Photoshop for Democracy Evaluation

Photoshop is an invention like none other, it gives you the power to create something new from two or more different sources, to fuse them together. In the 2004 elections this power was used for campaigning and downplaying the opposition. By doing this there is a possibility that through the various videos, fake photos, and all the illegally distributed photographs that bloggers may have shaped the turn-out of the election.
Henry Jenkins posed the argument that blogging is spoiling the American government and the democratic process in Chapter 6 of Convergence Culture. In "Photoshop for Democracy" he says that this form of grassroots goes beyond the Survivor scandals, but their seeking of information and evidence is to "shape future events". Some examples of these are photographs of dead American solders coming home from Iraq, and shots of abuse in the prison at Abu Ghraib. These journalists, according to Jenkins, are more dangerous than usual bloggers because they "deal often with rumors and innuendos".
the author's support is relevant and believable, he takes true events that could have possible swayed an American citizen's vote and used it for his argument, however I believe that a person's blog is their space to voice their opinions, about whoever or whatever they want. I don't believe that by saying how they feel about certain things, though it may be based off of lies, is ruining a government that is founded on free speech and expression.
It seems to me that "culture jamming" is a very indignant way of not allowing your opponents voice to be heard. By producing noise when they're trying to express an idea can serve as a way for only your ideas to be heard and dominant.
A candidacy seems to be based on a vote of popularity, the president who wins is always the one who, not only expressed the right ideals, but was also able to put their ideas out there. So, in a way, if you become the more popular, well known candidate the more likely you are to be the winning candidate. Also, it's more than you just speaking the right stuff and being advertised more, but you must also be well liked. The 2008 elections were a bit like this, President Obama not only expressed the right ideals but he also one of the most famous senators with the right backing. Through citizen's being able to express themselves about how the race is going, and how they're feeling, also the way candidates are becoming more and more like celebrities are just a few ways that fan culture and politics are now beginning to coexist.