While many politicos have been speculating about how President Obama will tap technology to govern, some of the tools that propelled his campaign are already being used to monitor his transition team.

Obama announced some new staff pics on Wednesday. Within hours, Christina Bellantoni, who traveled with the Obama campaign for The Washington Times, was busy blogging their Facebook profiles. She found that Josh Gotbaum, who has the huge task of heading the "review team" at Treasury, has the right interests posted on his profile: "Fixing organizations, business, government, politics and singing." And while he only has 159 friends, one of them is Larry Summers. "Could be a tea leaf for Treasury Secretary, or could just mean they are pals," observes Bellantoni. And that's the thing about Facebook friends -- you never know whether they are real friends, or just wonks building a network for the next cabinet.

There's nothing novel about scrutinizing the incoming members of an administration, of course. For some reporters and political figures, though, Facebook may become the network to map Washington's social graph, especially as more young, tech-savvy Democrats take up important posts. Ben Smith, the widely read Politico blogger, ruminated on Facebook's emerging role in the presidential campaign back in the summer of 2007, noting that it might compromise sources:

[Y]ou can learn on Facebook which Times and Post reporters have friends on which campaigns. And that Phil Singer, Clinton aide and Facebook early adapter, is friends not just with the MSM, but with bloggers like John Aravosis and Ezra Klein... Obama insider Pete Giangreco has just a couple of reporter-friends, including Facebook wizard (434 friends, 330 more than me) Marc Ambinder[.] I'm waiting for the TechPresident guys to create a dynamic map of all these relationships....

Obama ultimately built a large, interlocking network of supporters across several sites, from Facebook and BlackPlanet to the official pages at MyBo. Now some members of his team will be inundated with attention, input and friend requests on their site of choice. They must focus on governing, of course, not curating their position in the social graph, but it will be interesting to see which prominent officials find a way to engage that interest and social capital.

Comments (16)

1. Ari,

   How come you are left out of this transition? I thought you were a Dem strategist...did you pick the wrong horse to side with during the primaries?

   Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 10:49am

2. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 10:49am

   Larry, a majority of the ENTIRE COUNTRY left your views out!

   heheh

   Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 12:08pm

3. I'm sorry Ari, but sites like Facebook and MySpace creeps me out. Seems like all the freak and perverts hang out there.

   Posted by ACook at 11/13/2008 @ 12:45pm

4. Larry, a majority of the ENTIRE COUNTRY left your views out!

   heheh

   Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 12:08pm

   Yes, but the difference is that I see far beyond an election. My deepest concerns have nothing to do with who is president or which party leads.

   Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 1:13pm

5. Yes, but the difference is that I see far beyond an election. My deepest concerns have nothing to do with who is president or which party leads. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 1:13pm | ignore this person | warn this person

   sour grapes. check your Aesop

   Posted by emile duBois at 11/13/2008 @ 1:20pm

6. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 1:13pm

   Actuall, LVLIB, your "deepest concerns" don't really involve THIS country at all, do they?

   But a small one on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean.

   Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 1:36pm

7. sour grapes. check your Aesop

   Posted by emile duBois at 11/13/2008 @ 1:20pm

   Sour grapes? I have wished Obama well as our president. I have stated that I was humbled by the results. I also stated that I will support him as my president. I challenge you to cite any sour grapes postings from me regarding Obama's victory.

   Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 3:19pm

8. Actuall, LVLIB, your "deepest concerns" don't really involve THIS country at all, do they?

   But a small one on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean.

   Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 1:36pm

   You are only 1/2 right. My deepest concerns are 1)making sure that I stay faithful to my Lord, 2)praying for my family and their relationship to G-d, 3)praying for and sharing with people the good news of Christ, 4)walking in obedience to Christ's commands.

   Everything else, including nations (that includes the US and Israel) are far down my concern priority list.

   Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 3:23pm

9. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 3:19pm

   That's true, emile/JOHANNES...gotta defend Larry here.

   HAPP, Darin, SJCHER all toeing the new line from Rush, etc. that it's "Obama's recession" and he's a failure 60 days before swearing in.

   LL hasn't.

   Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 3:23pm

10. LL hasn't.

    Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 3:23pm

    Thanks Mask.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 4:07pm

11. Thanks Mask.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 4:07pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    we luv ya, LL...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/13/2008 @ 5:00pm

12. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 4:07pm

    I obviously won't hesitate to point out where I think you're wrong...but I will oppose false attacks on you, Larry.

    Same for abortion...you've said many times you aren't a "ban it, make it illegal" type, because you know that can't win. You're a "win over hearts and minds" type. Anybody attacks you as the former, I'll correct them.

    Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 7:45pm

13. Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 7:45pm

    muchas gracias

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 8:07pm

14. Posted by lvliberty1 at 11/13/2008 @ 8:07pm

    Don't worry...our rapproachment won't last long.

    heheh

    Posted by Mask at 11/13/2008 @ 10:34pm

15. The election is over. Let the post election parodies begin!! See "Why Can't We (at least pretend to) Be Friends?" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkS6qZg4mo4

    Posted by thincaboutit at 11/13/2008 @ 10:41pm

16. The election is over. Let the post election parodies begin!! See "Why Can't We (at least pretend to) Be Friends?" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkS6qZg4mo4

    Posted by thincaboutit at 11/13/2008 @ 10:45pm