Print

Mail

wiki links

Leading blogger to help Hillary Clinton hone her message

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign has hired Peter Daou, one of the most prominent political bloggers in the nation, to help disseminate her message in a forum that has not always been that hospitable to her.

The move underscores the degree to which bloggers -- the authors of Web logs, or blogs -- have begun to transform US politics. In many cases, candidates have even set up their own blogs, with staffers answering questions, presenting policy proposals and posting campaign literature and videos.

Clinton, who faces re-election this year and is a possible presidential candidate in 2008, has been a frequent target of blog-gers, particularly liberals who are angry over her refusal to disavow her vote in 2002 to authorize President Bush to use force in Iraq.

The Clinton camp is clearly counting on Daou, who directed blog outreach and online rapid response for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004, to help improve Clinton's image among liberal bloggers, who may play a significant role in selecting the Democratic Party's nominee for president.

Indeed, several potential candidates -- including Mark Warner, the former governor of Virginia and Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa -- made an appearance this month at a bloggers' convention in Las Vegas. But Clinton was not among them.

In a statement, Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said, "Peter's experience building bridges between the blogosphere and the Democratic Party will be a huge asset for us."

Daou runs the Daou Report blog, and has an extensive list of online consultancies to his name.
This story has been viewed 1583 times.