In the crucial congressional elections, now about five weeks away, one of the strongest weapons in the Republican arsenal is a man running a Web site out of his apartment in Miami. His name is Matt Drudge. Drudge broke the Monica Lewinsky story and has had a tremendous influence on what you know about politics ever since. From the comfort of his apartment, Drudge can send shock waves through newsrooms and campaign headquarters nationwide with breaking news often heralded by his trademark siren. "If Drudge has a siren up, people know it's something they have to look at," said Mark Halperin, ABC News Political Director.
Democratic strategist Chris Lehane agreed. "Literally, it goes up on Drudge and the phones start ringing," he said. Mark McKinnon, one of President Bush's top campaign consultants, said he checks the site 30 to 40 times per day. "When there's a siren, that's a three-alarm news deal," he said. |