Local politicians struggle to 'get' blogs

While the presidential candidates are rushing around cyberspace, blogging, social-linking and making Second Life appearances, local candidates seem to just be dipping their toes in the bloggy waters - if Fairfax County, Va., is representative of the whole nation (it's not in so many ways but this might be one way it is.)

The Washington Post checked in with some Fairfax candidates and found they were kinda thinking about the whole blog thing.

"I'm weighing the options," said Supervisor Penelope A. Gross (D-Mason), who will face Republican businesswoman Vellie Dietrich-Hall in November. "You have to decide on how much time you can spend and whether the commentary is going to be legitimate or not."

Of course, the web is littered with half-started blogs and political blogs are no exception.

Stan Reid, who's running in next month's Republican primary against Pat S. Herrity for Springfield District supervisor, has exactly one haiku-sized entry from April 27: "The Primary Election is June 12th. Your vote is important."

Then there's the politician who strives for the personal, almost poetic, connection only to find the post veering back to "message," as this post by Hall:

"As I sit here, it is snowing quite hard outside, blanketing everything in a thick layer of white. I am in awe at nature's ability to give each snowflake its own design making sure that no two are ever exactly alike. And it occurs to me that despite everything we have in common, nature has seen to it that as individual human beings we are each and every one of us, unique. We have our own personalities, traits, characteristics, needs, wants and dreams. And that's what makes us such a dynamic, diverse, interesting group. Nowhere is that diversity more highly prized and celebrated than right here in our own Mason District . . . "

Ah, well. It seemed like such a cool idea.