“While I can’t visit everyone’s living room,” says Hillary Clinton as she sits in her own, “I can try, and — with a little help from modern technology — I will be holding live online video chats.”

Thus began her attempt to spark an internet “conversation” with the American people that will feature no fewer than five such online chats in the coming days.

Mrs Clinton’s decision to launch her campaign for the presidency on the internet bypassed the mainstream media, which despite being denied any direct access to her over the weekend, nonetheless gave her wall-to-wall coverage.

Barack Obama, one of her rivals for the Democratic nomination, also chose to outline his presidential ambitions last week with a similar — if slightly stiff — video clip on his website. Their use of such technology allows the candidates to demonstrate an affinity with modernity while also allowing them to control their message in a way that a press conference or TV interview does not.

In Mrs Clinton’s video message, for instance, the camera pans gently back and forth across her chintzy sofa, giving viewers a tantalising glimpse of the family snapshots on one side — but not enough for thoughts to stray back to the scandal-stained days of her husband’s administration. Still, significantly, it gives viewers the impression of access to — and intimacy with — a candidate.

Howard Dean’s rise from political obscurity to front- runner’s position in the initial stages of the last Democratic nomination race was built largely on the strength of the interest and fundraising he generated online.

This is crucial among Democratic activists, many of whom increasingly regard the internet as their chosen form of media with liberal blog sites such as the Daily Kos having a weekly readership touching seven figures.

The internet matters most to candidates without instant recognition. Yesterday Bill Richardson, the New Mexico Governor, joined a crowded field of ten likely Democratic runners by posting on his website a video message explaining why an underdog could still win.

The website for John Edwards, another Democratic presidential contender, offers live blogs of his campaign appearances and a documentary-style video of him complaining about his political consultants.

It can still go wrong, though: he wanted to announce his candidacy the old-fashioned way last month with a public appearance in New Orleans.

His campaign website went live for a short time one day early, giving an unintended double meaning to his slogan: “Tomorrow begins today.”

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