Running For President In A Virtual World

Obama Dips Gucci-Clad Toe In Second Life Waters; Clinton, Edwards Hands Off Of Their Digital HQs

(CBS)  Clinton's Second Life presence is a bit more expansive: the plot on Aisle of Intrigue 2 set up by volunteers is an elaborate garden of pink roses, marble platforms and countless flags. Nearby, a large glass building with automatic doors is floored with a wide rainbow-colored carpet and is embellished with desks and iMacs.

Two black motorcade-style vehicles are parked out back along with a "SLPD" car. An outdoor podium and an indoor executive desk seem to be waiting for Clinton herself to step into Second Life, but will that ever happen? The campaign did not return phone calls.

Obama's campaign is the only one that seems to be veering toward an official affiliation with its Second Life entrepreneurs. Last month, the Obama campaign cooperated with Second Life organizers to host a living-room chat with Second Life residents that mirrored a simultaneous real-life discussion Obama hosted in an Iowa library.

Rather than chatting in text, as is typically done in Second Life, the Obama avatar gestured along with streamed audio, so the Second Life attendees could hear what was being said in Iowa. (The Obama avatar is a very good likeness of the Illinois senator, though some onlookers complained that Obama's chest was too bulky — read into that what you will — and that he was wearing an unsavvy tie.) Watch the video on YouTube.

Meanwhile, the virtual audience took on a life of its own, according to online transcripts of the chat:

Tulip Cascabel: Obama has on Gucci shoes
Justin Mikazuki: Why is he wearing a tie?
Justin Mikazuki: Everyone knows Obama doesn't wear a tie
…
Smittyguy Torok: Let's all rush the stage and see if the Secret Service can get through the lag. ...
…
Rik Riel:/being in SL could be a liability to his campaign
Rocky Torok: I wonder if he is even aware of that.

Of course, all grassroots campaigning runs the risk of straying from the official campaign's message — and this sort of campaigning is shining online. "Voter-generated content," as it is often called, seems to be on a tremendous upswing in this election cycle.

A prime example is the now-infamous YouTube dissemination of a home-spliced video featuring Clinton in Apple's 1984 ad, which got mainstream criticism, but also racked up millions of online views. Campaigns also are facilitating digital dissemination: Edwards tossed his hat into the race online and gave early campaign interviews to blogs and vlogs.

Will the 2008 election cycle yield an array of fan- or antagonist-disseminated content that leaves the first-generation, Howard Dean-era "netroots" in the digital dust?

"In previous years if someone wanted to build a Web site on behalf of the candidate, the campaign would probably say, please send it to us first. Let us approve it. That's less likely this time around, because the Internet has become such a large part of the media landscape," Rasiej said. "So any campaign that would try to control it that much would lose that much content and the momentum of that much energy that's coming their way."

Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "We're running a different kind of campaign here," which encourages supporters to go online and speak their minds.

"There are thousands of people, more, using the Internet to network and spread the campaign and people doing it on the ground, too, and we're excited about these efforts," Psaki said. The only regulation the campaign will try to put on using Obama logos or likeness would be if "anything comes across our plates that's offensive or not aligned with what our priorities are, we'll deal with that on a case-by case basis."

The Edwards campaign also is proud of its social networking opportunities online, and encourages voters to check out its MySpace and Facebook — or 21 other networking site — entries.

But as for joining Second Life?

"Not in the short-term," a spokeswoman said.--->