The blogging session at O'Reilly Edemo had one part of the point. Yes, political blogging is "about" a new generation of A-list opinion leaders, those on the panel among them. AND it's about building groups of the like-minded. AND its a tactical tool that campaigns can use to co-ordinate in public and in private.
Social software tools play a variety of roles:
* express opinions
* build community of the like-minded
* discussion among the diverse
* tactical organizing in campaigns for elections and issues