Even with the mainstreaming of political blogs — which have become a campaign staple in this election year — Markos Zuniga believes they “never will reach anyone who’s not a hardcore political junkie.”
But that isn’t a problem, says Zuniga, whose site,www.dailykos.com, is oneof the nation’s most popular political blogs. Rather, the liberal Democrat says, blogs are playing an important role in building a more successful and long-term Democratic movement by stimulating discussion, and focusing media attention, for example, on some of this year’s top Congressional races. As Zuniga notes, “There’s value in reaching out and talking to activists.”
Zuniga and another leading national political blogger, Jerome Armstrong of My Direct Democracy (www.mydd.com), co-authors of Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2006), made stops Monday at the Brown University Bookstore and Trinity Brewhouse to discuss their book and the blogging movement. As part of their criticism of the Democratic establishment, Zuniga, 34, and Armstrong, 42, favor what they describe as the more long-term national strategy being pursued by Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Asked about his most satisfying triumph during four years of blogging, the Berkeley, California-based Zuniga says, “The accomplishment is building a movement that’s motivated and engaged. I’m excited that it’s even off the ground.” The blogger, who has emerged as something of a cult hero for his fans, was self-effacing in talking about how his blog has continued chugging along, thanks to posts by like-minded activists, during his nine recent weeks on the road. “When I talk about people power, I really truly mean it,” he says.
Speaking at Trinity Brewhouse during an appearance sponsored by the Rhode Island Young Democrats and the Rhode Island’s Future blog, Armstrong and Zuniga praised local activist Matthew Jerzyk, who has established a following in the statewide political community since launchingwww.rifuture.org in early 2005, for replicating theirefforts at the local level.
“I really do feel blogs are the town hall of the 21st century,” says Jerzyk, whose blog offers a mix of news and commentary. Describing how some of the people who read it have been motivated to start their own sites, he says, “That’s the power of this — to be able to convince people that their ideas really are important.” And such efforts are bound to rise or fail on their merits, Jerzyk says, “[Because] if there’s a boring blog, no one’s going to read it.”
An audience of about 30 people, including Senator Juan Pichardo, Representatives Ray Sullivan, Art Handy, and Grace Diaz, statewide candidates Frank Caprio and Carl Sheeler, several campaign workers, and Trinity owner Josh Miller, a candidate for the state Senate seat being vacated by Elizabeth Roberts, turned out for the event. Although the gathering was unabashedly partisan — with Zuniga savaging US Senator Lincoln Chafee because of his fealty on vital votes to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist — local Republicans have also shown a knack for blogging through sites such as www.anchorrising.com.
