November 20, 2012
Democrats push to redeploy Obama’s voter database
[Excerpts]
The campaign invested heavily in
engineers and technologists, including many who had never worked in politics
before, and used Amazon Web Services to host the voter database on its cloud
servers. The key was a program the campaign built — called Narwhal after a
predatory whale whose single tusk makes it look a bit like a fat, finned
unicorn — that consolidated lists of voters and donors, often collected over
years by state party officials and campaigns.
engineers and technologists, including many who had never worked in politics
before, and used Amazon Web Services to host the voter database on its cloud
servers. The key was a program the campaign built — called Narwhal after a
predatory whale whose single tusk makes it look a bit like a fat, finned
unicorn — that consolidated lists of voters and donors, often collected over
years by state party officials and campaigns.
Narwhal allowed related pieces of
software, such as those used by field organizers and call center workers, to
both draw on the information in the voter database and continually update it.
software, such as those used by field organizers and call center workers, to
both draw on the information in the voter database and continually update it.
Slaby and others from the campaign said
that while it relied on detailed analyses of cable
television viewing
habits and Web site traffic, personal information from those sources was made
anonymous and did not flow back into the voter database.
that while it relied on detailed analyses of cable
television viewing
habits and Web site traffic, personal information from those sources was made
anonymous and did not flow back into the voter database.
The most important information,
officials said, was provided by voters themselves whenever they had contact
with the campaign, in person or online, enriching the database with e-mail
addresses, cellphone numbers and, crucially, information about what issues most
concerned them.
officials said, was provided by voters themselves whenever they had contact
with the campaign, in person or online, enriching the database with e-mail
addresses, cellphone numbers and, crucially, information about what issues most
concerned them.
This allowed the campaign’s analysts to
test the effectiveness of messages aimed at narrow demographic slices — single
women in their 30s worried about health care, for example. Though often
described as “microtargeting,” Slaby said the most important element was what
he called “micro-listening.”
test the effectiveness of messages aimed at narrow demographic slices — single
women in their 30s worried about health care, for example. Though often
described as “microtargeting,” Slaby said the most important element was what
he called “micro-listening.”
“If people tell us they’re interested
in cats, we probably took that down,” he said.
in cats, we probably took that down,” he said.
Despite some glitches, Narwhal proved
crucial in helping the campaign allocate resources, especially as voting
finally began.
crucial in helping the campaign allocate resources, especially as voting
finally began.
The Romney’s campaign computer system,
which officials there dubbed Orca after one of the few known predators of
narwhals, crashed so badly on Election Day that many Republicans have
derisively rechristened it “the Fail Whale.” The term was popularized by users
of Twitter, which showed a cartoon image of a flock of birds attempting to lift
a smiling, chubby whale when the company’s systems were overmatched.
which officials there dubbed Orca after one of the few known predators of
narwhals, crashed so badly on Election Day that many Republicans have
derisively rechristened it “the Fail Whale.” The term was popularized by users
of Twitter, which showed a cartoon image of a flock of birds attempting to lift
a smiling, chubby whale when the company’s systems were overmatched.
[interesting comment]
“Obama’s 2008 election was
hailed for its technological sophistication, and especially its use of social
media to cultivate energized communities of volunteers. But campaign officials
now acknowledge that the operation fell far short of its hype.”
So when Obama was all the rage in 2008, it didn’t
match the hype, yet he had a wide margin of victory. Now in 2012 its
gained him a narrowest margin of victory. Hmmmm… to me this means in 2008 he won
not so much because of this data mining, but with its aid. In 2012 its the only
thing that gave him a shot at winning. Micro targeting groups, scaring the crap
out of them and barely winning.
hailed for its technological sophistication, and especially its use of social
media to cultivate energized communities of volunteers. But campaign officials
now acknowledge that the operation fell far short of its hype.”
So when Obama was all the rage in 2008, it didn’t
match the hype, yet he had a wide margin of victory. Now in 2012 its
gained him a narrowest margin of victory. Hmmmm… to me this means in 2008 he won
not so much because of this data mining, but with its aid. In 2012 its the only
thing that gave him a shot at winning. Micro targeting groups, scaring the crap
out of them and barely winning.