GOP candidates for the 2010 gubernatorial slot in California are taking a very modern step forward tomorrow.

On Wednesday, October 28th at 7:00pm (Pacific), Steve Poizner will be participating in what we believe to be the first ever candidate Twitter debate.

This is a great step in the right direction for Republicans at a time when we are seeking to expand our message and make inroads into the world of modern media.

Here's what Steve Poizner had to say about tomorrow's Twitter debate and what it means for modern Republican communication:

There is no doubt that we need to grow the Republican Party and engaging new and young voters through social media outlets like Twitter is an excellent start.  I’m honored to join Tom Campbell tomorrow night for what may be the first ever candidate 'Twitter Debate,' where we will respond to questions submitted via Twitter as well as questions from Dan Walters and other panelists.  I want to encourage all California voters to watch the debate live on television or online and share your thoughts throughout the night on Twitter.  We need to make California the innovation capital of the world again, and Brandman University’s unique debate is a step in the right direction with an innovative way to connect voters with California's gubernatorial candidates.

A portion of the questions that will be posed to both candidates on “Solutions to the California Financial Crisis” have been submitted through Twitter using the hashtag #cadebate.

The debate can be viewed online tomorrow at: www.brandman.edu/cadebate/webcast

You can also follow @StevePoizner and @TeamPoizner for live updates throughout the debate including tweets, pictures and video. 

Apple Rejects iSinglePayer iPhone App For Being 'Politically Charged'

Apple might be talking a big game about how it's revising the App Store approval process with an oversight board and trotting out Phil Schiller to do damage control at opportune moments, but the process itself is still generating inconsistent and maddening results -- like today's rejection of an app advocating for healthcare reform called iSinglePayer, which was rejected for being "politically charged." Yeah, that's insane, especially since the app just consists of healthcare spending information and a GPS-driven lookup tool for local Congress members and how much money they've received in health-sector donations. Say what you want about the political motivations of the app, but that's a fairly benign set of functions, and it's one that's been echoed by political apps on both sides of the aisle since the launch of the App Store. So why this rejection, and why now, when apps with names like "Conservative Talking Points" have been approved? 

A Start-Up's Tale, Tweet by Tweet

When Sean Callahan sent a "tweet" on March 19 announcing plans to launch TweetPhoto Inc., a photo-sharing service for Twitter, he didn't have a company to speak of—just a bare-bones Web page and a plan to best TwitPic Inc., a well-established rival.
The Journal Report

Mr. Callahan worried that the longer he waited, the harder it would be to unseat TwitPic. So while he was wrapping up a business degree in London, Mr. Callahan plunged into designing his photo-sharing platform. He also started using Twitter, a micro-blogging site that enables users to tell the world what they are doing via short messages known as tweets, to connect with potential customers—and erect the company itself.

Study: 80% of Twitter Users are All About Me

Rutgers University Professors Mor Naaman and Jeffrey Boase set out to analyze the content and characteristics of social media activity. They dubbed communications systems like Facebook and Twitter, “social awareness streams,” and then took to examining user behavior.

After dissecting over 3,000 tweets from more than 350 Twitter users’ status updates the professors concluded that 80% of users are “meformers,” or “Me Now” status updaters. 

Winning Online in 2010: Tools, Time and Resources

Online politics may look new, but most of what a campaign does over the internet is really just a reincarnation of some classic political act. For instance, think of a website as the electronic version of a storefront office, while the process of working with bloggers is a lot like old-school print or broadcast media relations.

But compared with traditional political tools, the internet truly excels at maintaining relationships with many people at once. Channels like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and in particular email connect campaigns directly with their donors and volunteers, providing a means to distribute news, messaging points, event invitations and appeals for time and money. With planning and effort, the connection can go both ways, letting a campaign actively tap the social connections and even the creativity of its supporters.