CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Twitter and Facebook played high-profile roles in the recent election, but they weren't as influential as some would think.

That's the view of Elizabeth Cohen, one of several West Virginia University professors who offered a postelection analysis Tuesday at a Charleston forum.

Cohen said the vast majority of Americans still relied on traditional media for political news. But the new social media did help reinforce political affiliations and bring candidates closer to voters.

Panelist Scott Crichlow said political scientists devoted to forecasting weren't surprised by President Barack Obama's re-election. He told the audience to expect huge turnover at the top of Obama's Cabinet.

His colleague, Karen Kunz, predicted that Washington would make no major progress on the federal deficit or national debt before the new year.