The September 26th Sunday NYT Magazine dedicated significant space (including photos over 10 pages) to "The Bloggers on the Bus" - an article about bloggers covering Election 2004. Couldn't help but wonder why the Times took weeks to run an article covering bloggers at the conventions. It seemed a little off.
But it was rather fun to learn that Ana Marie Cox (Wonkette) hasn't had to buy dinner and drinks "in months" and that Markos Moulitsas (Daily Kos) feels quilty about not linking to more bloggers, being successful, attracting tons of traffic and oh yeah..."that I make as much money as I do now..." [violin time]. Sometimes even "A List" bloggers sound whiney and spoiled.
However, Election 2004 might be considered the tipping point for political and jourmalism blogs. What happens after November 2004? Where will the bloggers go? Will media coverage about blogs go quietly into the good cyber space night? What is the next stop for news junky bloggers?
Article comments
1 - Marc
There will be months or fodder after Kerry and his minions file lawsuits in 40 of the 50 states, plus one in Guam.
2 - Eric Olsen
This article sort of made me physically ill: same old shit about the same old people, especially the Wonkette idiot.
And excellent point about what's next, Toby, one I have been talking about for months: inevitably the purely political bloggers will decline relatively as interest fades after the election - people will be looking for what else the blogosphere has to offer and what it has to offer is us.
3 - Harry Forbes
I won't miss the election (unless it turns out unhappily for me). The good part about blogs is that they are diverse, so there will always be something interesting rising to the top of the discussion heap.
Personally I hope to get arrested for BWI on election night and then spend a couple of weeks listening to and laughing at the predictable post-mortem punditry from the MSM that has started early this election year.
4 - mike hollihan
Eric, I disagree. The election alone will provide fodder well into January, what with challenges, cries of "Stolen again!" charges / countercharges and whatnot.
But when Bush wins again and the Republicans make some more gains in Congress, it will be front row center for bloggers to watch the vicious immolation of the Democratic Party. The fight will be spectacular and entertaining. Tons of blogging material for some years to come.
BTW, I'm still working on that video game mod-music video post, Eric. It's way too long, but I'm making progress.
5 - vikk
The political bloggers will continue to add their own embellishments to the political chorus long after the election and more than likely feed off of one another until the next frenzy appears. Meanwhile their antics have revealed a bit of the blogscape to many who didn't even know the world existed. For me, that's a plus. In my world few even know what a blog is. They certainly haven't read one. Now, with all the current media talk friends are clicking in to see what I'm doing. The result? More readers.