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.

The drama began when it became known that the Edwards campaign had hired Amanda Marcotte of the blog Pandagon to serve as its "blogmaster." Reaction from the right side of the blogosphere was swift and critical of Edwards for hiring Marcotte, who was well known for her caustic, profanity-laced attacks on those with whom she disagrees. Not only did Marcotte come under fire for being a potty mouth, but also for anti-Christian, specifically anti-Catholic, statements.

Another blogger hired by the Edwards campaign, Melissa McEwan, of the blog Shakespeare's Sister, had some issues as well, including use of the word "Christofascists" to refer to Christian conservatives in her blogging.

Edwards faces the same tightrope challenge all presidential candidates face. He must speak to his base in the primary, but not so much so that he takes positions or creates an image that dooms his chances with the greater electorate in the general election.

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.

Read an archive of blog posts and you will likely learn more about a blogger than you would ever want to know, including not only their deepest thoughts, but possibly even what they had for breakfast. That is why the hiring of Marcotte and McEwan was so surprising, considering everything they have written on their blogs was easily accessible to anyone who bothered to look.

When Salon.com reported on Wednesday that Edwards had fired the two bloggers, a firestorm erupted from the left side of the blogosphere accusing Edwards of bowing to pressure from the right. Some bloggers argued that since Marcotte and McEwan had made the comments on personal blogs, a different standard applied. The profane and incendiary statements were personal, in that they were the opinions of individuals. Unlike writing such thoughts in a personal journal, however, they were written in a forum where anyone in the world could not only see them, but were encouraged to engage in debate on the issues through their comments section.

Even though the writings of Marcotte and McEwan were claimed to be personal, everyone in politics knows that presidential campaigns are all about putting forth a particular image of a candidate. This is not a controversy over free speech in a personal blog, because at issue is not whether or not the blogger is free to say what she wants, but rather it is the story of the image one campaign wants to convey to the country. The Dixie Chicks learned through their highly publicized foray into the world of politics that they were selling more than their music -- they were selling an image. Two bloggers learned this week that whatever talent they have for writing or political commentary, the image put forth through their more incendiary writing is likely to overshadow it. Continued...