Playing Politics: The 2008 Presidential Candidates on Videogames

10/31/2008 5:29 PM | 3 Comments | Page 1 of 4

Let's face it, we all vote based on our own interests -- whether they're about lower taxes, healthcare, pulling our troops out of Iraq, a woman's right to choose, or Second Amendment Rights. Why should gamers be any different? Obviously, you won't be voting for a candidate based on this issue alone (you would be a fool if you did), but perhaps being armed with a little bit more knowledge will make your decision easier.

I have not seen a serious attempt to define where the candidates stand on videogames. Sure, we know that Barack Obama is aligned with Hillary Clinton and that John McCain "pals around with Lieberman" (Sens. Clinton and Joseph Lieberman are two of the most vocal critics of the interactive entertainment industry), but where do the candidates themselves stand? When their attention fades for the big issues we currently face, what will they do about videogames? With this in mind, I present you with an examination of both Barack Obama's and John McCain's records on videogames -- without the venom, spin and talking points. Still, I encourage you to get out there and do your own research, and ignore all the pundits and politicos. As you stand alone inside the voting booth, the only opinion that matters is your own, so make that decision with an opinion that is well informed.

Barack Obama

Let's start with the senator from Illinois. Barack Obama has a neutral position on videogames, though he sees mass media consumption by America's children as a distraction from their academic growth.

In a Common Sense Media survey of the Republican and Democratic primary candidates published on Dec. 10, 2007, Sen. Obama was asked if he would support federal legislation to keep violent videogames out of kids' hands. Obama said that he would call upon the videogame industry to "give parents better information about programs and video games by improving the voluntary rating system we currently have. Broadcasters and video game producers should take it upon themselves to improve this system to include easier to find and easier to understand descriptions of exactly what kind of content is included."

Obama proposes government involvement in the system: "But if the industry fails to act, then my administration would. And even if the industry does do some responsible self-policing, there's still a role for the federal government to play. We need to understand the impact of these new media better. That's why I supported federal funding to study the impact of video games on children's cognitive development."

(Republican candidate John McCain did not participate in the Common Sense Media survey.)

Senator Obama used the "entertainment is a distraction" theme in a number of speeches given during his Senate career. In a speech to the 99th NAACP Convention on July 12, 2008, he spoke about capturing the American dream for our children: "That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV, and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework, and setting a good example."