Last night was about as interesting as it gets. There was a sense that we were watching a change happen with the current style of politics confronting the new reality of politics. Tim visually and stylistically looked the blogger – headphones on before class, controlled, tenseness in his demeanor, rapid non-modulated voice, and passion bubbling under the surface. Dan was about working the room, relaxed, thanking everyone, reinforcing why he was there and his objectivity, handling criticism right off the bounce and sending it back. I spent 24 years working with wonderful salespeople, and Dan fit the part. This is compliment, not a criticism. Thinking about it, both styles are necessary, as Tim acknowledged with his comment about the importance of the other parts of the campaign. And Dan’s decision to insert himself in the campaign and take valuable time to visit a small class at Trinity on blogging speaks to the power and reality of the medium.

In teaching, we are taught that people have different learning styles – visual, audile, tactile, etc. It would then make sense that campaigns must use different medium to promote their message. What blogging appears to have done is allow a group, who might not be very good communicating in other mediums, to stretch their voices in a dramatic way because they have knowledge and ability other don’t – blogging. The passion, curiosity and skill that lead them to technology easily transfer themselves to politics. Because of its ‘newness’ and mysteriousness, it has generated a lot of buzz. The question is will the medium continue to create buzz. Can it withstand the attacks to its credibility; its soft underbelly of the nut fringe? Tim spoke of it as a concern because it could be easily twisted.