Top Political Issue: Iraq...and Election Build-Up Buzz

From the first day that Intelliseek's Campaign Radar 2004 hit the web, the Iraq war has remained the most blogged-about issue, according to a deeper look at the topics, people, links and issues being discussed in political blog postings. And Iraq-related discussion, as well as discussion of jobs/economy, health-care and other issues, has either tracked or, in some cases, preceded ongoing events and campaign-related news as the nation heads toward next Tuesday's election.

Find all the results at the Campaign Radar 2004 Roundup page that went live on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

But the issues-related data highlights an interesting point: bloggers' political postings clearly mirrored ongoing news events, including the Presidential debates, the political party conventions, the milestone of 1,000 U.S. casualties in Iraq, the Swift Boat Veterans charges and fallout of the CBS "60 Minutes" report on President Bush's National Guard Service. Similar event-related spikes also appeared in tracking of blog buzz regarding the two major presidential candidates and the vice presidential candidates as well.

And what's happening in the blogosphere as the countdown to Election Day continues? Well, there's the case of 60,000 missing absentee ballots in everyone's favorite voting state, Florida. And someone who posted negative commentary about the sitting president in her Moon and Antarctica LiveJournal blog got a visit from the Secret Service and writes some insightful commentary about the experience. (Can't help myself here as I stuff my tongue firmly in cheek, but do you suppose it was same guys from the Cat Stevens patrol?)

And remember the Oct. 20 BlogPulse entry about "Silence of the Domes," the video showing John Edwards tending to his hair before a TV appearance? Today's BlogPulse 40th top link has the George Bush version of hair-taming...and a little frat-boy "one-finger victory salute" thrown in at the end. (Be patient...it may take a few seconds to load).

BLOGPULSE TREND OF THE DAY: Seems bloggers are more focused on potential voter fraud in next week's election than in the count that really counts -- the electoral college.