I think Obama really owes most of his success to the McGovern commission. The other part of his rapid rise is what Shelby Steele refers to bargaining and being the "candidate of destiny." This emotional appeal coupled with an institutional difference are more powerful than any Web 2.0 tool. Without which he would have been doing only moderately better than Ron Paul. As they say Democrats fall in love and Republicans fall in line.

It will be interesting to see how these technologies come into play in the future when all the demographics shift. But I think the old-fashioned principles always wins. Isn't that part of the conservative message?

Republicans should instead be articulating the meaning of conservatism and in an approachable common sense way. You can attract more newcomers with the soft power of influence. I think there are more undiscovered conservatives in new immigrant groups. And I think the younger voters will get a nice dose of reality when they have to start paying the bill for all these entitlement programs Baby Boomers will be sucking dry.

The flip side of all this open source politics is that "essentially groups formed themselves" And that can be very problematic when everyone controls the message. When you delegate all that authority to the little people you are held hostage to their whims. Which is essentially why the Democratic Party has had so many problems. It's a big umbrella for so many radically different groups who all want their needs met immediately. Where is the order and priorities? Who wants to be a bound man?

I'd also wait a couple years after their is an investigation into the funding of his campaign. I think we'll see a lot of bundling and outside influence. He has strange relationships with terrorist friendly pan-african nationalists.
Just my 2 cents.