What Are the Implications of a Real-Time, Connected President?

Barack Obama is the first U.S. President to have Internet access at his desk, and the first to converse regularly via e-mail.

And what does President Obama do with that connection to the Internet? He is online "constantly," and searches out "offbeat blogs and news stories, tracking down firsthand reporting and seeking out writers with opinions about his policies." He regularly communicates directly with those he wants to contact — without having to go through his chief of staff — and often emails aides late at night from his BlackBerry, with questions or comments. So what does it mean to have a U.S. president who is comfortable (or even familiar) with that new multi-directional, distributed reality, who seeks out his own sources of information wherever they might be, and makes connections directly and in real time, rather than always waiting for a report to be delivered or for a chief of staff to smooth the way?

Among the things you get, obviously, are appointments like Julius Genachowski to head the FCC, and former Google manager Katie Stanton as director of citizen participation, as well as tools like the Citizen's Briefing Book and Change.gov (although both were wrapped up after President Obama took office). But what are the larger implications for the Obama years? Is a real-time connected president more likely to think for himself and look outside the usual Washington circles for ideas or input, or is being connected just a giant distraction for someone who is supposed to be leading the nation?