There is an interesting article in today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about Presidential hopeful Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) popularity in the blogosphere. Excerpts are below:

On His Popularity:

“In an online poll last month on the nation’s most widely read liberal blog (DailyKos. com), Feingold led the Democratic presidential field, picked by 30 percent of the 11,000-plus people who visited the Web site and voted.”

On Tactics:

“To cultivate such support, Feingold has an Internet coordinator on his political staff, consults with a team of Internet advisers, has held conference calls with Democratic-leaning bloggers, offers downloadable video podcasts, and allows supporters to vote online for which congressional candidates should receive contributions from Feingold’s political committee.”

“Feingold also frequently posts his own comments on liberal blogs, blasting the Bush administration and accusing his own party of timidity on such issues as the Iraq war and the USA Patriot Act.”

On Limits of a Blog Strategy:

“But Dean’s collapse in 2004 also has colored the debate over the role that online activists could play in the next presidential contest. While some view the Internet as above all a democratizing force, others see it as polarizing as well, fueling candidates who tap into the passions of activists and ideological voters but not the broader electorate.”

“‘It’s great, because it creates a lot of energy and helps broaden a movement, but the downside is you can also get pulled in a more extreme direction,’ said Erik Smith, who worked in the 2004 race for both Dick Gephardt and a multimillion-dollar independent Democratic ad campaign.”

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