Smile, You're on DNC Camera

Here's what you can expect in campaigns from now on:

On Tuesday, the DNC will debut a new web-based feature that will empower several million Democratic activists to serve as “trackers” of Republican candidates throughout the country. In a move that could add a broad new element of accountability to elections — or simply make the political process even more gaffe-centric — the DNC is encouraging its followers to upload video, mail pieces or audio recordings of GOP officials to a DNC-run site. If carried out as planned, the new online tool could drastically alter the landscape of the 2010 elections, with campaign functions contracted out to hundreds of free volunteers. At a minimum, it is a vivid illustration of the modern-day campaign, where a slip-up by a candidate caught on video could have profound impacts on his or her electoral prospects.

Aides freely admit that the goal is to create another “Macaca moment” — in which former Senator George Allen (R-Va.) famously doomed his reelection hopes by belittling an opposition videographer with a racial slur — or at least to unearth a viral nugget such as those that changed the course of the health care debate at town halls last summer.

Although the RNC hasn't specifically endorsed this approach, as we saw with the recent video of Rep. Bob Etheridge assaulting a couple of young guys with a video camera, there are plenty of conservative activists out there with the same ideas as the DNC.

Of course, the Republicans will have a bit more difficult time since Democrat congressman have decided to hide from voters this summer. Many of them are restricting their voter contact to telephone town halls and the such - anything to keep from coming face-to-face with angry voters.