Ethics? Great. Let's talk ethics.

MyDD blogger quits Does that effect us here in MA?

Jerome Armstrong of MyDD has decided pack it in for the foreseeable future. Basically it has to do with a possible conflict between Armstrong's blogging and his role as a paid political consultant.

Some background on the folks involved.

dKos take on things.

I don't follow the Meta Blogger Beefs too closely because they usually turn into a food fight, but this particular area of blogging ethics interests me so I been observing from afar, and I have these questions:

• Do bloggers have a responsibility beyond the usual disclaimer that they work for a particular candidate?
  

• Does it make a difference if the blogger is paid, or volunteers for a candidate?

• Is it ethical for a blogger who volunteers or is paid by a candidate to blog bash the opposing candidate, even with the disclaimer, or should a blogger disqualify themselves from blogging about an opposing candidate at all?

Granted, to my knowledge none of these questions are an issue yet for us here in the Massachusetts bloggy-sphere, but as blogging becomes more accepted by the public and by campaigns, it is clear to me that this is a discussion we should be having at some point. The line between advocacy and shilling can be blurry if we bloggers don't pay attention to where that line is.

Here's my story:
Some time ago, I was approached by a campaign about some blogging that I had done. They thanked me for my comments. It's always nice to get feedback, so I didn't think anything of it. Later, I was asked to come to a fundraiser. I didn't think anything of it at the time because as a member of my DTC, and former delegate I get LOTS of invitations to fundraisers, but this one was a bit steep for my budget, so I declined. I'm going to paraphrase what happened next, but the gist of it is that the campaign wasn't really interested in my money. Because of my blogging, they wanted me to attend the fundraiser and mingle with the invited guests and talk up the candidate.

Y-I-K-E-S...

That is SO NOT the reason why I got into blogging. Yes, I am a democrat. Yes, I am a partisan, and I am supportive of certain candidates, but my point is that I do that on MY terms, not theirs. I would imagine that my fellow bloggers' spidey-sense would go off in a similar situation, but my bigger question is: are we obligated to avoid situations like that? Will we eventually see a situation down the road, where bloggers are planted, just to support candidates and causes?

I have too many thoughts.

I hope that we can have a discussion about these issues at the blogging gathering that is in the works for sometime later in the year.