Blogs Behaving Badly! The Inherent Anonymity of the Internet Blurs the Line Between Bloggers' Opinions and Campaign Tactics

Blogs Behaving Badly
The Inherent Anonymity of the Internet Blurs the Line Between Bloggers' Opinions and Campaign Tactics

By NADINE RUBIN
June 29, 2007


Celebrities have been the butt of blogger wrath for years -- just log onto www.perezhilton.com for a taste of puerile star wars. But now presidential candidates are getting a taste of Internet bashing.
Online since April, www.hillaryis44.com is a staunchly pro-Hillary Clinton blog, featuring daily opinions, updates on Clinton's position at the polls, T-shirts and buttons.
There's also a healthy dose of good ol' fashioned mudslinging. In particular there are a number of attacks on Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. The blog encourages readers to send in "confidential tips," ostensibly to further scrutinize the Illinois senator. And in doing so, it begs the question: Is Clinton's campaign affiliated with the blog?
The campaign insists it is not. ABCNEWS.com's e-mail request for an interview with the person or persons behind hillaryis44.com -- sent to the blog's "confidential tips" address -- has not been met with a reply. On the blog's "Why Hillary" page is a statement that reads: "We are not affiliated with the Hillary for President Exploratory Committee, or any official Hillary Clinton organization in any way."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3326566&page=1