Obama Announces White House Internet Team

The White House rolled out another round of top staff on Monday afternoon, including a list of the tech-savvy aides heading the President's Internet and new media team.

Several of the President's "key White House staff," according to a press release from Robert Gibbs, will manage large portfolios for Internet outreach and "citizen participation" online. The list includes several veterans of Obama's presidential campaign, naturally, a former web adviser to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a former Google staffer who worked on the company's Moderator platform.

The White House press shop already made a wave, at least by Washington standards, when President Obama called on The Huffington Post at his first press conference. On a recent White House conference call for progressive bloggers, one new media aide said that calling on bloggers at presidential press conferences could be a "new tradition."

Staff Information from Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:

Macon Phillips, Director of New Media

Since the election, Phillips has served as Director of New Media for the Presidential Transition Team, developing Change.gov and overseeing the transition's overall online communications. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Director of New Media for Obama for America, managing the day to day operations of the campaign's online program. Before the campaign, Macon led Blue State Digital's strategy practice, working with clients like the Democratic National Committee and Senator Ted Kennedy.

Cammie Croft, Deputy New Media Director

Croft comes to the White House from the Obama-Biden Transition Project, where she served as the Deputy New Media Director, specializing in online communications. Prior to that, as the New Media Rapid Response Manager for the Obama for America campaign, she oversaw efforts to integrate new media and communications, including managing websites such as FighttheSmears.com and UndertheRadar.com. Before joining the campaign, Croft built the tracking and media monitoring program at Progressive Accountability, a rapid-response communications advocacy campaign that provided video of Republican Presidential candidates for the mass public. Croft also worked as the Rapid Response Mobilization Director for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, where she led their new media efforts, working with MoveOn.org's online tools to mobilize Americans opposed to the war.

Jason Djang, Deputy Director for Video

Djang served on the New Media video teams for both Obama for America and the Obama-Biden Transition Project as an editor and producer. Prior to joining the campaign, he worked in documentary film and television in New York City and Los Angeles.

Jesse Lee, Online Programs Director

Lee worked in the New Media department for the Transition team doing online outreach, having done online communications for the Democratic National Committee during election season. Prior to that he was Senior New Media Advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the 110th Congress, having worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee online from 2004-2006.

Katie Stanton, Director of Citizen Participation

Katie Jacobs Stanton joins the New Media team as Director of Citizen Participation. Prior to this role, Stanton was at Google where she was a Principal in the New Business Development team responsible for OpenSocial, Google Moderator, and various election-related initiatives.

Comments (22)

1. Flash in the pan....this "Internet" stuff will never last.

   Posted by Mask at 02/23/2009 @ 3:55pm

2. Thread translation=internet fundraising sham disguised as public outreach and participation.

   Posted by antisocialist at 02/23/2009 @ 4:35pm

3. I'mmmmmm.......Hmmmm.....hamahamahama.....

   OK, in a slight concession to SRJ!

   Posted by Happy at 02/23/2009 @ 4:48pm

4. I'd like the video people to add transcripts to videos, so that deaf and people with hearing disabilities can read the text. Close captioning would be a great alternative.

   So, what are all these tech-savvy folks going to do with all the incoming emails, lists, etc.?

   What will the relationship of dissent be, in this administration? Privacy?

   Posted by NYCartist at 02/23/2009 @ 5:26pm

5. I'd like the video people to add transcripts to videos, so that deaf and people with hearing disabilities can read the text. Close captioning would be a great alternative.

   So, what are all these tech-savvy folks going to do with all the incoming emails, lists, etc.?

   What will the relationship of dissent be, in this administration? Privacy?

   Posted by NYCartist at 02/23/2009 @ 5:26pm

6. OBAMA'S INAUGURATION DAY POEMS

   FELLOW AMERICANS

   Will we battle terrorism as it should be fought Or run away and let evil doers chase us to our door? Will we protect our freedom and system of life As our fathers and grandfathers sacrificed before?

   Will we secure our borders against illegal entry Or let our economy and security be destroyed? Will we finally stop runaway wasteful spending By leaders who are self-serving and void?

   Will we continue to pledge our help to the less fortunate Who suffer from war, hunger and disease? Will we preserve our heritage and our future From those who wish to bring liberty to its knees?

   Never be afraid to be proud of America And march with the thankful, honorable and just. Never surrender our freedom of choice Standing firm for what we believe and trust.

   Sometimes it's hard to protect what is right Sometimes we're scorned as for others we fight. Some of us are willing regardless of loss To commit our soul to save the cross.

   Evil prospers on greed and human hate Always eager to destroy and defecate. God's grace descends on the souls of man Cleansing the impure wherever He can.

   As long as man has struggled on earth Life has had its troubles from birth. God's seed of goodness has delayed man's demise Thank Heaven for his heroes the strong and the wise.

   The Lord adores his heroes of yesterday Just how numerous, only He could say. God loves his soldiers who line up to serve By standing against evil His grace they deserve.

   God Bless America

   PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TWO WORLDS

   There are two worlds, this one and the next Man's is deceptive, temporary and full of blame. God's is permanent, loving, truthful and complete Free of hate, lust, war, greed and shame.

