Copious Notes

President Barack Obama speaks during the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum, an event touted as reconnecting him with grassroots supporters, in Washington Thursday. AP Photo by Alex Brandon.

Yet another evening of ­kvetching about the health care debate was winding to a close Tuesday night on The Rachel Maddow Show when guest Bill Maher made a great point about President Barack Obama’s inability to get his message across.

“Where are all Obama’s people to help him with this, by the way?” Maher asked. “You know, I mean, he is Michael Jordan on a very, very, very bad team. Where are all the people who were so enthused during the campaign? You know, that was the fun part, the election.

“Now comes the hard part. You know, where’s Oprah? Where are all of the people who were out there on the campaign trail? We need them now. This is the actual hard work of government.”

It’s a valid point.

Could it be the Obama ­administration just hasn’t stayed in touch?

Remember the summer of 2008? That was the campaign summer, when candidate Obama was the king of all media, ­particularly new media.

One of his flashiest tricks, though, fizzled: the attempt to alert supporters and anyone else who was interested of his choice for running mate via text message, before traditional media broke the news.

It was surprising to get word through — egads! — this newspaper in my driveway. The traditional media broke the story right before it was time to put the papers to bed and about three hours before the text announcing the choice of Joe Biden.

But it soon became clear what that ploy was all about: mobilizing supporters.

The Obama campaign had succeeded in getting scores of text and e-mail addresses, and they were going to use them.

During the Democratic National Convention, there were messages to make sure to tune in for speeches by Obama’s wife Michelle; Biden; and the man ­himself speaking in a football stadium. As the campaign went into the fall, there were more text and e-mail appeals to watch, to campaign and, of course, for money. In the final weeks, there were even geographically ­targeted ­appeals to get to our ­neighboring swing states, Indiana and Ohio, to help on the ground.

If you had signed up, whenever your text chime went off, you almost ­expected it to be the Obama ­campaign, and it was a safe bet there was something in the in-box, too.

When the campaign was over and Obama won, we were told that the e-mail and text addresses would be kept to help relay information and mobilize people to help support the administration’s initiatives.

But Barack and Joe don’t seem to write anymore.

The campaign that was built on a mastery of new media has taken a ­traditional ­approach to getting the message out. ­

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Herald-Leader photographer Charles Bertram shot this tree limb in Danville this morning.

Since signing up for Facebook and Twitter last year, it’s been fascinating to watch how events can unfold across status updates, like this ice storm, which now appears to be giving Lexington the same treatment counties just south of here were getting earlier. How do I know? Lexington status updates like these:

. . . watching a gigantic pine tree tip towards her neighbor’s house. The neighbor is not concerned.

. . . neighbor a few streets away has lost power. Oh no!

. . . is trying not to feel wimpy about skipping the Alejandro Escovedo concert tonight.

. . . watching the lights flicker.

. . . If anyone knows my intern . . . tell her the LPO office is closed Wednesday! I can’t find her email.

. . . is listening to the first of the trees fall - this ain’t good.

. . . electricity just went out. Of course this happens on a good tv night!

. . . 32.4º! But still hearing limbs fall outside. And sirens.

and my favorite:

. . . started out with a block of ice and chisled it into a working automobile! OK, it was my car to begin with.

Sounds like we could have a long night, Lexington. I’ll be interested to read about it on Twitter and Facebook in the morning.