There are political failures to be sure. Taking points to the John Kerry loss. Why did he lose? One reason: waiting a two-week eternity before attacking the swift boat lies and ads which had become entrenched in the voters' imaginations. But lest bloggers become complacent or believe their own press Kos poetically issues a warning to would-be bloggers about dreams of a favored political candidate ringing the doorbell with contract in hand on bended knee inquiring “will you blog me?” Taking admits it won’t happen in an age of blemished bloggers who might have written some “things” that — shall we say -- come back to bite the candidate.
The political blogosphere is adeptly-run by men and women who hold Master’s Degrees, law degrees, journalism degrees, or have military service and oodles of life experience. That is a line that bears repeating more often. They are not fools sitting around grandma’s basement in pajamas collecting unemployment checks. Bloggers are worker bees. So what struck this reviewer is a word missing from Taking: “vetting.” Vetting is hard work. And Kos, while not using that word, illustrates that political bloggers are actually vetting the story for newspapers, cable, and networks.
Elite bloggers detect, bottle-feed, incubate, hold, and rock a nursery crammed with premature stories until they are viable and able to walk upright — brilliant. And so is Taking On The System. This well-written how-to tome about grabbing political power is a clarion call for this “Why Generation.” It is required reading for the cultural critic, candidates in training, and non-believers. Taking will make a believer out of you.
The Web genie has escaped. Because now, regardless of age or infirmity, folks have hooked up and connected their voices with a few bucks, a pair of pajamas, and time. That is encouraging good news for the neophyte as well as the elite, experienced political blogger.
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