Bloggers on the campaign trail. Are we going to see any of this in South Dakota?

I've been watching some of the commentary in the National Blogosphere on John Edwards with regards to his hiring two bloggers for his campaign who had interesting comments, to say the least, with regards to Catholicism.

The question I'm seeing? Whether or not being a blogger instantly pegs one as a pariah on the campaign trail?

Check out this commentary from Lori Byrd over at ABC News.com:

In the world of politics, bloggers are the new kids on the block. In a relatively short time they have made a significant impact on politics as we know it. The new relationship between bloggers and politicians sometimes makes for an interesting and exciting dynamic, as was the case this week when high drama surrounded the hiring, and almost firing, of two bloggers by John Edwards' presidential campaign. The controversy reveals much about the growing role blogs are playing in political campaigns, and even more about the Edwards campaign in particular.

and...

When a campaign hires anyone, it runs the risk of a few skeletons falling out of a closet, but in many ways hiring bloggers is less risky. On one hand, the blogosphere is the Wild West and almost anything goes. At the same time, though, everything is "out there" for all the world to see.

and...

Outrage over the reported firing of the bloggers did not last long. On Thursday Edwards said he was "personally offended" by their writings criticizing the Catholic church, but that he was not firing them <http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/1197172/> . "I talked personally to the two women who were involved. They gave me their word they, under no circumstances, intended to denigrate any church or anybody's religion and offered their apologies for anything that indicated otherwise. I took them at their word," Edwards said.

and...

Seeing how Edwards handles controversy in his campaign raises concerns about how he might handle them in a presidency. In my opinion, Edwards failed this first big test of the campaign, from the failure to vet the bloggers to the strained statement he released defending his decision to keep them on the payroll. I have no doubt bloggers will continue to make news in the 2008 presidential race. There will be plenty more to learn in the coming months, not just from Edwards' experience, but from all candidates' reaching out to the blogosphere.

Go read "Edwards Stumbles on the Net" here.

In applying this locally, I know in South Dakota, the whole blogging things makes some people really, really nervous because it is a relatively new medium. And it's not unheard of for us to say incendiary things, or create an editorial cartoon that might be a little harsh for your average South Dakota weekly newspaper (and get dozens of people to tell me how much that one was in bad taste).

Representing my website, when I was speaking with one legislator recently, I think they were nervous that I was going to flay them alive in a literary fashion when all I was really trying to do was to find out what was happening on in issue. I kind of felt bad that anyone could think that I'm this attack dog out to tear people apart. (I'm not sure I even want to know what others might think who might not talk to me.)

I, like people on the left, those farther right than I , and everyone in between, am doing this to express a point of view, explore issues beyond the sound bite or 3 column inch treatment, educate on public affairs, and to try to entertain those that are gracious enough to darken our doorsteps.

No one is going to question when a politico hires a member of the mainstream media. But bring a blogger to the table and people's eyes start darting back and forth like we're all sporting multiple piercings or something.

I heard it actually came up as an issue of discussion in one political job this past election in South Dakota, but at the same time, I also know it didn't faze anyone in the case of Nathan Peterson who not only blogs over at South Dakota Progressive, but also helmed the Campaign for Healthy Families and is now the South Dakota spokesman for the National Environmental Trust.

My own experience is that doing this website has had the side-effect of raising my profile within the GOP. Whether I wanted it to or not. But as I read stuff such as this, I wonder if I'm now "unclean" because of my own misadventures.

As we approach another campaign season, I'm wondering what readers think. Does blogging make you somehow undesirable as a political operative, or do bloggers have a jump on other operatives because they're riding the crest of a new wave?