Bloggers Past Kills Political Future

***Update 10:58*** The Edwards campaign has released a statement and it looks like for now Ms. Marcotte will be keeping her job. /HT to commenter Aldon

***

When Amanda Marcotte landed her new gig as Blogmaster or Blogmistress for the Edwards campaign she was just the latest to cross over from political blogging to working for a politician. Then some people went digging into Marcotte’s archived posts at Pandagon. 

Edwards faced with either condemning or agreeing with Marcotte’s sometimes profane and sometimes offensive (particularly to Catholics) posts chose to fire Ms. Marcotte.

**Update** While Salon has reported the Edwards camp had fired Marcotte at this point the Edwards campaign maintains they have not made a decision on the matter yet.

So what should bloggers take away from this? 

Blogging is the new Frontier. University of Maryland’s Dean of journalism was recently quoted saying  “The Internet today is like the American West in the 1880s. It’s wild, it’s crazy and everybody’s got a gun,” HT/ Buzz Marketing

Unlike the Wild West however everything you type is recorded for all to see as long as Al Gore’s intraweb keeps ticking. As every politician knows everything you have ever said or done is fair game in politics. Bloggers would do well to remember what you type today can and very well may be used against you later on. Particularly if you decide to enter politics, but this could also affect your career, legal liability and relationships.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t blog, or even be controversial or provocative when you blog. Just go into it understanding that you will own your words forever. As long as you are willing to stand by them; Blog on!