The SignOnSanDiego.com reports that one of the most widely read U.S. political blogs, The Huffington Post, is inviting candidates for the 2008 presidential election to hold an online debate, a first that would confirm the Internet's reach and influence.
The blogs founder, the highly profiled Arianna Huffingtion, said in a recent interview with Reuters that she has contacted Democratic and Republican party officials about organizing a debate for each side. Huffington also claimed that the line between established media and independent blogs would blur as the 2008 poll neared.
“2008 is going to be critical in terms of the coverage of the election,” Huffington said. “We are working to put together the first primary online debate among candidates and working out the logistics of how this is going to happen,” said Huffington to Reuters.
The debate will most likely be streamed via video.
(HuffingtonPost.com was the second most popular political blog site in December, according to tracking firm Hitwise. It attracts more than 3 million unique visitors each month.)