Newswise — In 1998 former Governor Jesse Ventura used the Internet as an organizer or meeting tool in his campaign for governor.
Later during a presidential run, Sen. John McCain made the Internet into a checkbook, allowing voters to donate to his campaign with a simple click.
By summer 2003, the Internet became a stump from which not only political candidates could express their views, but so could anyone with an opinion.
"I saw the influence of blogs on the campaign of Howard Dean for president," David Perlmutter, associate dean and professor of journalism at the University of Kansas, writes on his own blog.
Perlmutter's upcoming book, Blogwars (Oxford University Press, 2008), examines the history of blogs and its effect on politics.
"I want to look at blogs in terms of how they've helped identifying and bringing people to political prominence," he said.
Blogwars, he said, also discusses the effects of blogging on fundraising and getting people involved. For example, Perlmutter said a 2004 study showed people who blogged also voted and tended to donate money.
The blog has become another tool, like a speech or a television ad, commonly used by politicians on the campaign.
"Blogging won't replace TV ads," he said. "But different technologies working together, like blogging and YouTube, can be a force multiplier."
While the politicians could write their own blogs, the medium also gives anyone the ability to mass communicate, by skirting around "regular 'big' media."
The online political newsmagazine, etalkinghead.com, lists 492 political blogsites in its directory.
Recent headlines from some of those blogs read: "Culture of Corruption: the GOP Sleaze Factor in the Background," from the DailyKos.com; "Tired of the Web/Allen Circus?" from instapundit.com; and "American Exceptionalism: The Bane of the Left," clearcommentary.com.
Blogs can have "a range of effects on contemporary public opinion, political campaigns, public affairs argumentation and even governmental policy-making," Perlmutter's blog reads.
A challenge to writing a book about blogs, Perlmutter said, is that the medium is constantly changing. His book was expected to be released next year, but has been delayed in order to include the effects of blogging on this year's mid-term elections.
"This is only the tip of the iceberg of all of these interactive technologies, such as YouTube, podcasting, instant messaging," he said. "It will be interesting to see to what extent [blogging] changes or expands in 2006."
Perlmutter's blog can be found at http://policybyblog.squarespace.com/
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