Web (makes less of a) difference?

In an op-ed in the New York Times by Thomas Friedman from this past October: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/opinion/10friedman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin ,
he writes:
"But Generation Q may be too quiet, too online, for its own good, and for the country’s own good...America needs a jolt of the idealism, activism and outrage (it must be in there) of Generation Q. That’s what twentysomethings are for — to light a fire under the country. But they can’t e-mail it in, and an online petition or a mouse click for carbon neutrality won’t cut it. They have to get organized in a way that will force politicians to pay attention rather than just patronize them."
Though Friedman doesn't directly addressing blogging (he has his own blog by the way), is the principle the same? Are discussions "too online"? Or are blogs the future of getting "organized"? Do bloggers have a false sense of impact? Is blogging supplanting other forms of getting organized?