E-Mail and Political Efficacy

I'm reading a biography --of sorts-- of Bella Abzug, in which Eleanor Smeal, among many many others, is interviewed about the Congresswoman from New York City. Ms. Smeal was NOW President from 1977-1982 and 1985-1987.  She is currently president of the Feminist Majority Foundation.  Here's what Ms. Smeal had to say when interviewed in 2005:

What's killing the movement today is e-mails. People don't even get on their damn phones. I have something that is very important going on right how,and we're trying to get an informal meeting of women's leaders...But the truth of it is, everything is tamped down by e-mails. You can't get passion with e-mails. You can't organize that way. They're wonderful for telling people the meeting is set for two o-clock, but they are terrible for exchanging ideas. There's no emotion. You can't pick people's brains. I think it is a serious problem.
-from Bella Abzug, An Oral History, by Susanne Braun Levine and Mary Thom

Grassroots mobilization isn't my bread and butter, but I agree with Ms. Smeal because I've seen it happen in public policy advocacy, and I've caught myself hitting 'send' when I should be asking for a face-to-face meeting instead.  

While organizations like MoveOn.org and recent election campaigns have created online tools that allow for the electronic passion Ms. Smeal laments the lack of, I've yet to see the electronic replacement for the impact of a face-to-face meeting.