Hmm, Howard Dean has a new official blog, following Gary Hart’s lead, but it’s just not the same. Why? Because Gary Hart’s been writing his blog himself.

I never thought that much of him before, but since reading Hart’s recent postings, I’ve begun to respect him a lot more. There seems to be something much more genuine and personal about it that I can’t pin down. Maybe it’s the warm fuzzy feeling of personal connection in an increasingly impersonal world.

Can blogs really change the political landscape currently dominated by monolithic media, and lack of substantive dialogue? My natural inclination is towards doubt, but I can’t help but hope.