Several bloggers joined Sen. Tom Harkin on a conference call last night to discuss the launch of our new campaign website as well as the current issues that are facing Iowans and our country.

Bloggers such as Chris Woods of Iowa Independent and Bleeding Hearland, O. Kay Henderson of RadioIowa, and Gark at Popular Progressive have already posted entries about the launch of this new site, with Chris Woods writing the most comprehensive post so far:

“On Tuesday Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin’s campaign rolled out a new re-election website fit for the 21st century campaign environment at TomHarkin.com.

Included on the site include numerous links to social networking utilities like YouTube, Facebook and MySpace as well as newer features like Veoh and Eventful.

On a conference call with bloggers yesterday Harkin spoke about his new website and his goals for the 2008 campaign. Harkin was joined on the call by Ryan Alexander, campaign blogger and online strategist.

Harkin said the website relaunch, including a new campaign blog and the social networking features, was part of his natural campaign approach.

“This is a valuable medium that I want to get really involved in,” he said. “I believe in grassroots politics, I always have. To me, doing this is about as bottom up as you can get.” “

In addition to bloggers, the Des Moines Register also reported on the launch of the new website as well as Harkin’s strong second quarter fundraising numbers:

“Washington, D.C. – Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., raised more than $1 million during the second quarter of the year and now has more than $2.6 million in the bank as he moves toward a re-election campaign in 2008, aides said Tuesday.

Harkin, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, had $1.3 million in the bank at the same point six years ago, said Matt Paul, a consultant to the campaign.

“It was a very strong quarter overall,” said Paul.

The deadline for second-quarter fundraising for candidates was June 30, with reports due to the Federal Election Commission by this weekend.

Harkin also is launching a new Web site at www.tomharkin.com that includes a video of him on its home page and links to a Harkin page on the Facebook Web site as well as YouTube videos of Harkin.”

So what do you think about our new campaign website? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments thread of this post.