Laylin Copelin, of the Austin American-Statesman, posed several clear, direct questions to me about why conservatives are behind Democrats in online communication. The Statesman published today, www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/07/18/0718conservatives.html

The headline says it all, conservatives ARE playing catch-up. That's a snapshot of today. Conservatives are behind because they've never needed to be ahead in the online communications game. Since the growth of Web sites, search engines and e-mail, conservatives have held Congress, the White House and many of the top offices at the state level. Democrats are ahead because they are reaping what they sowed. For 10 years, Democrats have been fostering online communities with a dialog in a medium that engages voters and galvanizes audiences.

But the times they are a changing.

Today, I'm going to live blog for an hour with Laylin Copelin at www.statesman.com, beginning at 11 a.m. CST. I have opinions about how and when conservatives can 'catch up' and what the current buzz in the liberal blogosphere will mean in November's elections.

If you can't join me in the live blog, here's some of what I'll be saying.

Technology: Democrats ahead online, but Republicans once were leaders with databases

First, conservatives have been leading on use of technology in campaigns since the early 70s when a crop of whiz kids began use databases to organize lists of voters and donors. This became, and continues to be, the conservatives best method for getting out the vote and raising money.

This produces direct mail, which is not an interactive method of communication. It is one way communication that pushes information out to a targeted audience. Thus, there's no give and take that online audiences like. Also, these databases produce walk list and phone call lists for volunteers to use to target Republican voters. This whole approach has evolved into microtargeting, which Republicans have used very effectively to win elections.

And now Democrats are doing it, too. However, they are merging these tactics to Web sites and empowering online audiences to raise money and recruit volunteers, which is REALLY where the advantage is for them. Democrat campaigns, not the party, are taking the lead on this. It's scary how many more good campaigns the Democrats are running.

Democrats are reaping what the began to sow in 1998

Second, Democrats are reaping what the began to sow in 1998 when Moveon.org starting building an audience in reaction to Congressional impeachment efforts. The group demonstrated how to decentralize certain aspects of communication and then turn those conversations into action. While Democrat fortunes were down for the early part of this decade, they turned to the cheapest most expedient means of grassroots communication - the Internet - and used Web sites, search engines and e-mail.

It so happens that the interactive properties of the Internet also allowed their audience to talk back, recruit like-minded folks and build a community.

While Republicans inundating voters with mail and TV, Democrats were building communities. Democrats contiinued to loose races, but they built a community.

That community stood poised to engage. We can see the effects today with the activity today's Democratic candidates enjoy. Those at the top of the ballot are seeing much more of this activity, than say a Democrat challenging an incumbent Republican in a red state.

Will This Help on Election Day?

The jury is still out on all this online activity when it comes to election day results. You can loose a campaign with a bad Web site, but can you win an election with a good Web site?

Online communications is a means to an end - getting volunteers, money and votes. What Democrats have a chance to prove is that months and months of online communication can win an election. It certainly can raise money and recruit volunteers, which are two key components to winning. Still, the best political minds on both sides, say winning is about turning out your vote.

How Republicans Will 'Catch Up'

What Republican campaigns can still do this cycle is START A DIALOG. By using the Internet to start a dialog, Republican candidates at all levels will be forming a community that can match, and beat, the Democrats at this online communications game.