Hugh Jackson's apartment is generic and suburban and unexceptional. Pictures of his children hang near his desk. His neighbor's rock music blares through Jackson's open window. His cat has free rein (both of outdoors and inside), and his computer monitor is boosted up by a collected Shakespeare. There is a sticker attached to his desk for Public Citizen, the Ralph Nader lobbying group that Jackson—until June of last year—worked for full time (from this same apartment). "My last day at Public Citizen was on June 15, and I threw the switch on the blog on June 16." The Las Vegas Gleaner was born (http://www.lasvegasgleaner.com/). Jackson began LasVegasGleaner.com with a plan in place to do the blog covering Nevada and national politics as a six-month experiment while he lived off a little savings. "I wasn't entertained by the Las Vegas media. I thought, particularly in the political sphere, there was room for another voice. I like writing about politics. It is fun. I enjoy it, and it is the venue that I have. It has been a learning experience ever since."
Jackson got lucky on that first day, when it was announced that the Las Vegas Sun and the Las Vegas Review-Journal would be creating a combined edition. "I wrote a long piece about that which got linked by Romenesko (host of a popular media website). So, my very first day I had an awful lot of traffic—but, of course, I didn't hold them." Still, Jackson was able to grab and hold some readers. Just a few months after launching the blog, the Reno Gazette-Journal noted that LasVegasGleaner.com "has quickly become a must-read in political circles." A couple months later, Las Vegas Business Press headlined a story "Blogs Make 2005 A Media Year to Remember." It referred to Jackson as "the chief local blogger," and noted that while the blog "reflects his liberal views, it's solidly researched and must-reading for anyone, regardless of viewpoint, who wants to know what's up in Nevada."
Jackson's increasingly influential viewpoint is like an inverted Sean Hannity, except with a policy wonk replacing the right- wing talk-show host's trademark smugness. Jackson says, "I am a liberal." Asked if he means "progressive" or actually prefers the dreaded L word, Jackson, shrugs, "I am interested in being fair; I am not interested in being balanced in trying to tell both sides. There are plenty of media venues in Nevada that are more than adequately spreading the message of the establishment; I don't feel compelled to make their case for them. I think that the other case needs to be more strenuously made, and that's all I am doing in my little corner of the world."
That means the Gleaner is frequently at least as harsh in its criticism of the Democrats:
"It is easy for me to distance myself from the Democratic Party on issues. I frequently unload on Harry Reid, from the left, usually: for coddling John Ensign, for voting for that ridiculous bankruptcy bill and that cynical vote for the Iraq War that was made weeks before a midterm election, proving the Democrats were more afraid of getting beat in the midterms than of Saddam Hussein. I thought it was shameful."
Still, Jackson can play defense too, recently writing at great length to definitively refute claims of a relationship between Reid and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The headline on Gleaner of the Abramoff/Reid item, mimicking the desperate attempt by Republicans to draw connections between the two men, offers a typical example of Jackson wit: "Stop the Presses: Reid, Abramoff Both Wear Ties!" As with most bloggers, Jackson considers humor a crucial part of Gleaner's approach. "So many on the left no longer have a sense of humor, because the issues like the war are so serious." Whatever his concerns with the Democrats, obviously, the policies of Republican lawmakers, the president and vice president are the major targets of the Gleaner. The Democrats are most frequently blasted in the Gleaner when they go along with the majority.
For now Jackson thinks strong partisans, reporters, and people with a professional interest in policy and politics on both sides make up his primary readership. But he is hoping to expand in the next months from the 4,000-6,000 page views a week he is getting: "Ultimately, I want to put another zero on there (to reach 40,000-60,000 views). I want to expand the readership into people who are interested in politics in a more casual level. That is what I am against right now. I have quite a few readers in Northern Nevada, and Southern Nevada has such a large population now, so I have hope. I think there is a much larger audience for what I am saying; it isn't available elsewhere."
So far Gleaner has picked up one sponsor who wants to support the blog (a pet supply store). Jackson is also hoping other advertisers will come onboard. But he is not counting on it. "I broke down a few weeks ago and agreed to take a research contract for a nonprofit. I am doing that to make a little bit of money. It takes me away from Gleaning, a little bit. But I am going to continue to do this as much as I can." The six months Jackson originally gave himself for Gleaner passed last month, and so far he has accomplished two important goals: kept his bills current and developed a core following of influential readers. In short, Jackson feels satisfied enough to keep being a lonely voice for the left in this red state.