   Our bodies belong to this world and die Our souls come from God's and return

   Posted by TomZart at 02/23/2009 @ 5:59pm

7. UNYIELDING HONOR

   Weakness invites moral plight, war and aggression Encouraged by mistrust, misjudgment and delay. All we love can be destroyed and transformed By the powers of darkness maneuvering our way.

   When something wicked stares us in the face To corrupt our morals, faith and resolve. God gives us courage to defend what's right No matter the sacrifice or danger involved.

   Evil seeks to destroy the good in man And silence the memory of God's law. It's up to the faithful to stay unyielding Defending the liberty and justice of all.

   Our men and woman who serve in harm's way Are the armor of what the free world depends on. Without their sacrifice of body and soul All that we stand for is gone.

   All Poems By Conservative Poet Tom Zart Most Published Poet On The Web

   TOM ZART'S RADIO POEMS

   You can hear all of Tom Zart's 330 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at

   http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm

   Tom Zart ARCHIVES:

   Global Special Operations 101

   http://www.globalspecialoperations.com/tomzart2.html

   Posted by TomZart at 02/23/2009 @ 6:04pm

8. The stock market may be going to shit, but Obama is certainly well-positioned to bring in more cash for his political machine. Welcome to the national version of Chicago Way.

   Posted by pontificus at 02/23/2009 @ 7:36pm

9. All I can say is I am thankful for a President that knows how to send email!

   Posted by sasha2008 at 02/23/2009 @ 7:38pm

10. That is about all you can hang your hat on with Obamanation so enjoy it!

    Posted by comancheamerican at 02/23/2009 @ 7:59pm

11. Posted by comancheamerican at 02/23/2009 @ 7:59pm

    "That is about all you can hang your hat on with Obamanation so enjoy it!"

    Stock market's crashing more and more as we hear about Obamanation's 'spend your way to prosperity' program - he can hang his hat on that too.

    Posted by pontificus at 02/23/2009 @ 8:13pm

12. House Democrats unveiled a $410 billion spending bill on Monday to keep the government running through the end of the fiscal year, setting up the second political struggle over federal funds in less than a month with Republicans.

    The measure includes thousands of earmarks, the pet projects favored by lawmakers but often criticized by the public in opinion polls. There was no official total of the bill's earmarks, which accounted for at least $3.8 billion.

    The legislation, which includes an increase of roughly 8 percent over spending in the last fiscal year, is expected to clear the House later in the week.

    The leftist extremist won't even notice the GIANT sucking sound as the U.S.A. is finally sucked down the Undemocrat congress and Obamanations "toliet of debt" for entitlements and the 9000 earmarks!!!

    Posted by comancheamerican at 02/23/2009 @ 8:50pm

13. Posted by comancheamerican at 02/23/2009 @ 8:50pm

    Blah, Blah Blah, Blah.

    Don't you realize you are a blabbering fool?

    Just thought I would give you a heads up.

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 9:40pm

14. Repug Talking Points:

    Obamanation! Bad. Earmark expenditure! Billions of Dollars! Bad. Liberal Bad. Socialist! Pet Project Bad. Tax Cuts Good! Left Wing Castro Communist Hugo Chavez Sean Penn! Bad. Tax Cuts Tax Cuts Tax Cuts Good! Obamanation! Obamanation! Bad. Republican Good! Democrat communist homo lovin pervert Bad!

    And on an on.

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 9:51pm

15. Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 9:51pm

    You forgot-

    "I'm an independent!"--RIO/RED/COMANCHE

    Posted by Mask at 02/23/2009 @ 10:04pm

16. I think I read all that doublespeak in George Orwells 1984. Along with Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World". Along with the nonsense speak of Joseph Goebbels propaganda magic.

    Listen to the right wingnuts on the radio. They follow the same formula. They talk nonstop. But nothing makes any sense. Their irratating voices finally drive you to madness as your brain attempts to make sense of the babble. Listen to Laura Ingraham for a prime example if you can stand it.

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 10:08pm

17. I wonder what operating system the President will chose?

    Posted by ACook at 02/23/2009 @ 10:20pm

18. Uh Oh! I think I misspelled "Irritating", now Emile Dubois will be berating me as an imbecile.. Mister spell checker will haunt me.. LOL!:)

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 10:21pm

19. I wonder what operating system the President will chose?

    Posted by ACook at 02/23/2009 @ 10:20pm

    Jesus! I hope he choses a good one. If I'm lucky he will choose Windows XP Pro. I so want to be like the president..

    What the fuck are you talking about?

    Go mop a floor or pick the dead cockaroaches out from under that crevice in the broiler..

    For Gods sake we live in a service industry!

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 10:28pm

20. For Gods sake we live in a service industry!

    Posted by chaoszen at 02/23/2009 @ 10:28pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    not for long!

    Posted by comancheamerican at 02/23/2009 @ 10:34pm

21. this is a great team ari wartanian

    Posted by shahe67 at 02/24/2009 @ 01:27am

22. Obama just wants the people to feel included by using the internet etc, I think it is a good thing and it is refreshing to hear a President that will actually tell us the truth about what is going on. The man is smart and is more and more confident as the days go by, he is not flustered by all this stuff going on around him and continues to try and fix this huge mess. I feel had McCain won the Presidency he would have had a heart attack by now and that would have left Sarah in charge and God only knows what kind of mess she would have created to add to the mix!!!

    Posted by Caj at 02/24/2009 @ 10:51am