Thanks, Jerome!

Jerome Armstrong over at myDD posted a shout out to Progressive Majority's campaign trainings during the Take Back America Conference. While CAF organized the talking-heads part of the conference, PM was hosting training workshops on fundraising, mobilization, GOTV, etc. Jerome makes a great point here, in talking about the role of the Internet in campaigns:

A well run campaign uses the internet by bringing on individuals within each of the existing campaign areas, that work together and apart. The absolute worst implementation is for the campaign to let the hackers or the web designers take on the role of strategic implementation. Formulation and implementation of internet strategy from the leadership of the campaign is what most often is missing. Rare still, is the decision-maker that knows what to do in this area, and even rarer are those in such situations that are willing to cede control in an area they are not with expertise. But they are emerging.

Isn't that what this class is all about? It can't be enough to have technical expertise-- what's required is knowledge of the most effective ways to apply technology to the desired end. Just like you can't let the media folks plan a campaign (see the Kerry campaign for a great example), you can't let the techies run the place either.