Variety of tools let you direct political coverage

Say what you will about the individual candidates, it is going to be an interesting election campaign season.

The two key presidential candidates are smart and articulate and there are clear philosophical differences between them. Although charisma will surely play a role in the development of this campaign, for the first time in recent memory, personality will not be a decisive factor. Both candidates are likable people.

This week, the cheering and speechifying have all been for the Democrat Barack Obama, and some readers seeing the headlines and overwhelming coverage are quick to determine that it affirms the newspaper's liberal bias. Next week, the tone of our reporting and presentation on the GOP coronation of John McCain will be overwhelmingly Republican and some readers will just as quickly perceive that as evidence of a conservative slant.

Sensitive to the criticism from both sides, our reporting team of political editor David Beery, senior state government editor John Patterson, projects and politics writer Joseph Ryan, correspondent Nick Shields and photographers John Starks and Paul Valade worked for weeks leading up to these conventions to develop a coverage plan that was uniquely Daily Herald in scope and tone. Their goal - and that of national editor Jeff Nordlund managing the wire report - is to help you get to know the candidates as completely as possible while at the same time highlighting the local influences and effects of their campaigns.

This leads to a wealth of insightful and exciting traditional print stories, but it has also featured a dynamic and diverse account online. At dailyherald.com, you find not only the stories we carry in the print edition of the paper, but a host of engaging and entertaining features that you can follow as each day of the convention unfolds.

You'll find videos of key moments, a daily video analysis from political expert Paul Green, audio clips from interviews with suburban and state politicians, a constantly updating wire report and one of the most creative political blogs you'll see anywhere, Animal Farm. I mean, where else will you see a report on the sighting of a prominent local Republican one moment and a video of Johnny Cash and Louis Armstrong singing the blues the next?

Indeed, if you try to keep up with all the reporting in all its various forms, following an election campaign in the electronic age can truly make your head spin. But the vast diversity of stories and reporting elements also give you a level of control over what you learn about candidates that you've never had before.

Miss something like Rod Blagojevich and Mike Madigan's amazing hug but still want to talk about it authoritatively at the water cooler? Check out a video or audio slide show online.

Want to see what's developed since you caught up with things in the newspaper in the morning? Take a quick look at the Web on your lunch break.

Interested in what your local congressman or delegate might be up to or wonder what your friends and neighbors have to say about it all? Your best bet - in many cases your only bet - is the Daily Herald and dailyherald.com.

The newspaper has always been a prime resource for following politics with depth and authority - and with features like the opposing party column and a delegate's journal, the Daily Herald in particular strives to add balance and a personal touch. As we enter the campaign season for this pivotal and historic presidential election, the vast capabilities of both print and the Internet give you a host of new tools to sort through the rhetoric of both sides, analyze the issues and, yes, have a little fun.

Learn, participate and enjoy.