What Is A Political Blogger?
Posted by Catherine Morgan on October 7, 2007
What Is A Political Blogger? — by Catherine Morgan
I was doing a little blog surfing and came across a post at MyDD “What is a political blogger?” There are people that seem to think not all women blogging about politics can be considered political bloggers, I disagree. This is my response. What do you think?
What is a political blogger? I’m not sure we really need to “define” it, so much as we need to understand it. Political blogs are proof that many people want more than just the “main-stream” media to inform them of political topics and opinions. And the same holds true for readers of political blogs, many want more than a one sided, 24/7 view of politics. Women bloggers are offering diversity to their readers (who are potential voters), and that’s a good thing.
Women are a huge voting block, and in 2008 they will be voting on issues that are important to them, and many of these issues aren’t being sufficiently addressed in the same way they are on blogs authored by women. For this reason “all” political blogs are relevant, and there isn’t a right or wrong way to blog about politics.
If a “mommy blogger” blogs even just a few times a month on a political issue relevant to her readers, then she is reaching “voters”. For the most part, what we now know as “traditional” political blogging, has in many cases been a “mirror” of what is being reported in the “main-stream” media (although still better because it at least allows readers to comment with their opinions). But, this leaves a huge “political blogging” gap that is being filled by women, women with diverse ideas on both blogging and politics.
Women “will” be a force to reckon with in the next election, and blogging will be a defining part in that. With that in mind, I (with the help of many other bloggers) compiled a list of over 100 women (almost 200), that are blogging about politics. These women are blogging in their own “unique” styles, and reaching many voters.
So, (as far as I’m concerned) there is no way to “define” what a political blogger is, because a political blogger is anyone that is being read by a potential voter.
October 8, 2007 at 11:41 am
[...] What Is A Political Blogger? — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at Informed Voters) [...]
October 8, 2007 at 4:12 pm
a political blogger is anyone that is being read by a potential voter.
I like that definition and have not read it before today.
October 8, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Hi “ERobin” — I’m happy you like it. Thanks so much for your comment.
October 8, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I should be more clear - it’s a good definition b/c any other definition will start raising artificial walls that keep people out of the game without adding any value. So a person who blogs about food and, as you said, maybe once a month writes about chemicals added to our food or any other food safety issue, should qualify. Because we are a well-educated country, with supposedly free and fair elections, it’s the act of reaching out to that population by blogging that is, in the end, the political part of the equation, not so much the topic of the blogging.
October 8, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I agree. Thanks.
October 8, 2007 at 4:35 pm
[...] Also See: What Is A Political Blogger? [...]
October 9, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Excellent post, Catherine. I agree wholeheartedly.
October 9, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Thanks Andy.
October 9, 2007 at 12:57 pm
This is great! I have hesitated to enter the political blogging world from my mom-blog, but I feel I have a lot to offer the discussion. Blogging is such a good way to learn about others, as long as you’re open to opinion and discussion. Thanks for helping to make political blogging “attainable” for the regular person.
October 9, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Hi Sarah.
Thanks for your kind words. I wish you all the luck with your new blog.
When it comes to politics there are a lot of people out there that won’t agree with you, some of them will leave comments that are “respectful” but disagree, and there will be others that will be down right nasty and hateful in their disagreement with you. My advice to you and any other women who are blogging about politics, is to not let these people discourage you (because that is what they want to do). Whether you are conservative, liberal, or somewhere in the middle…there will be people that want to “shut you up”…DON’T LET THEM.
October 14, 2007 at 3:18 pm
[...] What is a political blogger? Can a women be a political blogger? [...]
October 20, 2007 at 8:53 am
Great definition! Whether we’re primarily mom-blogs or food blogs, etc, what we’re really talking about is how things - national politics or war, food price increases or the cost of daycare - are affecting us.
“Everything is political,” as someone once said.
November 24, 2007 at 11:34 pm
[...] Women Political Bloggers Catherine has put together a list of women who blog about political issues. It doesn’t matter if you are liberal, conservative or somewhere in between. Here is her definition of a political blogger: [...]
December 29, 2007 at 8:44 pm
I love your comic featuring the monkeys. May I use the picture for a training session for educators?
December 29, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Hi “B. Edwards” — I found the image in this post on a Google search, so it’s not mine (it is signed)…But, I don’t see why it would be a problem.