Democratic

Here Come the First D10 Speakers: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Entrepreneur Sean Parker, Zynga’s Mark Pincus and More on the Red Hot Seat

Kara Swisher in D10 on March 9 at 10:40 am PT

Speakers? We got your speakers right here.

Americans Vote One T-Shirt and Bumper Sticker at a Time — And Here Are the Early Results

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 15 at 2:39 pm PT

The sale and creation of bumper stickers, t-shirts, mugs and other political gear may be a better indication of which candidates Americans like than some of the primaries.

Viral Video: Keith Olbermann's Non-Apologetic Apology

Kara Swisher in News on November 10, 2010 at 12:40 am PT

MSNBC cable television host Keith Olbermann was back on the air last night after a short suspension and chatting up a storm–as usual, almost entirely about himself. This time it was supposedly to apologize for handing over some dough in support of a trio of Democratic candidates, which is against NBC ethical guidelines for its news folk. It turned into more of a pat on the back.

On Twitter, the Elections Are Almost as Big as iPhone 4

Peter Kafka in Media on November 1, 2010 at 4:06 pm PT

Lots of election-related traffic on Twitter, but not an overwhelming amount. But the Washington Post, for one, figures there will be a lot more: It’s buying the word “election” as a Promoted Trend on the service tomorrow.

California Not So Golden for Silicon Valley Techie GOP Candidates Whitman and Fiorina

Kara Swisher in News on November 1, 2010 at 10:00 am PT

After all Meg Whitman’s money and all those demon sheep thrown by Carly Fiorina, polls right now are showing that it is unlikely that either of them is going to emerge victorious in tomorrow’s elections in California. And while both candidates drastically oversold their business credentials as just the thing the troubled state needs, it seems the magic of tech in California does not necessarily transfer to voter enthusiasm quite so neatly.

A Hollywood Ending? The Timing of Zuckerberg's $100 Million Donation to Newark Schools Debated at Facebook

Kara Swisher in News on September 23, 2010 at 2:55 am PT

The question is: Which movie was Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinking about when he decided recently to fork over $100 million to public schools in Newark, New Jersey? Was it a bid to spiff up his image–with a splashy announcement on Oprah Winfrey’s popular television talk show tomorrow–on the very same day of the New York premiere of “The Social Network,” which casts Zuckerberg as the villain in his own creation myth? Or was it another film, “Waiting for Superman,” a just-released gripping documentary about the crisis in public education? Either way, Newark wins.

Viral Video: Howard Dean Scream, in GOP Redux

Kara Swisher in News on September 10, 2010 at 8:36 am PT

Here’s one very kooky political performance, by a Republican nominee for Stark County, Ohio, treasurer named Phil Davison. Davison did not win, but he does manage to finally top former Democratic presidential candidate and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean in the intensely crazy and deeply awkward speech department.

Can Two Tech Exec Candidates in California Compute With Voters?

Kara Swisher in News on June 21, 2010 at 12:00 pm PT

While there have been politicians running for office in California before who have worked in the tech sector, there’s no doubt that the prospects for two of Silicon Valley’s more prominent execs–Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina–represent an unusual and interesting situation in the state’s history. With the tech sector a beacon of hope in a very rough economy and a symbol of health compared with a debt-saddled government, it’s no surprise both candidates are touting their time as CEOs of two of California’s better known digital giants–Whitman at eBay and Fiorina at Hewlett-Packard. But will it work, or does it leave both open to a lot more scrutiny than they think?

Blue Mountain Arts' Polis of Web 1.0 and His First Year as a Congressman in Web 2.0

Kara Swisher in News on March 22, 2010 at 5:18 am PT

While in Washington, D.C., last week, one of BoomTown’s last stops was at the office of Colorado Democratic Congressman Jared Polis on Capitol Hill. Although I usually try to avoid politicians at all costs, it was terrific to check in with Polis, who was one of the more interesting players in the Web 1.0 scene. Here’s the video.

Does It Matter Why Google Did It? The Real Point Is China's Appalling Internet Behavior.

Kara Swisher in News on January 13, 2010 at 5:11 am PT

There are lots of possible reasons Google finally went on the offensive against China yesterday. While much of the speculation so far has been about Google’s motives, real or imagined, it seems to me that the focus should sit squarely on how appalling the Chinese government behaves regarding the Web. And more to the point, how it tries to pass off egregious censorship, vicious retribution of its critics using digital skullduggery and persistent violations of basic freedoms as justified by government policy and laws. That canard is accepted by no one with any kind of conscience and falls flat in today’s increasingly transparent digital-centric world.