Chapter 8. Political Blogs

American politics finally integrated the Internet in 2004. According to a nationwide survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 75 million Americans37% of the adult population and 61% of online Americansused the Internet in 2004 to get political news and information, discuss candidates, and debate issues in emails, or participate directly in the political process by volunteering or giving contributions to candidates.

The same survey shows that during the 2004 presidential elections, the online political news consumer population grew dramatically from 18% of the U.S. population in 2000 to 29% in 2004. Much of that online activity was devoted to reading and writing blogs. Blogs have demonstrated how perfectly the medium provides democracy in action as U.S. citizens engaged in debates, organized activities, and raised funds for candidates over the Internet.