The Internet buzz on Hagel is similar to that on other lesser-known possible candidates. But it's dwarfed by the online chatter about perceived Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. One independent Internet site launched months ago on behalf of the New York senator has drawn more than 1 million visits.
Jeff Gulko, a former aide to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, runs a Web site promoting Richardson as a Democratic prospect. It has attracted more than 5,000 new visitors in two months. And a blog promoting Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is drawing 1,000 visits a day, its backer said.
The Internet invaded presidential politicking in a major way in 2004, when an obscure governor from Vermont, Howard Dean, used it to connect supporters with one another and to raise millions of dollars. That ignited his campaign and drew national attention.
