Influencers

by digby

This is interesting, if somewhat predictable (and slightly depressing:)

In conjunction with The Atlantic Wire, National Journal asked its panel of Congressional and Political Insiders to rank, one-through-five, those columnists, bloggers, and television or radio commentators who most help to shape their own opinion or worldview. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman received more points than anyone else, with support from both Democrats and Republicans. But it was rare that any media commentator boasted a significant audience from both sides of the partisan divide.




















Total
points
Democratic
points
Republican
points
Thomas Friedman335230105
David Brooks282141141
Charles Krauthammer2811280
George Will24623223
Paul Krugman1821811
David Broder16510659
E.J. Dionne1471434
Karl Rove1261125
Peggy Noonan101596
William Kristol91586




















I'm glad to see that Democrats read Krugman and Dionne, but the others they voted for --- Friedman, Brooks and Broder --- tell the tale. They are who the Democratic villagers are most influenced by. And golly, in the case of Friedman and Brooks, so are the Republicans. Long live bipartisanship! (And what's a Dean got to do to get some Republican love in that town?)

They also did a poll of political bloggers to see who they read. The result is a little bit different.


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