SAN FRANCISCO — Michael Arrington is such a potent force in Silicon Valley that his name has become synonymous with the current Internet boom.
His blog, TechCrunch, is a must read for anyone who wants the inside dope on the Web business. His review can make or break a tiny start-up.
Recently, Arrington decided to parlay his considerable clout into a different kind of currency. He thrust Silicon Valley onto the national political scene in December when he took the unusual step of mounting a campaign of his own: a "tech president" primary.
His powerful base of plugged-in techies helped him land interviews with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and other presidential candidates. Then he pushed the contenders to articulate something they don't often discuss: their technology policies.
As a result, Arrington, 38, claims the distinction of endorsing the presumptive nominees from both parties back in January when the outcome for each was uncertain.
"Anybody in the world can say, 'I have a blog, hey, come talk to me,' " Republican strategist Dan Schnur said. "But Mike figured out a way to make sure the campaigns understood they weren't just talking to him, they were talking to a very influential audience of tech leaders."
Silicon Valley has long represented the land of opportunity for politicians. Its citizens have deep pockets, and the technology it produces increasingly transforms the way political battles are waged. But the region's ability to engage Washington in a meaningful dialogue on the issues important to Silicon Valley has been hit or miss despite a dramatic increase in political lobbying.
"The valley is quickly maturing and evolving in recognizing, from a business perspective, that it needs to have a much bigger, more effective voice in Washington, D.C.," Democratic strategist Chris Lehane said. "TechCrunch got the candidates to engage about technology policy at a level they haven't done before."
A onetime corporate lawyer and Internet company executive, Arrington decamped after the dot-com bust to lead a beach-bum lifestyle, only to return in 2005 when he ran out of money. He started TechCrunch as a lark and was as surprised as anyone when the site took off. He was even more surprised at the influence he quickly wielded.
