Republicans Battle the Blogs

Aug. 23, 2006 — -- It used to be that you had to be The New York Times to raise the ire of the Republican National Committee, or radio icon Rush Limbaugh to get the Democrats chomping at the bit.

Now add blogs to the list of political actors worthy of official condemnation from the political powers that be.

The RNC sent an e-mail to supporters and members of the media today criticizing Markos Moulitsas, founder of the popular liberal Web log Daily Kos, for what it calls "hate-filled" rhetoric on the Web site.

It's not the first time they've singled him out, but it does put bloggers -- formerly on the fringes of politics -- front and center along with the most important traditional political activists.

Political watchers see it as recognition by organizations like the RNC that blogs are here to stay.

"It means that they know who the new power brokers in politics are," said Julie Germany, the deputy director of the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet at George Washington University.

Blogs as political power brokers? Germany says that bloggers have helped level the playing field by taking power away from the proverbial smoke-filled rooms that used to determine the course of party politics.

"Some of that power has transitioned to everyone else," she said.

And that power, whoever holds it, draws the attention of the opposite party, as Moulitsas has drawn the attention of Republicans. The RNC's "research briefing," as it is called, was titled "Who Is Markos Moulitsas Zuniga?"

The RNC "wants to let folks know about who he is," said Danny Diaz, an RNC official.

"He's closely involved with Democrat strategy," Diaz said. "He's shaping a lot of the party's message, and some of their tactics."

The Democratic National Committee disputes the characterization of their relationship with Moulitsas.

"He's not a consultant, there's no formal relationship," said one DNC official.

"The blogging community works independently of us," the official said.