Are blogs the new Iowa Caucus?

An interesting article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, suggesting blogs have become the new Iowa Caucus in US Politics.

The Iowa Caucus is the traditionally primary that annoints a front-runner. However just one blog, Daily Kos, has more monthly readers than there are residents in Iowa and New Hampshire.

The article tries to define what blogs are for campaigns, asking:

* Are blogs the new Iowa caucus?

* Are blogs fund-raising machines?

* Are blog posts campaign literature?

* Are blogs “meet the candidate” get-togethers?

* Are bloggers political operatives?

* Are blogs campaign rallies?

* Are blogs television ads?

* Are blogs talk radio?