The Amazing Obama Money Machine: A Fusion of Message, Technology and Activism

How did Silicon Valley help take down the Microsoft of the Democratic Party? We all know about the prowess of the Obama fund-raising machine, but the actual story is even more fascinating.   Follow me after the jump for Joshua Green's detailed look at the Silicon Valley startup that has transformed Democratic Politics.

The story of this political startup that slayed the old money dragon is an American success story, that even Lou Dobbs (not that we care) could be proud of.  
The Amazing Money Machine

In a colossal error of judgment, the Clinton campaign never made a serious approach, assuming that Obama would fade and that lack of money and cutting-edge technology couldn’t possibly factor into what was expected to be an easy race. Some of her staff tried to arrange "prospect meetings" in Silicon Valley, but they were overruled. "There was massive frustration about not being able to go out there and recruit people," a Clinton consultant told me last year. As a result, the wealthiest region of the wealthiest state in the nation was left to Barack Obama.

This really sums up the entire campaign for me, from fund-raising to overall leadership philosophy.  

"What’s amazing," says Peter Leyden of the New Politics Institute, "is that Hillary built the best campaign that has ever been done in Democratic politics on the old model—she raised more money than anyone before her, she locked down all the party stalwarts, she assembled an all-star team of consultants, and she really mastered this top-down, command-and-control type of outfit. And yet, she’s getting beaten by this political start-up that is essentially a totally different model of the new politics."

How ironic is it that it will be McCain-Feingold that does John McCain in. Maybe that is John McCain's legacy.  He helped create an environment where a democratization of the political fund-raising system could occur.  Good on ya Johnny.

Added:
I got to give big props to all those people out there in the tech world that helped (and continue to help) harness Obama's powerful message and transform his potential into an online juggernaut.  Kudos for a great job.

Undoubtedly this diary will got lost in the late night dump.  Rec it up there if you wish.