Every year around this time I write a post, like this one, in which I tell the story of one blogger who most influenced me, or most exemplified what blogging is about, in the past year.
This year, I'm going to name two, one who broke through, taking us to new heights, and another who continues a tradition of fine blogging.
The first is the one who made the biggest difference, who drove blogging to new heights, and that's the president-elect, Donald Trump.
There was a time when I thought it was a stretch to say that most members of the US House would be bloggers, and by that I meant someone who goes direct to constituents, without going through the press. This is the sources go direct idea that is so central to blogging. I also thought money in politics was not as central as people thought it was. More important was an innate ability to communicate. The new tools would become that powerful, I believed.
Now Trump of course, in addition to being an instinctively gifted blogger, is also a super salesman, in person and in front of a crowd. I'd love to hear Walt Frazier do the play by play for a Trump interview. Dishing and swishing. Feline quickness. All of the words that would describe an agile NBA point guard apply to our president-elect. Now these are not great talents for a leader, commander in chief, or statesman. But it got him elected, that's for sure.
You can read the archive of my blog to see what I think of our prospects under the upcoming Trump presidency. I am not a happy camper. But as far as his ability to communicate directly through the tools of blogging, we've never seen anything like Trump with a smartphone and his Twitter account.
Why did I choose Trump? Well, I think Pete Rose should be in the baseball Hall of Fame. He has the most hits of any player of all time. I think acceptance should at least partially recognize the enormity of a person's accomplishment. Is Trump how I wanted blogging to triumph? Of course not. But there is no denying the enormity of the accomplishment.
There were many excellent political writers who I turned to for unique ideas in this election cycle. A few were outstanding, Nate Silver, Matt Yglesias and the person I'd like to honor, Josh Marshall at TPM.
Of all of them his editor's column is most like a blog. He often writes in the first person. He spends a lot of time thinking, but more than anything, he's a timely writer. When something happens, he quickly goes into motion. I find I can depend on him for instant valuable perspective in real time.
He has embraced the role of blogger as news transmitter. What he does there is not journalism, he is himself a source when he's writing on his blog. I read with great appreciation as he helped us through this incredibly turbulent and confusing year. BOTY-level work.