The political power of (simple) Web computing

The original appearance of this entry was in Danny Weitzner - Open Internet Policy

It’s pretty amazing what a little bit of structured computer power can do when deployed on the Web. Slate’s Delegate Calculator puts in the hands of Web-enabled citizens some simple computing power that helps us to understand how the delegate counts in the upcoming Democratic primaries may effect the final outcome for Obama and Clinton over the next hours, weeks and months. The knowledge about which states have how many delegates, how they might be apportioned, etc., is information that used to be a closely guarded secret of the political intelligencia and the press. How, it’s out there for all of us to see. It’s such a useful tool that many reporters from other publications are actually writing about it:

Jonathan Alter, Hillary’s Math Problem, Newsweek (4 March 2008)

Peter Baker, Clinton Down, but not Out, for the Count, Washington Post.

Jason Tuohey, Delegate Counter, Boston Globe

Carol Lockhead, Obama Wins Vermont, But Look at the Math, San Francisco Chronicle.

Granted, Slate has a relationship with some of those new outlets, but it’s still striking to see computing make the political news.