A decade ago, the internet journalist Matt Drudge was very nearly US president Bill Clinton's ruin after leaking the story of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. These days, Drudge is one of Hillary Clinton's best kept secrets.
During the presidential campaign, the Drudge Report, once known as the scourge of Democrats, has betrayed a surprisingly soft side for the woman previously viewed by diehard Republicans as the mother of all that is liberal and permissive in the US.
When Hillary Clinton had a coughing fit during a speech in New Orleans last summer, Drudge reacted with genuine concern, telling listeners of his Miami radio show: "Hillary dear, take care of yourself. We need you," New York magazine said. On another occasion, he confessed: "I need Hillary Clinton. I need to be part of her world. That's my bank."
On Monday, it emerged that the caring went two ways. The New York Times reported that the Clinton campaign had grown adept at using the Drudge Report to leak news that could steal the thunder from rivals, or to solidify her position as the frontrunner for the Democratic party's presidential nomination for next year.
Earlier this month, Hillary Clinton's staff leaked campaign fundraising data to the Web site just as her rival for the nomination, Barack Obama, was to deliver a policy speech on Iraq -- and a crucial 20 minutes before the official release of the information.
The story on Hillary Clinton's fundraising prowess dominated the news cycle.
The New York Times reported that the Clinton campaign had opened a direct line of communication to Drudge through a former Democratic national committee official, Tracey Sefl.
Sefl refused to comment on Monday, but the revelation was widely seen as a sign of Drudge's importance in the US media, despite his reclusive nature and a history of getting some stories spectacularly wrong.
The Drudge Report's influence goes beyond its average readership -- the site claims 422 million log-ons in the past month -- with TV and radio producers scouring the site for potential scoops.
Some would argue that Clinton owes her political career to Drudge.
In 1998, the humiliation of her husband's affair with the White House intern led to an outpouring of sympathy for the first lady. Her approval ratings soared and the image of the calculating political spouse was blurred.
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