I challenge Barack Obama to reply to this blog post...

Senator Obama, I don't have to tell you that you lost the Pennsylvania Primary to Senator Clinton. In fact you lost by 10 points, which was quite an anti-climax considering all the polls and mainstream media hype about closing the gap etc.

What troubles me the most is that you outspent Senator Clinton almost 2:1. I believe you spent in excess of $9 million versus Clinton's $5 million on predominantly TV ads. What troubles me more is how this year - at such a crucial time for America; where it is more important than ever before to reach out to younger, disenfranchised, disengaged or just apathetic voters - all the political candidates are essentially eschewing the full continuum of web/digital on one hand and social media/web 2.0 (or what I call conversational marketing) on the other hand, in favor of the most traditional; the most conventional; the most predictable; the most intrusive and quite frankly, the most insulting form of communication: traditional television advertising.

Isn't your ticket about change? Isn't your entire platform about doing things differently?

Come on Barack...it's time to walk the talk and lead by example. This year candidates (PLURAL as in ALL candidates) have given such lip service to Digital, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Podcasting etc. when in actual fact they should be focusing more of their efforts (not ALL, but MORE) on the powerful strategic combination of community, dialog and partnership.

And Senator Clinton, what's the first thing out of your mouth after you claimed victory? "I need more money..." Don't outspend; outsmart. Join the Conversation, rather than trying to drown it out.

Prove to me (either of you) that you're listening. I'm about to become a new voter in the US and if you want my vote....reply to this post. I'll take it one step further, I'll give you my consulting time to advise you on how to best leverage conversational marketing for your campaigns IF you take the time to contact me.

Game on.