Survey: Obama is Google; McCain is AOL; and Palin is, um, Google

A company run by Hillary Clinton's fine people-knower, Mark Penn, got together with the highly-regarded Landor Associates, an organization that once came to the enlightening conclusion that "green is the color of reading," to research the relationship between presidential candidates and brands.

It makes for very colorful reading. Purple, to my eyes.

It seems that the respondents, who came from all political shades and who intended to vote, were asked to choose which brand best characterized Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden.

The brands were from most of the essential categories--cars, coffee, Internet search engine, portable music devices, social networking sites, mobile phone carriers, you know, the essentials.

The survey's results betray a depth of consumer perception that few might have expected.

While Joe Biden and John McCain are both AOL, Barack Obama and Sarah Palin are both, apparently, Google.

"I'm a PC. You betcha I am."

(Credit: CC SSKennel)

The authors of this report suggest that the Google association reflects the personable and youthful nature of both candidates. Which might leave some to wonder whether respondents might have thought that AOL stood for An Old Label.

The candidates were also evenly split when it came to cell-phone brands. Senators Biden and McCain were both AT&T, while the Obama-Palin tandem apparently said to people "Verizon."

Where does that warm and fuzzy conclusion leave the iPhone? Ah, now, the survey is quite definite that Barack Obama is the iPhone. While the other three are Blackberries. No, really.

And you may begin to feel a little more queasy, regardless of your political leanings, when you discover that all four candidates were iPods (you don't see a little Zune in Joe Biden?).

I am fairly confident, however, that there will be metaphorical or, in some cases, physical regurgitation at the conclusion that, when it came to social-networking sites, all four of these fine politicians were MySpace, rather than Facebook.

The authors seem to put this down to MySpace's alleged game-changing nature. But some might think this clear bilge, as even a cadaver could tell you that John McCain is, my friends, a quintessential Friendster.

Now I know that the most important questions for readers, far above "Believer vs. Atheist" and "Desperate Housewives vs. the Discovery Channel," is that huge political issue: "Mac vs. PC."

Please put down your weapons, step away from all sharp objects, blunt instruments, potential projectiles and, um, walls.

Alright, here it is.

Sarah Palin, Joe Biden, and John McCain are, so the people say, all PCs. Yes, just like Sanjay Gupta, Eva Longoria, and the men with beards and glasses.

While the 1,002 voters were tied, yes, their heat was dead, when it came to deciding whether Barack Obama really is a Mac or a PC.

Who would have thought that, should he be elected, the first crisis facing Senator Obama would be an identity crisis?

[gerrrg]

Nah.

Palin is MySpace: youthful, exciting at first from the eye candy and the voyeuristic info you get, but rather dull and lacking in substance. They keep trying to add stuff to make it better, but all they do is put lipstick on a pig. Sometimes, you just get downright annoyed, as well.

Biden is Yahoo...wants to be Google (Obama), but is too old to be Google. Was just biding (heh heh) time to get picked up by someone bigger.

McCain is Microsoft...talks one way but does another (re: open source document / DRM / etc). The big elephant in the room, literally.

And definitely, Obama IS Google. Knows how to gather lots of disparate information, has good sources, works outside the box, and is relatively young. Thinks green, too.

[magusat999]

Isn't Palin too old to be MySpace? Facebook or MyHarmony.com - but definitely NOT MySpace - and just because she doesn't look like Barbara Bush doesn't make her "hot". She looks like an uptight, mustached, depends wearing librarian to me - I don't know what the deal is. Maybe I'm not as impressed with "relativity" as most of America seems to be.

[ywkhgqo]

wow if that's not a one sided argument. ,
and besides, google isn't stupid enough to be the first president in history to raise taxes during a recession

[kenright60660]

well, you might want to listen to some things that are like, i dunno, the plan? over 250k, you get tax increase, under, nothing. And he is using that money to fund other programs.. Also, I don''t know about you, but maybe if America got off its damn weapon producing spree, we might not have this large of an issue. Move defense/state funded terrorism towards things like infrastructure repair and we might have a good fix. By the way, the reson why WWII got us out of the great depression is because the entire country became involved in the war effort, it wasn't a select few government defense corporations. Also, there was that whole infrastructure thing, you know, highyways- etc. that gave people jobs and subsequently money. Now they may not have raised taxes on the upper class, but the upper class didn't have as many damned loopholes. So before you go and try to disparage an economic plan, do some studying.... Obama doesn't want to raise taxes on the poor, who can't afford it, he wants to raise it on the rich, who can more than afford it. Also, I think his best bet for fixing the economy would be to focus on infrastructure renewal, but then again, Presidents aren't history scholars. It's better than McCain, who wants to freeze spending, which is an even stupider move than raising taxes..
/end rant

[valkrionn]

Well kenright, have YOU read the 'plan'? Oh, sure, he only wants to tax those people and businesses with a gross income of more than 250,000 a year. Sounds great, right? Sure, to the uneducated masses he's aiming it at. If you went to even a single one-hour class on economics, you'd know that gross income is all income BEFORE expenses are paid. As in, before you pay the store's bills, before you pay employees, that sort of thing. His plan will affect over half of the businesses in the US. Now tell me, what happens to prices, and to wages, when businesses get taxed more? The price hikes are passed on to the consumer, and they stop hiring. How in the HELL is that supposed to help us during a recession?

