Yes We Did!: An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand

1. Introducing the Junior Senator

THE BIRTH OF A NEW COMMUNITY

ON A CHILLY FEBRUARY DAY IN 2007, a crowd of 16,000 people applauded and cheered as Illinois Senator Barack Obama formally announced his much-anticipated presidential candidacy. He spoke eloquently about America’s need for universal healthcare, ending the war in Iraq, and investing in alternative energy solutions. Standing outside the building where Abraham Lincoln had famously called on a “house divided” to come together, Senator Obama invoked the themes that would define the rest of his campaign: hope for a better future, the changes needed in Washington, and the part we all need ...