2008 Election Reduced to ... a Pillow Fight?

YouTube has jumped the shark. And CNN and the other cable nets that have run these clips are too behind the curve to notice that these videos have some serious money behind them. Just look at the production quality. This isn't some group of high school kids; this is big business. Each click on their respective Web sites is ad revenue. Have no doubt!

Sent by Clarence Davis | 12:27 AM | 7-18-2007

I am embarrassed of the government officials that we have elected for office. They seem to have reverted to child-like tactics. Isn't it amazing that they are willing to stay over night to debate. Why aren't they doing something during the work week? Where are they during the work week? They are busy pointing fingers, instead of doing their jobs. Trying to get reelected, instead of doing their jobs. Our democracy is becoming more corrupt every day. Why are the voters left feeling that we really don't have much of a choice in matters any more. We usually have to vote for the lesser of two evils. I am disappointed with the performance of our elected officials. No company in the U.S. could be ran like our government with expectations of success. I think that it is time for our officials to quit acting like they are on another episode of the Jerry Springer Show, and do what we elected them to do.

Sent by Terry Rogers | 7:53 AM | 7-18-2007

As a young person in the media I must say that these types of videos are to me a great step forward. Not only was the "Crush on Obama" made by a group that just simply parodies things (ie- the same group parodied SNL's D**K in a box") but to me it shows that young people are FINALLY getting active in their government. This type of parody and YouTube is how this generation expresses their stance on just about everything. So at least from my point of view I look at all the attention, whether in jest or not as a way to guage how active our generation will be in '08. It feels like the excitement over this election comes from a view that we actually CAN have a say in our future. Too many grey-haired baby boomers spent all of their time securing THEIR futures and not OURS. Now the younger generation is taking a stand for the world they have to live in and all the things they will have to fix. I don't see these videos as cause for concern or as propaganda from those running (mostly because they aren't even connected to those candidates) I see them as a sigh of relief. Too many people said for too long that young people don't care about anything going on in the world, well guess what? We care now- we just like to do it with a little laughter.

Sent by Nikki Grotenhuis | 3:00 PM | 7-18-2007

The candidates and their supporters are using the best medium (Utube) available to them to reach a core demographic. When I was a teenager, the groundbreaking forum was MTV and I'd admit even though I wasn't old enough to vote at the time, Bill Clinton got some cool points to get interviewed on MTV (and yes a couple of questions were just for fun) and play the Sax on Arsenio. It showed he wasn't the staid characters (except for old films of the Kennedys) I saw presidents of those times. But you couldn't deny he was one of the smartest guys running at the time; which takes me to my next point.

I have a problem with trivializing such medium (Utube) to only promote one's "crush" with salacious moves on a candidate just becaue he appears to be a sex symbol. Could we highlight some noble causes? I could name about three causes on the young generation minds: increasing cost of college tuition; creation of jobs, and how about health care?

I believe a candidate has to walk a fine line in knowing how to use the medium; show you have both style and substance (a lot of substance) and neither of the traits is mutually exclusive. It's nice to know some of the candidates are "hip" to pop culture but at the end of the day I'll be more impressed on how he/she has a vision to change the political status quo.

Sent by Moji Oderinde | 5:52 PM | 7-18-2007

..this kind

Sent by stephanie | 9:54 PM | 7-22-2007

I think the two videos can do nothing but help the respective candidates. For sexiness I give the Obama girl 9 out of 10 and the Hillary girl 8 out of 10. For words and tune of the songs the Hillary girl wins hands down.

Sent by Eddy | 3:05 PM | 9-12-2007

I THINK IT IS AWESOME WATCHING THE VARIOUS VIDEOS ABOUT THE THOSE VISIONARIES AND CHARISMATIC LEADERS.I ALSO THINK EVERY PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL IS UNIQUE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTIONS OF LEADING AMERICA IN SUCH A DIVERSIFIED WAY BUT IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE PEOPLE VOTE FOR WHO THEY WANT IN THE END NOT NECESSARILY THE PERSON WHO THINKS HE/SHE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE TO LEAD THE NATION.

IF POLITICS WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN SUCH PRACTICAL,ENTERTAINING AND VIBRANT APPROACH OF MUSIC, THE WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST PLACE FOR MANKIND HABITATION WITHOUT ANY REGRET,FEAR,AND OTHER DISTURBING CATAYLST OF HUMAN UNENDING SUFFERING.

THE VIDEOS ALSO SHOW THE WORLD ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF DEMONCRACY DESPITE ITS DARKEST VERSION THAT IS YET TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE COMMON PEOPLE.

I ALSO THINK IT IS GOOD FOR OTHER NATIONS THAT ARE ENCROACHING ON ITS CITIZENS FREEDOM TO LEARN A LESSON THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ALLOW TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIALS AT THEIR DISCRETION.

I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THOSE TALENTED FEMALES WHO REVEAL THAT THE WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FRIENDILY THROUGH THEIR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATIVE SKILLS.

AMERICA IS THE BEST FOR THINKING FIRST IN ALL CAPACITIES OF LIFE. THE WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN A DOOM IF YOU HAVE NOT EXISTED.

Sent by ALLEN NYEKA | 8:18 PM | 10-29-2007