Do blogs matter this election?

Charles of LGF dismisses a claim from the left that we do not. It was Charles you may remember that proved Mapes, Dan Rather and CBS used forged documents in an attempt to steal the last election. "Rathergate" as the scandal became known ended both their careers.

In the kind of sloppy, childish rhetoric that passes for deep thinking on the left, Mary Mapes—the discredited, fired partisan hack who tried to tilt the last presidential election with fraudulent documents—gloats that the Republican Monster is Dying.

Here's what Mapes said.

"Ha, ha.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing once swaggering players like Powerline, Free Republic and Little Green Footballs forced onto the sidelines, left to limply watch this campaign pass by like a parade in which they play no meaningful part.

They just don’t matter anymore."

But is there some truth to what Mapes says? Let's compare the last election with this one and see.

In the last election the majority of the left wing media reported every twist and turn in the Rathergate and Swift Boat furors. Every new fact and rebuttal was reported, analyzed and bloggers behind the revelations were duly noted, or attacked, in the media. Thus, thanks to bloggers and the medias reporting thereof, life was breathed into the stories and the truth came out - Kerry lost.

In this election there is far more scandal surrounding Obama than there was Kerry. Even better, this time there are numerous video and audio tapes to prove Obama's guilt. There's Rev Wright, Ayers, Rezko, Khalidi and ACORN - all well documented scandals. Not to mention the worlds worst financial crisis can be traced directly to the Democrats with loads of video proof.

Now compare how the left wing media have reacted this election compared to the last. Silence. The media are simply ignoring the Obama scandals that would normally end any politicians career. And if the media says anything at all its in defense of Obama or personal attacks on the Republicans. The only ones reporting on the Obama scandals are the bloggers and the media is ignoring them this election.

And it's working. By simply ignoring the scandals and bloggers, the left wing media is insuring the public never hears about them. Worse, since the media reach far more viewers than bloggers, we're almost back to the time before bloggers existed with the media controlling the megaphone.

To be sure bloggers do have an impact but I think there's no doubt the left wing media can still steer the narrative. If we are to change that, bloggers are going to have to take blogging to the next level or develop a new model. And we better do it fast, for if Obama is elected we will be the only checks and balance on the government.