Wael Ghonim: Facebook to Decide Egypt's Election
The Google executive credited with helping organize the massive protests in Egypt that led to the ouster of decades-long ruler Hosni Mubarak said recently that the candidate who best uses Facebook "will be elected president."
Complete Coverage: Egypt - The Road Ahead
"The next Egyptian president, if democracy is established in the country, the next Egyptian president in 2011 will be elected from Facebook," Wael Ghonim said in Arabic in a video posted to YouTube as translated by CBS News' Khaled Wassef. "The one who will make the most successful campaign on Facebook will be elected president."
Ghonim, a 30-year-old Google marketing manager, has been credited with launching the Facebook page that sparked Egypt's uprising. A page Ghoinim oversaw in honor of Khaled Said, a 28-year-old businessman who was beaten to death last June by two policemen on a public street, served as one of the main tools for organizing the demonstrations.
Ghonim himself galvanized the protest movement after he was held by the Egyptian government for 12 days during the demonstrations.
More on Ghonim from "60 Minutes"
Wael Ghonim and Egypt's New Age Revolution
Segment: New Age Revolution
Extra: Revolution 2.0
Extra: Inspired By Tunisia
Extra: The 18-Day Revolution
Extra: Google Fought For Ghonim's Release
Extra: Stronger Than Mubarak
While Ghonim has said he doesn't want to serve in Egypt's new government, he hasn't stopped expressing his views about the nation's future. Earlier Wednesday, he Tweeted that the Cabinet "should be replaced by young ministers with integrity & credibility."
Of course, however integral Facebook and the broader youth movement have been in fomenting social unrest in Egypt, shaping the country's democratic future will likely be a good deal more complicated than collecting Facebook friends or Twitter followers. The military, which has supported the popular movement to this point and is stewarding the country through its political transition, is still an entrenched power with control over much of the Egyptian economy. Even if they don't get a Facebook account, they'll still probably have something to say about Egypt's political future.