Psst! Barack Obama will text you his veep details

In one of his recent--and subsequently parodied--attack ads on U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, Republican John McCain accused his rival of being too much of a celebrity and not enough of a political leader.

That was what I first thought of upon learning that the Obama campaign has instituted text-message alerts to inform supporters of the candidate's choice for vice presidential running mate.

So this way, if you're OMG OMG TOTALLY DESPERATE to learn whom Obama has chosen for his veep, you can sign up and learn the moment it's announced--even before anybody Twitters it. The timing seems a little bit awkward, considering the whole Paris Hilton ad debacle. Text-message alerts for Obama's vice president assumes the sort of eager anticipation generally reserved for the second or two of Best Picture envelope-opening at the Oscars, or the naming of the Brangelina brood's latest member. You know, celebrity.

On the other hand, this could net the Obama campaign quite a few more e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers for its Rolodex of supporters. And text message initiative like this is an appeal to the Britney generation, the hordes of young supporters who have grown up drinking a highly caffeinated blend of AIM and the E! network, and who don't see the slightest problem with applying the rhetoric and strategy of celebrity infatuation to national politics. That's the crowd who made Obama into a "celebrity."

And, come to think about it, if TMZ-inspired campaigning has reinvigorated public interest in the nation's future, I don't see anything wrong with that. But I'll pass on the text message, Barack. I can wait until it shows up on Google News.

[AySz88]

It disgusts me that the McCain ad's twisted logic is getting such traction. Oh no, it's a *celebrity*! As if Al Gore or Lance Armstrong or Mother Teresa weren't also "celebrities", and see what good things they did. If McCain still doesn't get it, maybe someone should run ads calling him a "politician".

When you're running for president, you're already a celebrity. If you become president, you'll be a worldwide celebrity. Let's see who handles the spotlight better, no?

[Kwasiowusu]

@ by AySz88, what "good things" has Algore done apart from perpetuating the biggest hoax on mankind ever, even while Algore himself uses a staggering TWENTY times as much electricity as the average American does, even while haranguing Americans for "wasting" electric power?
Algore, Obambi and their liberal "do what I say, and not what I do" pals at Holwywood, demand that ordinary Americans turn off their heaters and freeze winter, even while they themslves consume huge quantites of fossil fuels, while riding in their private jets. Goerge Oerwell's "Animal Farm" is very much alive and kicking in the Democratic Party of America today.

[Kwasiowusu]

@ skillingssucks, naaah.
What I do realize though is that you are a stark raving, loony left crazy, who can't even challenge a single point I made, and instead resort to the usual left wing tactic of ad hominem attacks, with nothing to back it up. Figures.

[bigmc6000]

AySz88 - I would suggest you read State of Fear by Michael Chrichton. The story is fiction but all the facts are, well, facts...

[skillingssucks]

Kwasiowusu, it's funny that you think I'm a "lefty". Look, you're a troll and in just about every thread on this site you make troll like comments. Do us all a favor and get lost. Mmmmkay?

[FabulousAndTechfilled]

I agree with AySz88.

People are finally beginning to care who heads the office of Commander in Chief. And, Barack's campaign seems to understand how to harness and respect the power of communication.

These two facts can only help our country.

[McL2016]

"Psst! I Fell for an Ad Hominem Attack by the Republican Freak Show"

Which celebrity presidential candidate has appeared in an episode of 24, Leno 10 times, Letterman 8 times, The Daily Show 12 times, and even hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live?
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564587/

What a shame it must be that people might have become so interested in politics these days.
sigh.

[BallinTreeHouse]

Typically those who keep blogs and actively use the internet are the first to realize the advantages of increased use of technology. Unfortunately, Ms. McCarthy does not seem to keep with that trend. The benefits of this new plan should be quite obvious. Namely, the Obama Campaign's adoption of text messaging as a medium for conveying political information can only do good in the fight to get young people more interested in the state of the world. It seems that in the author's quest to mock Senator Obama, she has simply reiterated John McCain's poorly planned recent barrage of attacks against him: that somehow, getting more people, and indeed a greater variety of them, interested in politics is a bad thing.

[jroar]

Before you people make comments. Why don't you look @ what Obama really stands for & what is going to happen to the country if he is elected. I can't wait until he is in office for a couple of years and watch all of you whine then, I just hope you remember how you voted.

[sanenazok]

Don't forget he's for change! Si se puede! Jawohl Obama!

