Internet Media & The Republican Presidential Primary Election

*Disclaimer: I am not advocating any specific political viewpoint or encouraging votes for the Republican or Democratic Parties, and I'm not claiming to be a political expert. I'm simply making an observation.*

Everyone knows that the 2012 Presidential Election is tiptoeing nearer and nearer. However, before the focus can shift to the big election, U.S. citizens must cast their votes for the Republican Presidential nominees.

In the Iowa caucus that took place just a few days ago on Jan. 3, the top nominees were (unsurprisingly) former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and (rather surprisingly) Pennsylvania politician Rick Santorum.

However, it seems that between all of those Republicans running, every single one of them has held the number one spot at some point. From Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain--the three candidates that once saw the biggest spotlight and subsequently the noisiest demise--to Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum--the three candidates who surfaced quietly in the aftermath--to Mitt Romney who clenched onto a somewhat translucent first place bid, the nominees all bathed in the coolness of near-victory, while many were scorched by the fire of imminent defeat.

But how am I up-to-date on the timeline of the primary elections?
Keep in mind that I'm a college student who doesn't have a television, and who is really too busy to do in-depth research on an election littered with candidates who make me want to cry. Regardless, I am a college student who checks up on Google News each day like clockwork; a college student who spends enough time on Facebook and Twitter, staring at a computer screen, to be blind by the day I turn 35.

And I'm not just bashing myself for excessive Internet use--I do have a point. Everything that I know--or that I think I know--about the Republican candidates, I have gathered from Internet media.

For the past week or so, the 'Top Stories' section on Google News has been cluttered with stories on the primaries and, more notably, the ominous Iowa caucus. Naturally taking some interest in the mysterious future of the American government, I have investigated these stories and many more like them in the past few months.

Aside from those credible, unbiased accounts of the background, platform and performances of each candidate on Google News, I, like many other Facebook and Twitter users, have been bombarded with political messages from friends and followers. People using social networking sites might like to believe that they form their opinions independently, but any psychologist with half a brain can tell you otherwise.

Everyone, including me, is influenced by the information that they see on social networking websites. Combine that with the information from credible news outlets, and choosing a candidate to support (or not to support one at all) might be the easiest or most difficult choice of the New Year. I still don't know who I'm going to vote for when the primary elections reach Pennsylvania in April, or if I'm going to vote for any of the Republican candidates at all!

The Internet media is, presumably for the first time, wielding massive power over the 2012 Presidential   Election, and equally massive power over the way Americans will vote. Honestly, old campaign tricks like signs on front lawns and vindictive television commercials just aren't going to cut it anymore.

For example, Ron Paul seems like a sweet old man with a good, conservative head on his shoulders. Although I don't agree with all of his viewpoints--namely on abortion and other ideological concepts--he seems like a pretty decent guy.

However, a Twitter account surfaced recently that claims to post snippets of old newsletters written by Ron Paul. "RP_Newsletter"would be a harmless account, except for the cruel, ignorant accusations and mind-blowing assertions that Ron Paul apparently published.

Several tweets from "RP_Newsletter", a Twitter account that shares quotes from Ron Paul's old newsletter.

The account can be found here.

Although the account provides evidence of these documents as belonging to Ron Paul, it's a little hard to believe. Also, the fact that I first saw the story on the PerezHilton blog, which is notorious for spelling, grammatical and factual errors, made me skeptical.Yet my perception of Ron Paul's character has been irrevocably damaged.

Perhaps a more notorious scandal that erupted within all forms of media--especially on the Internet--is the now infamous sexual harassment accusations made against Republican hopeful, Herman Cain. The man with the "9-9-9" plan who was once wildly popular and a front-runner in the Republican presidential race later became a laughing stock as his campaign dwindled down to nothing.

Sure, the agonizing failure of Herman Cain's bid was documented by news networks across the country, but it was on the Internet that his slow descent into obscurity was updated by the minute. Not to mention that on the web, speculation about the end of his campaign came earlier than he probably would have hoped.

Former Republican Presidential hopeful, Herman Cain. (Photo by Reuters/Phelan Ebenhack)

From the Los Angeles Times:
"Herman Cain, the insurgent populist whose candidacy has been ensnared by allegations of sexual impropriety, said Saturday that he is leaving the race for the Republican presidential nomination, saying that the allegations have cast a 'cloud of doubt over me and this campaign.'" 

Well, at least a few people cast some pity votes in remembrance of his campaign in the Iowa caucus--58 out of roughly 122,000, to be exact--according to the Associated Press.

I guess what I'm really trying to say here is that the credibility of these candidates is being affected by the information that leaks onto the web one day and turns into a full-blown biblical flood within a few hours.

It's a privilege to be part of the first generation of young voters to experience the digital election. It's also a privilege to have access to information on these candidates that may have stayed in the dark or been unavailable before the advent of the Internet as a political device.

So, as the traditional way of campaigning is turned on its head and an explosive new means of political communication comes into play, it's obvious that the world of governmental elections will be forever changed. Not to mention that the slip-ups, past mistakes, and off-kilter platforms of candidates will forever be on blast.

Oh, and let's not forget this:

Hugs and a headline,
Stephanie