Banking off the success of Howard Dean’s 2004 online fundraising campaign, liberal blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga (head of www.thedailykos.com and co-author of “Crashing the Gates”) and the hundreds of others who joined him in Las Vegas for the first annual YearlyKos convention last July, seem to be attempting to re-vamp the Progressive movement by tapping into the blogosphere. They’re hoping that by developing a unified Democratic message and packaging it into a series of powerbites, they can use their interactive daily blogs to re-connect with the American people and form a collective party identity. While there are plenty of conservative activists roaming the blogosphere as well, what I think sets the Progressive movement apart is that they are working together – liberal bloggers from all

across the country - to extend more voices to more people in more places; a seemingly inhibiting step to a Democratic Party who has been plagued by too many voices and not enough consensus over the last three election cycles. However, through its outreach potential, the Progressive movement is actually hoping the blogosphere will cut-down on constituent disparity. They believe that their “people powered politics” platform gives them a message that will resonate with the American people and through increasing its frequency and exposure, they can give a party largely filled with single-issue personalities, a more unified front. This potentially sets the stage for two very interesting developments in November: 1) Will the Democrats take back the House and/or Senate and/or Governorships, and 2) If so, WHICH Democrats do so? Will it be those who have embraced the blogosphere (Lamont in Connecticut, Tester in Montana, Webb in Virginia, et al), or those who have shied away from it? Will the blogosphere have allowed particular candidates to raise more money, push more coherent agendas, and connect with more Americans, or, as some Democrats fear, will it merely isolate them to the far left of mainstream citizens? The November election will be an interesting test to determine whether the Progressive movement has found both the message – “people powered politics” – and the means – the blogosphere – to return to power. What I also think is intriguing about this Progressive movement is their effort to gain influence by spreading democracy instead of limiting it. They’re forming their foundation in the “netroots” of society, where membership requires only two things: a desire to change America and the ability to access the internet. In a time when party unity and message cohesion often trump varying opinions and single-issue activism; these liberal bloggers are looking to expand the public forum and embrace new, progressive ideas, and package them under a single banner. They’re hoping that by utilizing the blogosphere, they will not only reach out to Americans who were never before able to join the conversation, but in doing so, increase their political capital come November. While the real influence the Progressive movement has on American voters won’t truly be determined until after the upcoming mid-term elections, one thing is becoming increasingly clear to me: Through utilizing new communication technology, they have created a new front on the American political battlefield; and if proven successful, the blogosphere may not only reveal the future of the Democratic Party, but possibly, that of all political campaigning as well… Just some food for thought.