Fred Thompson Hearts The Internet

The reason Fred Thompson loves the internet is simple: his message reaches his voters unadulterated. He can't be misquoted (he can, but everyone can check for themselves what he really said). The message is recorded for all posterity. The response, like the message delivery, is immediate. There is no news cycle. He can post a message at 2 a.m. and it will be read somewhere by someone and linked the next day and reach the masses.

He's in control.

Mr. Thompson wouldn't succeed in the internet written or video media if he was dull witted or boring. He wouldn't succeed if his messages were wonk-speak. He wouldn't succeed if his arguments were weak. So far, he's succeeding because he's none of these things. Just being willing to be so daringly active on the internet wins him points. What handlers can he blame when he's doing the writing and talking?

Not only that, the environmentalists should heart Thompson, too. He doesn't have to take three private jets to stump three states in a day. He can write his message in his boxers (or pajamas) in his bedroom and reach the world--for nearly free. How economical! How forward thinking!

That the other candidates carefully manipulate the internet medium, puts Fred Thompson in stark contrast. It makes me like him. Everybody's latest political crush is starting to look forced and reactionary. Hillary Clinton has always seemed a prune-short of good digestion--the internet is not conducive to that much constipation. Her YouTube entré was just plain weird with all the psycho-sexual overtones that Ann Althouse drew attention to. I know that the other candidates have a web-presence. One of my blog friends John Hawkins is helping the campaign of one Tom Tancredo.

But Fred Thompson has 'em all beat. So far, he handily wins the title of Blogger-in-Chief.

H/T Glenn Reynolds