The 2006 elections will be remembered as the year when the center of power in American politics shifted from traditional top-down central broadcasters to new bottom-up decentralized activists in the blogosphere and netroots. The authors give firsthand accounts of the burgeoning power of the netroots to determine the outcome of political contests, most notably as when the national balance of power was tipped by Jim Webb’s rag-tag army of bloggers and netroots activists. They assess the prospects for Netroots 2.0: whether the netroots hordes will crash the party or work out an uneasy cohabitation with the traditional party power elite.
The 2006 elections will be remembered as the year when the center of power in American politics shifted from traditional top-down central broadcasters to new bottom-up decentralized activists in the blogosphere and netroots. The authors give firsthand accounts of the burgeoning power of the netroots to determine the outcome of political contests, most notably as when the national balance of power was tipped by Jim Webb’s rag-tag army of bloggers and netroots activists who provoked and exposed the gaffe that proved fatal to George Allen’s senatorial bid.
Veteran online campaigners Feld and Wilcox recount and analyze many other political campaigns in which netroots activism was decisive or instructive, including:* U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s downfall. *Tim Kaine’s election as Virginia govenor. *Howard Dean’s and Wes Clark’s presidential campaigns. *Ned Lamont’s primary victory over Joe Lieberman. The authors conclude with an assessment of the prospects for Netroots 2.0: Will the netroots hordes crash the party or will they work out an uneasy cohabitation with the traditional party power elite? The foreword is written by Markos (Kos) Moulitsas Zuniga, founding editor of the world’s biggest political blog, Daily Kos.
Reviews
"These two Democratic political consultants offer a rich, even gripping narrative, well sourced, of our century's transformation in political engagement by means of netroots. The Deaniacs, the draft Clark effort, the campaign against Tom DeLay, and Jim Webb's unlikely victory (Feld coordinated Webb's online fundraising) are among the stories told here. Feld and Wilcox are not sure what the future holds for the netroots phenomenon, but their book has long-term value for large public and undergraduate libraries."—Library Journal, Starred Review, April 1, 2008
"Their survey offers insider and first-hand accounts of the power of the netroots to determine political outcomes and also offers chapters covering how activists build movements and insiders kill them and how the passage of time affects political and internet movements. A must for not only computer libraries, but any collection strong in social sciences."—Midwest Book Review/The Bookwatch, October 1, 2008
"When Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox speak, political activists everywhere should listen. And luckily for us, they've come together to share their vast online organizing experience....in the splendid Netroots Rising, a chronicle of war stories and lessons learned from the trenches of the nascent online movement. Make no mistake: This book is simply the best account of the origin and mission of the netroots out there, bar none, in any medium....What pushes the book into must read territory for the practical progressive is their interviewing prowess with all manner of people associated with both the netroots and traditional campaigns....The diverse opinions and experience the authors sought out really lend a richness to this book........Netroots Rising is a tour de force--comprehensive and interesting, full of character, personality, passion and commitment....a concrete resistance to mass media passivity that cannot be more strongly recommended."—American Nonsense/Daily Kos (http://americannonsense.com) (http://www.dailykos., June 29, 2008
"Netroots Rising examines a small window of time when a few young guys with basic computer skills stumbled upon a new way to communicate and organize. The Internet is no longer the home of amateurs, and the Netroots have not yet settled upon a new cause or a new candidate. Netroots Rising provides an account not only of the rise of the Netroots, but, perhaps, also their fall."—Political Communication, 00/00/00
"...it does an excellent job of explaining how the bloggers and other online activists came to play an increasingly important role in American politics...Democrats will love this book, but there is much here for everyone interested in political communications...Netroots Rising is a fascinating book written in an easy-to-read journalistic style. This would be an engaging book to assign in a political communication class. Just as interesting as the information this book provides, however, are the questions it raises but leaves for others to answer."—Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, April 30, 2009
"Blogs have changed the dynamics of campaigns forever in just a few short years, and they've opened up politics to a whole new wave of grassroots activists. Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox take us behind the scenes of this new phenomenon, revealing the virtues and, yes, the vices of the blogosphere in some of the hottest contests in recent elections. One thing's for sure: politics will never be the same, and people who don't have a handle on blogs won't understand the campaigns of the future."—Larry J. Sabato, Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia
"Netroots Rising offers a gripping insider's account of the most important new political movement in America today. If you want to understand how online activism and activists are changing the Democratic Party--and the country--you'll want to read this book."—Matthew Yglesias, Associate Editor of The Atlantic Monthly
"Two histories are emerging for our country's past decade. One is in the headlines and the network newscasts and it consistently misses the profound political changes washing over American democracy. Nate Wilcox and Lowell Feld, however, are leading thinkers in the gathering army of citizens determined to use the Internet to return our democracy to its founding principles. And in Netroots Rising, you will read the story of all the bright young minds who have found a new way to water the roots of our tree of liberty. America is still in good hands and you can see its bright future reflected on these pages."—James C. Moore, Author of Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential
"Nate and Lowell do a bang-up job of capturing the progressive spirit of the netroots sweeping the nation, reaching even into red state strongholds like Texas and Virginia."—Amanda Marcotte, Publisher Pandagon.net
"There's a reformation of the Democratic party underway. This book tells of the sparks that set off the cannons, firing the opening salvos in the movement to create a progressive majority."—Jerome Armstrong, Co-author Crashing the Gates, and founder MyDD.com
"Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox have put together an engaging and exciting book absolutely brimming with essential information for any progressive seeking to compete in--or even just understand--the electoral landscape of the early 21st century. The two of them have vividly brought to life, in a thoroughly engaging way, how American politics have been impacted by technological advances that are reshaping the way we pick our leaders. It is virtually impossible for a serious candidate to expect to win elections without understanding the message Feld and Wilcox elucidate in Netroots Rising."—Howie Klein, Chairman of Blue America PAC, Former president of Reprise Records
