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December 13, 2002

Blogs Come of Age

Last Sunday I wrote:

Okay folks, we have a test now of whether these odd weblog linking discussions matter in the way talk radio or other alternative media forums matter...So if the story dies, we have to admit. The blog world just isn't that relevant yet to wider political society...But if the story reexplodes and is reenergized...it might indicate that we all are helping to sustain some energy on an issue.

Well John Podhoretz at the New York Post gives the verdict and declares that Trent Lott was "THE INTERNET'S FIRST SCALP" and cites a range of bloggers, including the our own progressive blogger Atrios. Argues Podhoretz:

The drumbeat that turned this story into a major calamity for Lott, and led directly to President Bush's welcome disavowal of Lott's views yesterday, was entirely driven by the Internet blogosphere.

I think this goes to far and reflects Podhoretz's unwillingness to recognize Jesse Jackson's and Al Gore's leadership in denouncing Lott when the mainstream media was silent. When the frontrunner for the opposition party accuses a former colleague of racism, that's likely to reignite a story all on its own.

But there is no question that the blogworld fed information to ready journalistic hands as the media firestorm reignited. And it demonstrated that there was anger across the political spectrum that only needed to be tapped by politicians willing to grab on. And for that we can all be very proud.

Posted by Nathan at December 13, 2002 12:39 PM

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