Interesting commentary about the Clark campaign's failure to appreciate the present political climate from Jim Moore, a blogger at Harvard Law School.
Why should one pay attention to Jim Moore? Here's a brief bit from his bio materials.
Jim is a business and technology strategist who wrote the best seller The Death of Competition: Leadership and Strategy in the Age of Business Ecosystems (HarperBusiness, 1996) and a McKinsey Award winning Harvard Business Review article "Predators and Prey: A New Ecology of Competition." He is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoPartners Research, which he led from 1990 to 1999. GeoPartners was regarded as one of the most influential strategy consulting firms in the high technology sector. The company pioneered the widely adopted "business ecosystems" approach to strategy and strategic alliances. His clients ranged from Intel and AT&T to Jim Henson Productions. The company was sold to Renaissance Worldwide in 1999.
blogs.law.harvard.edu
Closed versus Open in Wesley Clark's campaign
The technology-savvy, young campaign manager for the Clark campaign has quit, according to a New York Times/Associated Press story noted by Dave.
"Donnie Fowler, 35, told associates he was leaving over widespread concerns that supporters who used the Internet to draft Clark into the race are not being taken seriously by top campaign officials. Fowler also complained that the campaign's message and methods are focused too much on Washington, not key states, said two associates who spoke on condition of anonymity."
Three years ago several of us made a concerted effort to help the Gore campaign understand the potential of the Internet to enhance political communities and movements, and help the campaign win. We were told that we were naïve newbies--which of course we were--and to leave things to the pros. The Gore campaign professionals jealously guarded their own power. They kept us out, and many others. The Gore campaign was a closed world: tight, fearful, conservative, and out of touch with people and ideas.
Three weeks ago a friend of mine traveled to Little Rock and began working for the Clark campaign. Despite having very good personal access to General Clark, he quit after a few days, citing the closed nature of the campaign organization. And now we hear a similar tale from the campaign manager.
By contrast, the Dean campaign is open to people and ideas. It is "out of control" in the best sense of the word. Innovators such as the people of MoveOn and Meetup and DeanLink are embraced. The campaign is fresh, alive, and inviting.
We need fresh vioces not only in the Dean campaign, but in the party, and in the democratic (small d) process in our nation. General Clark's first true leadership challenge of the campaign is apparently upon him: General Clark, you must decide whether you want an open or a closed campaign. If you want an open campaign, you must make that happen despite the better judgment of the professionals who surround you. Good luck.
# Posted by James Moore on 10/8/03; 2:08:23 AM - |
