Ryan Jerz :: Reno Blogger

Fun, conversations, and occasional journalism from Reno, Nevada


Misc: Will Jill Derby embrace an online presence?

Now that Jill Derby has stormed Daily Kos, will she be able to keep up the momentum on the digital front?

When I say “keep it going” I mean get it started. She posted on Kos with a “coming soon” Issues page, for crying out loud. Of course, maybe posting on Kos means you don’t have to have issues. It’s not like it’ll sway any of those guys anyway. But if you happen to be a casual blog reader who lives in Nevada and somehow came across the poorly optimized headline from Derby, and then you happen to click over to her site, you might dismiss her because of that page. So, as far as grading goes: FAIL.

Still, this marks a somewhat new chapter in northern and rural Nevada politics. We have a serious candidate for a national office attempting to “engage” the populace. Yay! The message needs work, though:

I’m Jill Derby, Democratic Candidate for Congress in Nevada’s Second Congressional District. Many of you know me from 2006 when I ran for this seat against Republican Dean Heller. Well, I’m back. And I’m running to change the way business is done in Washington.

Another FAIL for the recycled, unoriginal (see what I did there?), and uninspiring reason for running. Forgive me for not reading on. I really don’t care about her wanting to met “Netroots.” I don’t want to meet them, so I really have no interest in why anyone else does.

Beyond this groundbreaking post, what does she do from here? She absolutely has to (if she’s really serious about grabbing votes from the connected world) get real. I’m hoping she springboards from this into the entire world that exists online that so few politicians take part in. Don’t just set up a profile here and there and post the same self-promoting BS that you plaster all over your website with pictures of you “having a great time” here or there. Jump in.

Doing something like that will give Jill Derby a tremendous advantage over Dean Heller, who is both very likeable and very, very traditional in how he connects. The only thing the guy does that I’m aware of is call people at dinner and have them listen in on him talking to a bunch of blue hairs about terrorism or immigration. Both of those things might be pertinent, but it’s the method he’s using that sucks. Using, as your exclusive mode of communication, the land-line telephone is ridiculous and embarrassing. Jill Derby (or Dean Heller) can beat that, and they both might need it to win.

If you want to connect with the online voters, go where they are. Think local. Ask Bob Beers.

Try something new. Really new, not just new to your campaign person who still sees this thing as being won or lost on which out-of-state donors he can hook up before September.


tags: candidates, cd2, congress, dean heller, election, give 'em the boot, jill derby, nevada, online participation, politics
posted by Ryan Jerz on 07/16/2008

Comments

The Anon Guy, Jul 16, 09:04 PM #:

I think Jill Derby’s moment in the sun has set. Like you said, having nothing up for your issues page this late in the campaign (and one could argue she has been at it since 2005) is a joke. But even sadder is her opening attack on Heller is the tired and misleading voting the party line expose (he did it 92% of the time!). Guess what, Shelley Berkley has done it 96.5% this year and Barack Obama 96%. Politicians vote with their party, despite claims of bipartisanship.

Plus, I’d have to question the decision to open up her foray in blogging by doing it on Kos. Not exactly a CD-2 crowd. But perhaps it’s to rally them to lobby the DCCC for her.

unkempt jnani, Jul 17, 08:18 AM #:

I know I sure as hell can’t argue with you on SEVERAL fronts, seeing how I’ve made several of the points you have made here (all over the place, I might add).

Yes, no issues page content.
Yes, same old tired message.

Still no responses to a
couple of questions/points I made in the comments thread at DailyKos (as “atiasrama”).

Actually very happy to see something of a “for real” article posted on Jill’s ALMOST lost of blogging virginity.

I guess that netroots term applies to lefty bloggers. I’m still looking for a community of Integral “Third Way” Politics bloggers.

~Obama for President!!
(I’m campaigning now.)

unkempt jnani, Jul 17, 10:01 AM #:

Note: my first link was wrong, undoubtly due to blogger brainwashing me and all.

Addendum: There is no news report or anything of Derby endorsing Obama.

Commenting is closed for this article.