Link: Rapid Response: Still No Takers?

Last summer I penned an article for “Friend of the Firm” Colin Delany at the e.politics blog. Despite the fast pace of innovation online, few political organizations are grasping the potential impact of rapid response efforts on the web. Case in point, one Joe Wilson of South Carolina:

That groundswell presented immediate and obvious ways for Wilson and his Democratic opponent, Rob Miller, to build email lists and raise funds — and both camps did. But ask yourself this: wouldn’t “Joe Wilson” have been a valuable news topic for any 2010 House candidate? Or any organization involved in the health reform debate? Most campaigns only engage in rapid response tactics when news is directly related to their candidate, despite the fact that millions of their constituents seek political news online each day.

There have been several such opportunities in the past month. Think of Wisconsin and the near shutdown of the federal government: hot topics that could have generated new supporters for a politician of any hue. More are coming. If you thought the 2011 budget debate was tense, wait for the debt-ceiling fight to explode. Fourth of July fireworks may be coming early this year…