[Spartan_458]

Obama is clearly a Mac. A solution for the people who are too ignorant to know how to use a computer (or make an educated vote for President).

[lifeinhd]

Are you kidding me? I know how to use computers perfectly well, but I use a Mac just because I prefer the interface. You sound just like a typical, immature republican....

[magusat999]

And WHO exactly is your comment referring to? Can you elaborate on this comment? What "PEOPLE" do you mean? And while your at it, why don't you tell us what part of Western Pennsylvania or Kentucky do you come from?

[shane--2008]

Palin is Microsoft.

brainless **** in a big overpriced box.

Palin got a $150,000 wardrobe, Vista got a $300 million ad campaign.

they both still suck.

[Magallanes]

So most likely Palin is Vista (hot but useless) while Biden is XP (boring yet functional,effective and compatible with the current politician system).
Obama is Linux (young yet inexpert) and McCain is OS/2 (clearly outdated).

[Mr. Dee]

Actually, I put it this way:
Obama - Google
McCain - AOL
Palin - Oracle

[ChrisMatyszczyk]

Thank you, everyone.

What an excellent start.

And so much more revealing than the research....

Chris

[coryschulz]

Obama is a Google, iPhone, Facebook, Mac Pro (with 30" screen), Mozart, Bugatti, YouTube.
McCain is an AOL, Commodore 64, Nokia 1600 (prepaid), Model T, Taco Bell, Viagra.
Palin is a MySpace, WIndows Vista, Duke Nukem Forever, Philip Morris, FOX News, Pepsi.
Biden... no comment...

[Magallanes]

c64... lol!

[ChrisMatyszczyk]

The Commodore 64/Duke Nukem Forever ticket?

Can anyone resist?

Chris

[magusat999]

Actually, Palin is more like Altavista - we've all heard of it, and somteimes it's a useful alternative... but it just isn't relevant, useful, or even necessary.

[AverageAmerican]

It is hard to think so many Americans are so shallow! I know we are a country of fast food and immediate gratification but come on people, look at the facts of record.

You can't CHANGE the system if you have never even stood up to the system!

Times are hard and with the Baby Boomers retiring it will get even harder. There is no quick, Slick Willy fix! This subprime loan of Carter/Clinton took a while to put in place and it's effects are pretty deep as we all can see. So much for the Social Engineering of the Democrats! Thanks allot Clinton and Carter!

I don't think McCain is the best choice for President, however, Obama is by FAR the worst choice for President! Even his own running mate has told us over and over again that he is too dangerous for the country! When are you going to listen? After we invade Pakistan like he said he would do during the debates?

We Americans have to take responsibility and work through this hard time! We can't spend or tax our way out of it! We must elect McCain if we stand a chance at all of heading off a depression and world conflict!

Start taking responsibility and thinking for yourself! Pelosi and her clowns will never tell you the truth, just look at this proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related

[The_Decider]

Wow, even though McCain supported the deregulation and irresponsible foreign policy, he is someone to support?

Even though McCain picked an absolute clueless hate mongerer for VP, he is someone to support?

Even though he can't run a competent campaign, we are to believe that he can run the country?

Obama may not have all the answers, but he is thoughtful, deliberate, intelligent and can organize a complicated structure better than anyone I have ever seen. He is not the best choice overall, but given the choices we have, he is by far the best.

His running mate called him dangerous and now fell in line? I guess he is someone to believe.

I guess Colin Powell has no understanding of the issues or was forced to side with Obama? The list of thoughtful intelligent conservatives that are not supporting McSame is huge. That should tell you something.

[Pete Bardo]

Politicians are all a bunch of liars. You can't count on a thing they say during an election year--it's part of the job. Whose gonna fix this economy? Nobody. Who's gonna get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan and keep us out of Iran? Nobody. Who really cares about you and your problems? Nobody. Who am I voting for? You guessed it--Nobody!

Oh yes, I do intend to vote. But I'm not letting myself get sucked into the game of which candidate is less worse. There's no good choice for President this year, so let all them politicians know that we have been given no choice. Vote for Nobody--don't write it in, those votes don't count. Leave it blank to indicate to everyone your choice is "none-of-the-above". Believe me, politicians will take note if Nobody gets 5% to 10% of the vote.

[sylvonne]

I would like for sarah palin to explain exactly what and/or who is Pro American and who is not. Sarah palin has turned into such a joke. She is a heartbeat away from being president of the United States and she hasn't got a clue about nothing. Now that in itself shows what type of judgment John McCain has.

[The_Decider]

I would say Palin is like Microsoft.

1. Slow
2. Unintelligent
3. Hopelessly clueless
4. Spreads and spews hatred against the competition
5. Evil

McCain is an abacus but slightly older and less functional.

I don't think Obama is an evil totalitarian monster, so he is not Google. Maybe OSX, looks and sounds good, very intelligent, but the innards are still hidden.

[ChrisMatyszczyk]

Oh, but come on, The_Decider, what do you REALLY think?:)

And you seem to have missed Joe Biden altogether. Does he not deserve mention?

Chris

[The_Decider]

Biden?

Hmm, has any company made a gaffe machine yet?

I am very neutral about Biden. So I guess he is Sun Microsystems.

[desmondhaynes]

Biden is IBM. You know its there, but it's been there forever! :)

[desmondhaynes]

Come on, Palin is TMZ! All glam, no stuff.