Media Miss Infrastructure Transformation in Politics

[Commentary] The Internet helped Democrats make a comeback in 2008. Are we missing the GOP's response? This spring there was plenty of media coverage devoted to the "tea parties," but what types of lists of participants were created by their organizers? What money was raised from people after the tea parties? Are there signs that this was the beginning of a movement of any real sophistication? The media have covered the ups and downs of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, but so far we have seen no attempts to translate her importance using the measures of power that President Obama flexed. How big is her list of staunch supporters? How much money can she raise? How many volunteers can she bring to a Lower 48 race in 2010? Can she actually influence the health-care and energy debates through more than speeches and op-eds?