The American press yesterday was filled with news covering the Connecticut Senatorial democratic primary race between incumbent Joseph Lieberman and fellow democratic challenger Ned Lamont. The big news was that Liebermans website suddenly went down the night before and during the day of the election which Lieberman campaign workers said kept volunteers from doing their GOTV (Get Out The Vote) work. WIth the website down, the campaign could not access its email database nor send emails to their supporters. Some say the site was hacked, some say it was the Lamont crew that did it, others say that the fault lies with the Lieberman team not paying their bills).

No matter who is at fault this was a giant blow to the Lieberman campaigns election-day strategy.

If ever their was a reason to discuss implementing mobile technology and SMS into a campaign this would be a good starting point. A mobile campaign strategy would not only have extended Lieberman's support reach but would also have served as an amazing back up for an emergency situation like this one. Mobile phone networks and SMS campaign platforms are handled separately, are not part of the web and are thus not easily hacked. People always have their mobile phone on them and you would have a greater chance of reaching them anyways.

An opportunity for an amazing story for mobile technology was missed yesterday. I would have to loved to see a "mobile technology makes Liebermans primary day a not-so-much-disaster" story.

Granted the number of numbers he would receive on an SMS database would not be as many emails on the email database but it would have been something at least. And besides, when SMS is used right it can be extremely viral... and that is exactly what he needed on a day like today.

Also, an SMS database of campaign staff and volunteers would have made it easier to contact / blast volunteers for real time action alerts. Intead they had to rely on and figure out everyone's personal email address.

Lieberman said that despite loosing the primary he will run in the major Senatorial election as an Independent. If that is the case, Lieberman, here are a few articles I wrote that you should take a look at.

My Thoughts On Why We (The U.S) Don't Get The (Text) Message.

Mobilelect.com: Electoral Politics and Mobile Technology

Vote 4 Me: Thoughts On SMS and Politics In The USA

MobileVoter Launches TxtVoter: A Do It Yourself SMS Voter Registration Drive

Campaigns Begin to Mobilize With Mobile

SMS/MMS, Bluetooth and Viral Mobile Politics - A Spanish Example

TXT4CASH: Fundraising Comes to Your Phone

Beep, beep! Its your local politician

Mobile Politics USA: Stuck in First Gear

TxT Out The Vote

What Some People Do Not Get About the Mobile Buzz: "Mobile" at Politics Online Day One

Politics Gets a New Ring To It (and Mobile Is Setting the Tone)