The messy relationship between bloggers and politicians

Bloggers are known for their fast fingers – and their loose tongues. The first turned some into campaign stars. But now, as more politicians try to harness their power, the second is taking its toll.

Just ask Democrat John Edwards. Two bloggers ended their ties to his presidential campaign this week amid protest over their past posts.

The whole point of blogging, as originally conceived, was to create a Wild West of journalism – a land where citizens could make their voices heard without approval from on high, publicize their snap judgments, spark candid dialogue – essentially serve as vigilantes of popular opinion.

Just as vigilantes are not supposed to be in the pocket of the law, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for bloggers to be employed by politicians.

But you wouldn't know that looking around at the burgeoning 2008 presidential campaigns, the majority of which have already recruited bloggers to be part of their strategy to stand out. K. Daniel Glover, himself a blogger for National Journal's Beltway Blogroll, wrote in The New York Times last December that "pamphleteers of the 21st century" – his humble characterization of his ilk – are making a pretty penny working for a wide variety of government officials and political candidates. Some simply blog, while others are paid consulting fees for "Internet strategy advice" or "opposition research."

Right when it looks as though politicians are getting hip to the ways of their coveted, computer-addicted youth constituency, however, the age-old problem of representation is reemerging.

Mr. Edwards hired two young feminist bloggers in late January. But just weeks later, both of them – Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon and Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister – felt compelled to resign following a firestorm of controversy over their past comments. Ms. McEwan, for example, once referred to President Bush's supporters as his "wingnut Christofascist base." Ms. Marcotte once created a satirical and quite vulgar Q-and-A in which she wondered what would happen if the Virgin Mary took emergency contraception. Unsurprisingly, both inspired the wrath of conservatives, including Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, who called the bloggers "foul-mouthed bigots."

Marcotte and McEwan, who were used to answering only to themselves, were suddenly subject to an authority. The words that they'd written as free agents, respectively representing a sassy party of one, were now affecting the whole party of John. Marcotte wrote: "It was creating a situation where I felt that every time I coughed, I was risking the Edwards campaign."

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