[rcol4jc]

What does Obama stand for besides a whole bunch of liberal socialist causes and his buzzword "Change"? He has not once clarified what this "change" is going to entail specifically. What we have in Obama's fan base (yes, I meant to say this), is a lot of people acting like swooning and crying Beatles fans saying "Oh, he's so groooooovy" and there is not an ounce of concrete steps or ideas. He flip flops worse than a pair of cheap shoes from Kmart. In fact, Paris Hilton's rant had much more sense than anything Obama has ever said. He is the News Media's darling and they are enamored by him. I think some people would crown him the Messiah if they could. So, he is a acting like a movie star. Actually, that's all Obama has since his ideas have no substance.

[800lb]

I agree with the bulk of the peanut gallery. How is a text message notification any cheesier than a lapel button? While the right is employing chain emails and backhanded attack ads, it seems to me that creating excitement around a legitimately important decision is as honest a campaign move as has been employed in this election cycle. Way to buy the hype.

Ps Omg oBaMa2oo8 RULEZZZZZZZ!@#!

[fafafooey]

How about if 0bama texts us his accomplishments and qualifications for being President and Commander In Chief.... That shouldn't take up too much air time. Oh wait, he did community organizing in a Chicago neighborhood... and babysat and had a newspaper route...

[Lantern42]

"I respect his accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine."
~Barack Obama on John McCain

If you need Barack's resume and are incapable of a google seach, let me help you out:

http://obamasresume.org/

[bigmc6000]

Lantern - if you're going to pretend to be unbaised you should link to the resume of McCain as well. I'm sure if you're going to compare the two McCain comes out well ahead.

[RobertSimmons]

I'll be interested to see if this actually works as intended. Last night there was a mass-text-message (along the lines of "tell your friends about this") that I received a good 10 minutes before my girlfriend. With that kind of time delay, I'll be surprised if I don't hear from Twitter before O/6 B/2 A/2 M/6 A/2. Kind of like how The Caucus on my RSS feed always lets me know about Obama emails beginning "We wanted you to be the first to know" before I got the email.

[fan-of-ann]

Obama has the BEST experience for the presidency. He did not check the box for'black' when he applied to Harvard. He was voted by his peers for the highest honor a law student can achieve, not because of his family full of admirals. Obama turned down offers from major law firms from Wall Street to Washington, and he made the choice to teach the US Constitution at the University Law School. For 12 years. Every president should be required to teach the Constitution, but McCain is not qualified. He couldnt pass a pop quiz on the Constitution. Neither was Bush. McCain could never get in to The University of Chicago. And I do not mean the Law School. On his own merit, transcript, essay, personal interview, at 18 years old, or now, he would not qualify for the freshman class. This is not the person the US needs for president. We need the best and the brightest. Every step of the way, from the most humble beginnings, Obama has shown himself to be that man. He has exceeded expectations.

[sanenazok]

Where is a single paper Obama wrote while at UoC? Oh that's right he didn't write a single piece, not even some puff bs. Why would a prestigious University keep someone like this on faculty...welcome to Chicago connections. Obama will bring the mayor Daley style of leadership to the rest of country. That's NOT a complement. Well I'll give him that he's better than Hillary, but it's a tough choice otherwise.

[rcol4jc]

"We need the best and the brightest. Every step of the way, from the most humble beginnings, Obama has shown himself to be that man. He has exceeded expectations."

fan-of-ann, I'm so sorry your expectations are so low. He only has 153 days in congress or so. College degrees and diplomas do not indicate wisdom. In many cases, they can produce individuals full of factual knowledge, but devoid of any common sense. Of course, from where I sit, this describes most liberals.

[Kwasiowusu]

@ fan-of-ann, Obama has a paper thin resume for president . This is a guy that who has had less experience than any presidential candidate in the history of this country, having spent a total of just 153 days in the US Senate, even while achieving NOTHING while in the US Senate. His sole cliam to being qualified for the presidency? Why, he cliams he was a "comunity organiser" in Chicago, aka, some low level street hussler out currying political favors using strong arm tactics. If being a "community organiser" were qualifucation enough for prsident, the biggest street husller of all, Al Shaprton, would be president by now.
Heck,even the worst president in US history, Jimmy Carter, at least served in the US navy, and was Governor of Goergia before becoming president. Exactly what has Obama achieved to qualify him for to president, apart from being able read well from a teleprompetr, and going "erm..ahhh..errm.." for up to a stagerring 7 minutes when his teleprompter is removed{http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8}? We know Obambi, sat in Jeremiah Wright's race hate church for 20 years and cheered him on while Wright spewed out anti-Amercan and anti-white hate, but that hradly qualifies anyone to be president.

[sanenazok]

I know I'm picking my next president based on who uses more slick technology. One guy uses SMS'es, well then that's a step up above the other dude that only e-mails. Election solved! I hope Obama picks Hillary as his running mate, but he would then have to be rather careful if he gets elected...

