Informed Speculation

Really nice approach from the National Journal‘s Blogometer on this issue. Read the whole thing, but I like this breakdown of the political blogosphere:

…[T]he political blogosphere is…huge and its varying intentions and functions are hard to describe but can be roughly broken as follows:ATM Machine: The blogosphere has definitely made a name for itself as a vehicle to raise campaign funds. Witness ex-Pres. candidate Howard Dean’s fundraising prowess. The right is not completely absent from this field but it is definitely dominated by the left (see ActBlue).

Citizen Journalist: Pretty much every blog includes the first hand observations of its author/s and more and more of them are devoting significant resources to original coverage of events (see TPM Muckraker). Both sides also have great resources for staying abreast of campaign news (see MyDD and Swing State Project on the left and RedState on the right).

Traffic Cop: Right and left are quick to call foul when the MSM makes an error, or, in the minds of a blogger, does not cover a certain story or give it enough attention. The right was able to bring down a major news anchor (Dan Rather) and the left outed Jeff Gannon and got Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell to correct an misstatement. It could also be argued that in the same traffic-cop vein the righty blogosphere played signifcant roles in the demotion of Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) and the removal of WH/Counsel Harriet Miers’ nomination for SCOTUS. The left is currently trying to flex a similar muscle by ousting Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT).

Evangelist: Kos admits that he is more concerned with winning elections than with policy discussions but their are plenty of bloggers that engage in well reasoned rational debate on a daily basis. On the left Talking Points Memo, The Political Animal, TAPPED, and The Huffington Post all feature mature, obscenity free policy discussion on a daily basis. Instapundit, Captain’s Quarters, Andrew Sullivan, and the Corner do the same on the right. Their are many smaller blogs I am leaving out, but the beauty of the blogosphere is the plethora of voices it supports and the way it can elevate any one voice that hits upon a particularly insightful idea. More importantly of all the roles blogs play this one is the most likely to persuade and influence the behavior of those that don’t already agree with you.

If we accept that as a valid basis for discussion, I put Decision ’08 in the half Evangelist, half Traffic Cop category – but then again, it’s my baby, so my perception might not match my readers’…