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Using a whole array of 21st century tech and media tools, the Obama campaign has created a new model of a people-based politics that will be emulated by candidates, governments and non-profit organizations in America and throughout the world. Joining with our sister organization, the New Politics Institute, NDN is bringing together an excellent group of experts in a special forum this Thursday, November 20, to take an in-depth look at how we expect the lessons of this historic campaign to shape governing, advocacy and politics in the 21st century.

The explosion of these new tools has forever changed the way that government works. Citizens now have a much more intimate connection with their democracy; the barrier to entry to particpate in civil life has been lowered as people are texting, blogging, posting videos on YouTube and using social networking to connect with millions of others, whether they are across the street or across the globe.

In that vein, NDN hosted a special lunchtime forum on November 20 with Simon Rosenberg, President of NDN, Andrew Rasiej, founder of Personal Democracy Forum, Scott Goodstein, who was External Online Director for Obama for America, and Tim Chambers, co-founder of Media 50 Group, to discuss how we expect the lessons of this historic campaign and its use of new media to shape domestic and global politics in the years to come.

Bios:

Tim Chambers is a principal of Dewey Square Group, an agency designed to help develop, enhance, and expand online, wireless, and technology campaigns. He has a 12 year track record in the entertainment and technology industries and has recently co-founded a new company, Media 50 Group, aimed at helping political practitioners understand and master new media. Prior to this effort, he served Sony Corp of America as the Senior Vice President of Advanced Media Platforms, for the Sony U.S. Chief Technology Officer. In this capacity he was a key strategist and technologist coordinating with Sony's global technology efforts in next generation mobile, game, home network, new media formats and software development. In his previous position as Senior Vice President of Advanced Platforms and GM for Wireless for Sony Pictures Digital, Mr. Chambers established and managed the worldwide mobile entertainment publishing and licensing division of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Andrew Rasiej is a social entrepreneur, futurist, and Founder of Personal Democracy Forum, an annual conference and community website focusing on and promoting the intersection of politics and technology. He is also the co-founder of techPresident, an award winning group blog that covers how the 2008 Presidential candidates are using the web, and how voter generated content (a term he coined) is affecting the campaign. In the 2004 Presidential race he served as Chairman of the Howard Dean Technology Advisory Council. In 2005 he ran a highly visible campaign for Public Advocate of New York City, running in the Democratic primary on a platform to bring low cost wireless internet access to all New Yorkers. He writes a bi weekly column for www.politico.com and he appears as an expert on the Internet and politics on major media channels including CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, FOX, BBC, SKY News, and is quoted regularly on this subject by major newspapers internationally including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, La Monde, The Financial Times, etc, and major magazines including The Economist, Wired, Time, Newsweek, Fast Company, and Popular Science among others. For a full bio, click here.

Scott Goodstein was External Online Director for Obama for America. Goodstein developed the campaign’s social networking platforms. This included being the first political campaign to launch niche based social networks like BlackPlanet, Eons, MiGente, AsianAve, Disaboom, etc… Goodstein built the lifestyle marketing strategy and developed the “street team” materials used in battleground states. Goodstein also created and implemented Obama Mobile, an advanced communication strategy. This program included text messaging, downloads, interactive voice response communication, a mobile web site (WAP), and even an iPhone application. Prior to his work at Obama for America, Goodstein was founder of Catalyst Campaigns, a public relations firm that specialized in lifestyle marketing and online organizing. In 2004, Goodstein co-founded Punkvoter.com & Rock Against Bush and evolved these organizations into becoming a $4 million young voter mobilization effort. Goodstein has a Masters of Public Administration degree from The American University and lives in Washington, DC. For more info visit CatalystCampaigns.com.