There is a question over how to measure online success, and how that relates to how well a candidate is doing. Often times we hear about how the left has done a better job than the right at mobilizing their people online. If you disagree, go no further than taking a look at MoveOn.org and its attempt (and somewhat successfully at that) to dominate the Democratic party. This is most evident with the amount of money they have been able to raise, and how they were able to use that support to influence the presidential primary election and knocking off the powerful Clinton family from securing what once seemed like a sure bet for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

Currently, we can see from Facebook the level of national online support for candidates for president, (although I am not sure how many worldwide fans are able to become supporters and manipulate the numbers). Compare below the number of supporters between John McCain and Barack Obama:

Here we see a dominating online presence by Barack Obama. The good news for Republicans is that the older vote that John McCain has locked in rarely logs on to "IM their BFF Rose," and tag a photo of their best friend Helen correctly guessing phrase before the contestant while watching Wheel of Fortune. The older generations won't have their voice heard online, but they will have their voice heard by absentee ballot in November. 

However, you cannot discount the level of support that Obama has online. It is impressive, and it shows where a great deal of interest is in our country with a younger segment of the population. Over time, as older people pass away and younger people emerge as the dominate force, where this group stands politically is anyones guess. But for the time being, we are seeing a great deal of interest and support online for the Democratic party nationally.

Where this becomes interesting is where online support is found locally in the state of Washington. If you compare the Facebook pages of Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire, you see an advantage for Dino Rossi. You will also see a strange move from Christine Gregoire, in appearing in her profile picture with none other than Mr. Barack Obama, (I didn't realize that she was Obama's running mate, she must not have been watching all of the coverage of Joe Biden at the national convention last night).  It is very important to note that if the left really does have that much more online support, it is significant that Dino Rossi has more online support than Gregoire.

You even see this below in her YouTube videos that were produced to answer questions from Washington voters. Both she and Dino Rossi were asked the same questions, and they posted their answers side by side. There was a considerably greater amount of production value in Dino Rossi's videos than that of Christine Gregoire's videos. Also, notice the placement of Obama and Gregoire signs in the background, another sign of clinging to Obama for help.

This is a particularly strange move, but the cause becomes more obvious as one realizes that Christine Gregoire is in trouble and is using Obama as a life raft to try and save her campaign.

The problem for her, is that as a 40 year veteran of Olympia, she has trouble reinforcing Obama's message of change. As doorbellers have gone out to talk to people in their homes around King County, they have met more than a handful of Obama/Rossi voters, and this can be clearly seen by looking at online support as well. This is very encouraging for Dino Rossi and his chances in November.