Google Needs K Street View Of DC

The growing scrutiny of the company's stated aim to organize all the world's information, and its more prosaic acquisition of DoubleClick, means Google has to pay more attention to Washington's K Street lobbying practices.

Google Needs K Street View Of DCBloomberg report on the company's plans. The political reality of Washington has set in for Google; tribute must be paid to lawmakers, in the form of lobbying.

Analyst Blair Levin of Stifel Nicolaus said in the report that Google's relationship with Washington could have a long-term impact on its stock. He noted the reality of how the company may have to make the occasional deal with the devil to get what it wants:

Tradeoffs that are routine in Washington -- making a concession on one issue to win on another -- may prove difficult for Google, Levin said. A company will typically lend support to a lawmaker who backs one of its initiatives, even after finding the official's views on other items "abhorrent,'' he said. "Google has a certain kind of uncompromising sensibility that will be tested in this context,'' Levin said.

Al Gore's pal Eric Schmidt may not like the idea of playing nice with a Republican Senator on a key committee. Lobbyists may have to tell him to suck it up and deal with it. Washington politics is anything but a carefree ride around the Googleplex on a bike.