"Blogs have changed the dynamics of campaigns forever in just a few short years, and they've opened up politics to a whole new wave of grassroots activists. Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox take us behind the scenes of this new phenomenon, revealing the virtues and, yes, the vices of the blogosphere in some of the hottest contests in recent elections. One thing's for sure: politics will never be the same, and people who don't have a handle on blogs won't understand the campaigns of the future." -- Larry J. Sabato, Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia "Netroots Rising offers a gripping insider's account of the most important new political movement in America today. If you want to understand how online activism and activists are changing the Democratic Party--and the country--you'll want to read this book." -- Matthew Yglesias, Associate Editor of The Atlantic Monthly "Two histories are emerging for our country's past decade. One is in the headlines and the network newscasts and it consistently misses the profound political changes washing over American democracy. Nate Wilcox and Lowell Feld, however, are leading thinkers in the gathering army of citizens determined to use the Internet to return our democracy to its founding principles. And in Netroots Rising, you will read the story of all the bright young minds who have found a new way to water the roots of our tree of liberty. America is still in good hands and you can see its bright future reflected on these pages." -- James C. Moore, Author of Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential "Nate and Lowell do a bang-up job of capturing the progressive spirit of the netroots sweeping the nation, reaching even into red state strongholds like Texas and Virginia." -- Amanda Marcotte, Publisher Pandagon.net "There's a reformation of the Democratic party underway. This book tells of the sparks that set off the cannons, firing the opening salvos in the movement to create a progressive majority." -- Jerome Armstrong, Co-author Crashing the Gates, and founder MyDD.com "Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox have put together an engaging and exciting book absolutely brimming with essential information for any progressive seeking to compete in--or even just understand--the electoral landscape of the early 21st century. The two of them have vividly brought to life, in a thoroughly engaging way, how American politics have been impacted by technological advances that are reshaping the way we pick our leaders. It is virtually impossible for a serious candidate to expect to win elections without understanding the message Feld and Wilcox elucidate in Netroots Rising." -- Howie Klein, Chairman of Blue America PAC, Former president of Reprise Records

The 2006 elections will be remembered as the year when the center of power in American politics shifted from traditional top-down central broadcasters to new bottom-up decentralized activists in the blogosphere and netroots. The authors give firsthand accounts of the burgeoning power of the netroots to determine the outcome of political contests, most notably as when the national balance of power was tipped by Jim Webb's rag-tag army of bloggers and netroots activists. They assess the prospects for Netroots 2.0: whether the netroots hordes will crash the party or work out an uneasy cohabitation with the traditional party power elite.

The 2006 elections will be remembered as the year when the center of power in American politics shifted from traditional top-down central broadcasters to new bottom-up decentralized activists in the blogosphere and netroots. The authors give firsthand accounts of the burgeoning power of the netroots to determine the outcome of political contests, most notably as when the national balance of power was tipped by Jim Webb's rag-tag army of bloggers and netroots activists who provoked and exposed the gaffe that proved fatal to George Allen's senatorial bid.

Veteran online campaigners Feld and Wilcox recount and analyze many other political campaigns in which netroots activism was decisive or instructive, including:* U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's downfall. *Tim Kaine's election as Virginia govenor. *Howard Dean's and Wes Clark's presidential campaigns. *Ned Lamont's primary victory over Joe Lieberman. The authors conclude with an assessment of the prospects for Netroots 2.0: Will the netroots hordes crash the party or will they work out an uneasy cohabitation with the traditional party power elite? The foreword is written by Markos (Kos) Moulitsas Zuniga, founding editor of the world's biggest political blog, Daily Kos.