I recently returned from my 25th anniversary vacation with my wife and two boys. During my 23 hour flight home, I was struck by a story in Time Magazine called the Off-Line American. It was about the fact that John McCain does not understand the power of the internet (he doesn’t use email) nor social media (Time Magazine, Aug 25, 2008).

This story for me presents serious questions and issues that we all must consider as we ponder the upcoming electoral choice of McCain versus Obama for the following reasons:

1. The internet is a fundamental means of communication: Most would argue that we communicate in three primary ways: in person, on the phone, and on-line. Looking back at the last decade, it is arguable that the Internet has been the most significant mode of communication because it drastically impacts how we communicate and who we communicate with. I can’t imagine having a President (be it of a company or our nation) who does not communicate with constituencies face to face or on the phone; the same is true for the internet.

I believe that all leaders, whether they are the president of the US or a company, should have a mastery of the communications of their times. I know others beg to differ, but this raises an interesting question: Does the President of the United States need to know how to use technology?

2. Social interactions drive commerce, reduce the cost of capital and improve efficiency: I know that I have a bias here as the Chairman of Mzinga, but it is becoming increasingly clear that social technologies and interactions make a difference. To give an example, think about the purchase of a car or really any product for that matter. The average person usually engages in some sort of dialogue with another individual, perhaps something like, "What car did you buy? How much did you pay for it?" The act of engaging in a conversation allows for better decision making by taking the other person's opinion into consideration. When you compound this concept with online technologies like ratings and review systems (think Amazon.com), online forums and blog posts where useful and knowledgable opinions are prevalent, you're left with a better product and purchase made in less time. It comes as a result of utilizing collective thought - everthing that encompasses my "We are smarter" message.

Imagine if the President of the United States were to incorporate this type of thinking (crowdsourcing) into decision making regarding the economy, healthcare and foreign policy.

Question 2: To what extent should leaders be swayed by public opinion when making decisions in a democratic society?

3. Community matters. There's no telling what will happen in the next few months or how either candidate will fair in office down the road, but there's something to be said about the symbolism behind the candidate's use of technology in their campaigns. Now I know that Twitter is not really a traditional way of measuring community connectedness, but it is a beginning. Obama has created a presence on Twitter since last year whereas McCain doesn't even have a Twitter account. Even Obama's use of text message updates signals to me that he's thinking about methods of connecting with people in ways that are familiar to them (I've resorted to the same tactics when trying to communicate with my kids - I text because I know they prefer that instead of calls). It's difficult to measure the impact of these social technologies on a campaign, but the fact that Obama is using community-based funding as opposed to tax dollars demonstrates to me that he has a real collection of followers (and not just on Twitter!).

I think it’s time for leaders to run campaigns that are funded by their constituencies, not their opponents.

When thinking about this year's election, I'm making a choice based on the principles that matter most to me:

1. Active and continuous communication among and between people;
2. The use of all channels of communications (in person, by phone and on-line), and
3. Social interactions and technology as critical to economic, personal and political success.

Regardless of how you choose to vote, it is my hope that we elect a leader who knows how to use tools that make "WE" a reality - a smarter, more democratic, efficient, and innovative society.