Obama Tries to Re-Plant Netroots

Barack Obama is determined to turn the legions of Facebook friends and Twitter subscribers that got him elected into an effective force for his administration, the New York Times  reports. He’s already begun issuing his weekly addresses via YouTube video, rather than radio, and crafted a new group called Organizing for America to coordinate his online efforts.

OfA will have some powerful tools, most notably a 13-million-strong email list. But it’s not entirely sure how to use them yet. “It’s going to be a little trial and error,” said David Plouffe, who promises the group won’t be brow-beating congressmen. Instead, it’ll send supporters talking points, trying to shape public opinion. “They’re beginning to create their own journalism,” fretted one media advocate, “but it’s not an independent voice. It’s troublesome.”