Blogs gaining power in Idaho political campaigns
BOISE -- When Republican Jim Risch announced his candidacy for United States Senate last fall, a reporter asked the lieutenant governor if he read on-line news or looked at blogs.
"And he said no, and no, with a little bit of pride, I thought," said Jill Kuraitis, the reporter who asked the question .
Kuraitis works for New West, an on-line news site, but not a blog.
"A blog is written by interested amateur writers, who don't get paid and probably don't have a journalism degree," said Kuraitis.
And in the left-leaning Idaho blogosphere, Risch has been lampooned in a doctored video as an angry gnome by a blogger called Serephin at the blog site 43rd State Blues
Risch says the mockery and criticism come with the territory.
"Some people are very civil and good about being able to talk about issues without injecting that kind of thing," Risch said. "Others can't do that without injecting something."
And a Risch spokesman called some bloggers "left wing hate mongers".
Julie Fanselow has been blogging for Red State Rebels since 2003. She says she's hardly a hate monger.
"I had to laugh when I heard (campaign manager) Jason Risch use that term," she said. "I'm a mild mannered middle-aged woman who does this in my spare time to help get Democrats get elected."
Democrat Larry LaRocco, who is running against Rish for the Senate seat, said he's been helped by the blogs. "For example, I've raised over $170,000, helped by bloggers who spread the word about my campaign."
"We're being taken more seriously by the media, and by politicians," said Faneslow. "It's like the voice of the people."
And political experts say candidates who ignore the blogs do so at their own risk.
"If you're not aware of them as a form of communication, then you're behind the curve," said Boise State Political Science Prof. John Freemuth. "They are real now. They're part of the political game."
And perhaps Jim Risch is reaching out to the blogosphere after all. According to Huckleberries Online, a blog associated with the Spokesman-Review, he'll be answering questions there on-line at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
"And he said no, and no, with a little bit of pride, I thought," said Jill Kuraitis, the reporter who asked the question .
Kuraitis works for New West, an on-line news site, but not a blog.
"A blog is written by interested amateur writers, who don't get paid and probably don't have a journalism degree," said Kuraitis.
And in the left-leaning Idaho blogosphere, Risch has been lampooned in a doctored video as an angry gnome by a blogger called Serephin at the blog site 43rd State Blues
Risch says the mockery and criticism come with the territory.
"Some people are very civil and good about being able to talk about issues without injecting that kind of thing," Risch said. "Others can't do that without injecting something."
And a Risch spokesman called some bloggers "left wing hate mongers".
Julie Fanselow has been blogging for Red State Rebels since 2003. She says she's hardly a hate monger.
"I had to laugh when I heard (campaign manager) Jason Risch use that term," she said. "I'm a mild mannered middle-aged woman who does this in my spare time to help get Democrats get elected."
Democrat Larry LaRocco, who is running against Rish for the Senate seat, said he's been helped by the blogs. "For example, I've raised over $170,000, helped by bloggers who spread the word about my campaign."
"We're being taken more seriously by the media, and by politicians," said Faneslow. "It's like the voice of the people."
And political experts say candidates who ignore the blogs do so at their own risk.
"If you're not aware of them as a form of communication, then you're behind the curve," said Boise State Political Science Prof. John Freemuth. "They are real now. They're part of the political game."
And perhaps Jim Risch is reaching out to the blogosphere after all. According to Huckleberries Online, a blog associated with the Spokesman-Review, he'll be answering questions there on-line at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
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