Well anyways, my state (Illinois) is going to Obama so at least we won't have that many campaign commercials.

[broegge]

The logic of this is ridiculous. Text messaging info = celebrity? No. It has to do with getting the info out quickly and efficiently to media outlets. If the random citizen wants to sign up to, then so be it. But this has nothing to do with ego.

[johncwalker]

Is this really worth a top billing on CNET? I don't think so. This represents continued proof of the media bias in favor of Obama. It is another article that is designed to divert attention from the truth of his culture-of-death values: unrestricted abortion, infanticide of abortion survivors, euthanasia, gay marriage, human cloning for research, and genocide as a subordinate concern in Iraq.

[bigmc6000]

well it's better than pRon on the front page...

[jorgem2367]

Are you f... kidding me with this little diatribe of yours???? Of all the supposed 'social maladies' that you ramble on here nothing touches all the screwy things that our beloved president has gotten us into... How about going to war under false pretenses??? AND MORE THAN HALF OF THE COUNTRY VOTED FOR HIM TWICE!!! I don't think we can get any worse than what we already have in office...

[ev61]

Well, Obama is qualified to be president. He has been to more states than anyone else in history (57, all but Alaska and Hawaii?!?!?).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws&feature=related

And he's got ideas, man... full of ideas... lol.

[SheriffBooth]

Obama's not qualified because he wasn't a Senator long enough? He's promoting a culture of death? He's anti-american and anti-white? Things will get worse under Obama? Yikes! Now that I know all that I'm definitely voting for the short-tempered, dimwitted, war loving septuagenarian. And now that I think about it, it makes sense because I love a weak dollar, fiscal irresponsibility, oil wars, government surveillance and plutocracy. Things are so awesome now, why change a thing?

[Kwasiowusu]

Unlike Obama{http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2050268/posts}, at least that "dimwitted, septuagenarian" knows America is not made up of 57 states, not to mention Obama's loud bosating that his uncle "liberated" an Auschwitz, that was in fact liberated by the soviet. And unlike Obama{http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8} McCain can actually make some sense without a teleprompter.
That "dimwitted, septuagenarian" you are going on about, shows a heck of a lot more sense than Obambi.

[Notyorsweetie]

Mot only this is a celebrity behavior - it's a Tiger Beat celebrity behavior. Are the callers becoming his BFF? And is this a way of making statements without having to be asked any questions? Now that he's done away with voting rights, let's do away with the fourth estate - since it just started to wake up from the koolaid daze.

[benjaminstraight]

Cool move.

[lokipv]

well if is confirmed Obama can't handle that 3am phone call,
Answering machine going to be picked up,, saying he on Vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When he come back he will make sure Flip flop twice as much to make up for lost time, to his people, voting for and and then to top it off, He will give all his Voter a great speech
His Obama will make everything Better speech's So all those simple Minded fools feel better about them self,, ,Oh I am sorry, Not simple minded Fools ,,, Obama Supporters,
What is weird about Barack supporter are half of them believe in that rock star reality tv image,, what a joke the other half Really think he is the Messiah,
I heard Keith Oberman from MSNBC Tabloid News ,,Filmed Barack Obama walking on water,, curing the sick,,, and fixing the budget,, on every state,, Film at 6pm

[jazzdude9792]

Let us also look at the WONDERFUL stunt Barry-O made just a few weeks ago. Yes, campaigning in a foreign country makes TONS of sense. Seriously, people, going to Germany and listening to thousands of raving GERMANS screaming his name like a CELEBRITY is a real credential to be president or the UNITED STATES. That was an incredibly idiotic stunt made by the Obama campaign. Also, may I remind you, when he was there he refused to go see wounded AMERICAN troops calling it an inappropriate time. I side with McCain when I say I didn't think there was an inappropriate time to visit wounded heroes.

People, look at the short list of things Obama stands for. Look at how he is going to deal with the economy. Look at how he is going to deal with Iraq in the fact that he is just going to move our troops in to Afghanistan.

FYI, choosing Hillary as a running mate will secure his campaign for victory, but, I tell you, I'm not looking forward to what their reign (yes, reign) might be like.

[Barclay]

jazzdude9792 wrote-
"FYI, choosing Hillary as a running mate will secure his campaign for victory, but, I tell you, I'm not looking forward to what their reign (yes, reign) might be like."

Not even Obama can be that stupid... If he chooses Hillary and wins, he will be assassinated 10 minutes after taking the oath of office!

I wonder who he's been plowing on the side, all the Dems seem to be doing it. Maybe he will be a better liar than the other two were.