Monday, July 7, 2008

Are you there youth vote, it's me John McCain

After reading the gushing piece in today's New York Times Business section about the 24-yr old wunderkind who left his post at Facebook (where he was a co-founder) to launch and refine my.barackobama.com--you have to feel kind of bad for John McCain. Obama basically put a lit cigarette to the old political campaign playbook, and now McCain is left having an asthma attack trying to catch up.

Over the course of the article something semi-interesting, if not for its weirdness, popped up: McCain's attempt at social networking with "McCainSpace." First of all, whoever on the McCain web commitee thought up "McCainSpace" should probably be let go for lack of ingenuity and pure cornyness. Completely intrigued nonetheless, I went through the sign in process on McCain's homepage (I gave over an ancient AOL email address, and used my parent's zip code--they are republicans anyway), and clicked on the McCainSpace icon. I had no idea what to expect; perhaps some of McCain's hobbies, favorite movies, snacks, a candid photo of McCain in his backyard grilling hamburgers. All I got was a spinning star marking my progress and the link went no where.

Imagine what McCainSpace could have been: a virtual haven for young McCain supporters eager to meet more of their kind, sharing favorite McCain anecdotes, relishing in Obama campaign gaffes, maybe even interacting with their hero on a virtual chat. A vlog could be incorporated, and the McCain Girls could make a long awaited return. Even if they were a hoax, they made for good entertainment, and that's what web traffic is all about. And if you ask me, McCain Girls = more youth votes than you can count.

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