the buzz log

Can you see it? There, on the horizon. It's the finish line to this bloody election. Before it becomes nothing but a very long, drawn-out memory, let's take a look back at the campaign's surprising stars. Folks who, for a variety of reasons, for better or worse, became household names.

Joe the Plumber
Who he is: Just a plumber from Ohio, thank you very much.
Why you know him: John McCain mentioned him a few dozen times in the third debate. Get a room, guys.
Search peak: After McCain rammed his name into the ground, ol' Joe became a Search phenomenon. Queries instantly surged from nothing into the thousands. Blogs wrote in-depth articles. Even we took a break from writing about Britney and jumped on Joe's bandwagon.
Interesting related search: There were plenty, including searches on his real name, "joe wurzelbacher" and (brace yourself) "joe the plumber sings." Apparently plumbing is just a way to pay the bills.

Levi Johnston
Who is he: Soon to be Sarah Palin's son-in-law.
Why you know him: After word broke that 18-year-old Bristol Palin was pregnant, people wanted to learn more about the proud papa-to-be. Searches soared on the handsome hockey player.
Search peak: During the Republican National Convention, the strapping lad stood alongside his special lady. Folks couldn't get enough, pushing his online profile up 10-fold.
Interesting related search: "levi johnston myspace" was absolutely huge in Search after rumors hit that he'd written he wasn't interested in having kids. We hope he's changed his mind.

Beau Biden
Who he is: Son of Joe Biden and Delaware's Attorney General.
Why you know him: He introduced his Dad at the Democratic National Convention and caused a stir when he said that he wouldn't be able to be here for his dad during the rest of the campaign. Folks wanted to know why, and discovered he's also a captain in the National Guard now serving in Iraq.
Search peak: Following his big night at the DNC, he roared into the top 100 searches. One blogger called Beau's intro the "aw, shucks" moment of the night. Most folks felt it was authentic.
Interesting related search: Though his name was plastered all over the TV screen, many searchers incorrectly typed "bo biden" into Yahoo!.

Reverend Jeremiah Wright
Who he is: Senator Obama's former pastor and one of the election's biggest lightning rods.
Why you know him: Wright was embroiled in a controversy after news outlets discovered statements he'd made during a sermon entitled "Confusing God and Government." The words drew intense media scrutiny and eventually led Obama to resign from Wright's church.
Search peak: Back in early 2008, searchers were all over the good reverend. Lookups soared overnight and stayed strong for several months. The craze finally subsided in June.
Interesting related searches: After the controversy first hit, lookups soared for "jeremiah wright videos" and "reverend wright clips." People clearly wanted to see the infamous sermons for themselves.