Good advice…let’s do run with it.

Why at the end? Why at all? Is it sincere? Is it disingenuous? Well, now the MTB next month with him in Columbus has a conversation to continue or follow-up (or ignore if they choose, I wouldn’t take that personally).

And last, the best way to test the sincerity of this invitation to give advice to the ODP about blogs: LET’S DO IT. And THEN see what happens. If nothing happens at all, out of x number of suggestions, well…

That, at least, is always my approach: take someone at face value, follow/accept the invitation and then see what comes of it. You’ll never know until you try.

So implying we don’t matter only bolsters the movement in my mind. Stirs up the bees nest in a way. Maybe even adds a node here or there. The right way to react is the way Fingerhut’s folks have as well as Joe Sulzer’s people. They get it.

If I were Redfern I’d have a full-time netroots person who coordinates with other party strategy and message people in other media in order to fully leverage this “free” resource. Yes, we are free much as getting the paper to write about your stuff is free…but someone has to coordinate that. Zero resources just doesn’t get it for me.

This disconnect between candidates and party in terms of online strategy is problematic and I hope we hear from Chris on this again soon.

Could also be that that’s the image they want to present, in the hope that bloggers will quiet down or cease and desist. Although if I don’t think you could find a more unlikely group of thinkers who could be influenced to cease and desist just because someone implies that they don’t matter, than bloggers.

My main point I guess is that Chris should have a very different perception about blogs than the MSM. They are a bit freaked about the competition and loss of clout. Chris should not display this same reticence. His take should be just as your question posed: “What part should blogs play in our overall strategy to engage voters”.

That is my disappointment. Not to mention the fact that he should be getting out in front and not waiting with cautiously optimistic anxiousness.

It’s a poor and dangerous perception in my opinion – missed opportunity in a big way.

I don’t ever mean to present myself as knowing. But I am trying to get engaged and ask questions and get answers, because, given the small pool of voters who can be described as engaged (and into which I think I do fall), there are even fewer knowledgeable Ohio political wonks. It’s a very small universe, compared to the general electorate.

That said, I still believe that Redfern put forth an opinion about the influence and value and “go to” element of blogs in a way that parallels the treatment MSM gives blogs, in general, though less and less so: they are anxious about the uncertainty that blogs represent, in content and in influence.

I feel quite confident about that perception.