve some of these
major issues that are facing the country.

So, it is a bit of conundrum because they’ve lost trust in a
government. The people are running it which is I think why is the
change module which we are seeing on both sides of the aisle is so
important because they realize that the country is ready for a shift
in the way the government is run. But I think this is large. There’s
a biggest generation American history feels like the government is
necessary.

It’s necessary to solve these major issues that face the country
from war to Social Security to healthcare and they’re ready to
come together to find these solutions.

Male: Actually we’re three weeks out from Election Day. Tell us what
MySpace is going to be doing in the political arena in the lead up
to the election, and election night if -- or whatever. What’s going
on?

Lee Brener: A major in issue about voter registration. We’re working with
some of the biggest voter registration groups to play yourself rock
the boat, head count to register as many people as possible or
trying to really democratize democracy and bring as many people
in the process as possible.

I mean there are some major initiative is MyDebates.org which is
partnership with the Debate Commission and basically we built
this online tool sets. So, after this next debate tomorrow, people
can come, decide which issues are important to them and basically
create a score card which is then populated with the issue clips
from the debates, so they can only watch issues that are really
important to them and can really informed decision come election
day when they are going to the voting booth.

I think it’s fantastic that so many people are getting involved and I
think for the first time this medium, this internet medium is such.
This is the first in our election. It’s happening. It’s been possible
part of it in the past of elections but this is the one where it’s
actually making a difference and it’s going to be a part of it in our
future elections. And I think to be a pioneer with that could be
creating this as we go along and kind of helping to create this
world where more people can get involved and more people are
having a voice in the government is unbelievable and that’s what
American is all about.

Male: All right.