Joe Trippi on Transformational Politics

Over at MyDD, Joe Trippi posted a diary explaining his view of "transformational" and "transactional" politics.

Its incredibly simple and defines what I now believe is the essential ingredient in any campaign or candidacy that hopes to be transformational.

All modern campaigns and transactional campaigns are built around a candidate who proclaims to the nation "Look at me -- aren't I amazing?".

The Dean campaign (and any transformational campaign successful or not) was built around a candidate who proclaimed "Look at you -- aren't you amazing?"

This strikes me as essential. More than ideology, or any other factor -- true transformational leadership can only come from a candidate who fundmentally gets that it isn't about him/her -- its about us.

And in the comments, he talks about why the internet is essential (and will help create) transformational politics:

My own view is that Television helped kill transformational politics because it took people out of the process and made chasing big money too important. I really believe -- indeed have always believed since about the mid-1990's that the Internet would help herald a new era of transformational politics because it puts back into the process the most essential ingredient of them all in a democracy -- the people.

Dig in and read the rest. Also, check out Trippi's comments on a post about John Edwards.