From YouTube videos to online fundraising efforts to Facebook groups, digital media has played an unprecedented role in the 2008 presidential campaigns, and could affect future political comms.

What a difference two years can make. In August 2006, Sen. George Allen (R-VA) was on the campaign trail for his re-election – something that was thought by many to be a sure thing. Then, at a stop in Breaks, VA, he made the now infamous “macaca” comment to a volunteer staffer of ...