October 09, 2005

Politicians Blogging -- Election Effects?

US Senator Barak Obama is podcasting. He reads some prepared remarks – about 10 minutes each – once a week. I’ve heard him present some suggestions for how to handle cleanup and poverty issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and voicing thoughtful, reasoned comments on why he voted against John Roberts’ nomination for the Supreme Court.

I like the idea of politicians blogging and wonder what effect (if any) this kind of communication might have on the next election. If I can listen to politicians speaking at my convenience, might I learn more about them than I would via the press? Might I have a better chance of making a well-reasoned decision about them? Or are there not enough people listening to podcasts to make a difference?

I know one thing: I do like listening to Senator Obama.

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