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Political Organizations in the Fourth
Information Revolution

INTRODUCTION
Between 1995 and 1998, Mike McCurry grew to become one of the most
familiar figures occupying the borderland between American political
institutions and mass media. As Press Secretary for the Clinton White
House, McCurry delivered the White House message and managed press
relations during part of Clinton’s second term. He had moved to the
White House from his position as spokesman for the State Depart-
ment following the election of 1994. His mission was to shore up the
White House press operation after the midterm setback that had re-
turned Republicans to power, and he brought to the job a long resume
in media–state relations. He had previously worked as Communications
Director of the Democratic National Committee; political strategist for
Senator John Glenn, Senator Bob Kerrey, and Governor Bruce Babbitt;
and press secretary to the Senate Labor Committee and Senator Daniel
PatrickMoynihan.InMayof1998,inthemiddleoftheLewinskyscandal,
McCurry resigned. To cover hard feelings with the President, he offered
the traditional euphemism of wanting to spend time with his family, but
hehadinmindamorestrategicgoal:shiftingpositioninthegovernment–
press borderland by becoming a principal in the Washington lobbying
and communications firm Public Strategies, Inc. 1
Two and a half years later and one week following the indecisive
election day of 2000, McCurry announced another career move. He
had accepted the position of CEO of a political Internet business,
Grassroots.com. Headquartered not in Washington but in San Francisco,
the firm’s aim was to provide “Internet-based communications and

1
James Bennett, “Clinton’s Spokesman Will Leave in the Fall,” New York Times, July 24,
1998, p. A18, http://archives.nytimes.com.
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