Tech 'whiz kids' help pols

There were some tech-savvy 20-somethings helping out during the 2004 election, but during this next one they'll be everywhere. In fact, high school-age interns will probably be doing a lot more than running for coffee on campaigns or Capitol Hill. "Veteran politicians more familiar with turntables and typewriters are enlisting twentysomething computer whiz kids to help them brave the digital world of blogs, podcasts and the Web as they look to connect directly with voters," the Associated Press reports. "The way politicians and their staffs view blogs and other Internet tools is dramatically different from just two years ago," the AP adds. It points to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R) of Tennessee, who answers posts to his blog "on a weekly basis" and has recorded podcasts and downloadable online videos.