The possibility of raising significant sums through Web sites at relatively little expense has politicians embracing the Internet with the all the vigor and enthusiasm of '49ers stakinga claim in a cyber gold rush. It is like a bell has gone off. Within days, the 13 House managers who prosecuted the case for impeachment of President Clinton announced that they had formed their own Web site to raise funds. Former Vice President Dan Quayle, taking questions from conservative activists after a recent speech, was asked what role he thought money would play in the 2000 presidential campaign. It remains to be seen, however, whether the Bradley campaign and MoveOn can sustain their successes and if those successes can be duplicated by other candidates and causes.
Some political experts have their doubts.
Indeed, many candidates are scrambling for ways to draw voters to their sites. Some are experimenting with banner ads that pop up on computer screens when users access their Internet service provider. They are putting their Web address on every piece of mail, every bumper sticker, every TV commercial. Bradley appears to have succeeded on his own, while MoveOn was able to capitalize on its e-mail list of 25,000 voters who had pledged earlier to donate time or money. I'm going to be on pins and needles.