PiPress - Blogs & Elections Dont’s Mix
Posted by Andy on December 27th, 2005
Can blogs tip votes in ‘06 races?
This story should be read by every MOBster. It includes quotes from the Westover,
“They’re going to eat the newspapers’ lunch,” Westover said.
Gary of KvM,
“I’m crazy enough to think we can make a small difference in this race,”
(How about a little confidence Gary?)
and the MOB’s own anti-christ (link embargoed).
“There are some right-wing blogs that even if you tried to have a conversation with them, it’s essentially a bunch of frat guys having a party and doing a beer dance,” said Michael McIntee, producer for the Inside Minnesota Politics blog and podcast. “And that’s not useful; it’s pretty much making noise.”
The story goes on to try discredit blogs and their influence on elections. It is a real piece of work, that’s for sure. Definitely anti-blog. But I guess since blogs are providing something that neither the legacy media nor political parties can, they are just jealous, and that’s why they lash out at us whenever they can.
Oh well, I don’t plan on going away anytime soon, I guess you are stuck with me.
Sphere: Related Content
December 27th, 2005 at 11:48 pm
I think blogs did have effects on the special elections - and blog coverage did stuff the mainstream media didn’t do on the special elections. There was online discussions before blogs - notably the E Democracy lists (which are still quite successful with Minneapolis and St Paul Issues), usenet and other political discussion forums. I thought the St Cloud paper did an excellent job with hosting an online debate between the SD and HD 15 candidates.
I read blogs alot - and enjoy reading blogs - but I don’t see them replacing mainstream media. Often MSM falls short - especially on the issue of fact checking stories, and doing something beyond “he said, she said” journalism.
Westover’s quotes were good. I wish the reporter would have touched base with PZ Myers at Pharyngula. That blog has between 13,000 and 25,000 hits per day.