Have you heard that the kids of many of the presidential candidate’s are blogging, posting videos, and generally having a more public involvement in their parents’ political goals? Meghan McCain and the Romney brothers chronicle what it’s like to accompany their mom/dad on the campaign trail (and play the occasional practical joke), while Sarah Huckabee provided a candidate interview via YouTube.

These kids are engaging younger voters on “the issues,” and representing an aspect of the candidates that hasn’t been seen in previous elections. Sure, we’ve witnessed the occasional handshaking and smiling support as the spouse and kids stand in the background. But now it’s really getting interesting!

As a “web 2.0″ enthusiast, I find this trend intriguing. What influence will these kids have on the presidential race? Now that we, the American public, can witness first-hand how (dys) functional each potential first family really is, I think it will greatly color how we view each candidate. Does the kid sounds like a jerk or someone you’d like to hang out with? As my own children do, these political brood reflect the upbringing and personal investment of their parents. That, to me, speaks volumes more than simply seeing the voting record or promises of a politician.