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Campaign sites: Truly interactive, or political rhetoric?
August 25, 1996
Web posted at: 1:00 p.m. EDTCHICAGO (CNN) -- Feel like clicking your way through the presidential election? Prepare yourself for campaign Web pages with glitzy graphics, snazzy television ads, fancy games and even some candidate background information.
You can send a postcard to a friend from the Dole-Kemp site or sign up as a volunteer from the Clinton-Gore page. But is this truly interactive, or political rhetoric packaged in a bizarre way?
That's just what many people are wondering as the Web embarks on the presidential trail.
An exasperated Roger Schank, a computer scientist at Northwestern University, sits in front of his glowing think box. "I really have trouble with the Web, to be honest with you. I (log) on and go, 'Oh man'," he says, bemoaning the medium's disorganization.
Schank envisions that as the Web emerges from its fledgling stage, the kinks will be worked out and a greater potential realized. For instance, if a user wants to ask Bob Dole a question, Schank says, the site should be able to return an answer with a related article attached. (160K AIFF or WAV sound)
It would be a virtual interview, he says.
Professor Clarke Caywood, also from Northwestern, agrees. He says the Net must become more interactive for it to fully catch on.
"We're getting broadcast-mentality, one-way communication," Caywood said. (160K AIFF or WAV sound)
He added that when some campaign sites tried to allow more communication between user and candidates, the sites became overwhelmed by too many responses. They eventually stopped the interaction lines, Caywood said.
But despite its flaws, he said, the Internet will continue to boom over the next four years.
The direction it will take is anyone's guess.
From Correspondent Greg Lefevre
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