Obama: 'Stop playing GameBoy'

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 24th 2007 at 9:00AM }

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is fired up to win this election like it's 1999. Stopping in Texas, Obama spoke to a group of youths about recruiting their friends for his campaign and said, "I want you to tell them, 'It's time for you to turn off the TV and stop playing GameBoy' ... We've got work to do."

A good first step is for Obama's speech writer to learn this is the 2008 election. If we're going to be hip and cool, let's learn what the kids are actually playing. Words to use in the future are: Wii, PlayStation, Xbox, DS -- and N-Gage.

[Thanks Obo]

Tags: 2008, barack obama, BarackObama, election, n-gage, playstation, ps2, ps3, wii, xbox

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Dracula Jones @ Feb 24th 2007 9:06AM

Kucinich knows all about next-gen.

gamedude420 @ Feb 24th 2007 9:08AM

n gage lmfao , you guys are too funny ... oh and ps3 lol hahaha.

goes to play my wii, dreamcast, sega saturn ( with netlink modem) xbox 360, ds

bootsielon @ Feb 24th 2007 9:18AM

Oh, Dreamcast, Saturn and Xbox 360? hahaha, what a joke

student @ Feb 24th 2007 9:25AM

Because no one in the public would have turned their heads when he said 'It's time for you to turn off the TV and stop playing with your Wii - We've got work to do.'

I'm not one to ride on the puns with Nintendo's new console but I just wonder if a comment like that, recorded to the entire nation, might be misinterpreted by some.

Game Boy is a generic term for portable game system that most adults would recognize. In much the same way parents say "o, my son has a nintendo" when you have a playstation, xbox or nintendo console, they say "he has a gameboy" when you have ANY portable system.

Supino @ Feb 24th 2007 9:21AM

games are life quality for many. Why do we work? - for better life quality.

raycosm @ Feb 24th 2007 9:23AM

Maybe he wanted us to upgrade to the next generation, PSP and DS?

Poisoned Al @ Feb 24th 2007 9:28AM

He sounds like a total f**k-wit that's totally out of touch with reality. He'd make a great president!

Sub @ Feb 24th 2007 9:36AM

Obama would make a great president, don't speak if you have no idea what you're talking about. He'd be a billion times better than Hillary anyways, God I hate that woman.

Kendrick @ Feb 24th 2007 9:38AM

At risk of turning a fanboy argument into a constructive political discussion, are any of the game companies also campaign contributors? Would Obama have made a statement like that if Nintendo had given him money towards his presidential goals? Would Obama criticize games and gamers at all if he knew how many Americans are employed by the game industry and how many consumers make it part of our economy? And is it big enough to have that influence, or will groups with moral and religious objections reliably outspend the game industry?

Poisoned Al @ Feb 24th 2007 9:49AM

To be fair tho, his speech was aimed at the average Texan. Lets face it, I'd be surprised if most them have even heard of a Gameboy, let alone a DS Lite.

W.E. @ Feb 24th 2007 10:04AM

My understanding is that all major players in the games industry give money to the Republican party, as they have much to gain from that party's... umm.... lax media law policy and taxation format. Executives and big designers have been known to make donations to the Democrats or to appear at fundraising dinners, though. Its especially weird considering that most anti-game legislation erupts from the right, etc. Clinton and Liberman, both massive critics of the game industry changed their tunes in 2005. I seem to recall the ESA attending an expensive fundraiser that year?

gamedude420 @ Feb 24th 2007 10:02AM

3. Oh, Dreamcast, Saturn and Xbox 360? hahaha, what a joke

Posted at 9:18AM on Feb 24th 2007 by bootsielon
**************************************************8

whats wrong with that?

i love my dreamcast its one of the best of lasg generation so many good games.

same with saturn, mostly the imports but i used scotch tape on the system so i can play burned games muhahahah.

and i do have a sega saturn netlink modem me and a few friends have them i plau a friend alot in duke nukem 3d over phoneline via modem play (lag free)
as well as sega rally, daytona usa netlink edition, vrtua on, and saturn bomberman :)

ChrisBo @ Feb 24th 2007 10:01AM

@Poisened Al

What the hell did you just say 'bout Texans? Son, I'll pistol-whip you with my huge truck and pour ranch dressing down your throat!

Seriously, though, quite a lot of Texans love video games, includin' me. Especially Austin, since it's basically one big party town. I'm a Dallas man myself, though. Wait, Dallas likes to party too...

Justin U @ Feb 24th 2007 10:01AM

He just lost all the gamers votes... *Shakes head* I was going to vote for him too...

Joshua @ Feb 24th 2007 10:13AM

Justin U (#12):

"He just lost all the gamers votes... *Shakes head* I was going to vote for him too..."

Try reading the article. He's just saying there's work to be done (getting more people to vote for him), and used playing games and watching TV as an example of something done that takes up time better spent working on his campaign. Or maybe he also just lost all the votes of every TV watcher, by your logic?

Or maybe you were just joking with your comment...In that case, make sure to use a ";)" or something next time... ;)

But still, I really hope he gets his party's nomination over Señora Clinton...

033054 @ Feb 24th 2007 10:21AM

Wii, PlayStation, Xbox, DS -- and N-Gage.

N-gage? i don't think so. haha

Justin @ Feb 24th 2007 10:20AM

I guess I can keep on playing my Sega Game Gear, then.

Ninegauger @ Feb 24th 2007 10:23AM

He's still out of touch because I'd venture to say that most of the people still playing the Gameboy (more than anything else say) are too young to vote.

Doesn't matter to me, I can't vote for him anyway.

sovietdancinbear @ Feb 24th 2007 10:34AM

As someone who has worked on political campaigns in the past and helped craft "message" the term "Game Boy" was used because it evokes an image, its not that he doesn't necessarily know the state of video games his campaign picked a phrase that was quick, effective and the Game Boy being around forever, it was safe that it doesn't inherently bring up a brand name anymore.

The safer bet and one that would've been much less scrutinized by the people on this forum would've been "video games" or "anything popular to young adults today."

I've worked on these things in the past, the choice of words isn't Obama's.

LaughingTarget @ Feb 24th 2007 10:32AM

This is by far the best argument any politician has ever made. He isn't decrying games as being a vehicle to cause evil. He isn't trying to ban them. He is just suggesting people drop their video games and actually go out and do something. If he could adjust the message to say "Put down your Gameboy and hike in one of our many national parks that are a short driving distance away for 250 million Americans, study harder to get yourself out of poverty, or just excercise and improve your general health and well being" we've got a winner. We have to admit, gaming isn't exactly the greatest thing for any of us to participate in. Gaming is fine in short bursts, but are an overall negative in any person's life.

Cheech @ Feb 24th 2007 10:36AM

Obama is his own speech writer btw, and hopefully the next president. To his defense GameBoy is a fairly general gaming term for anything handheld and something the general public understands. I guarantee you that 90% of the above 25 population would have no idea what the hell "DS" meant.

Obama '08!

John Britt @ Feb 24th 2007 10:38AM

The DS is still a gameboy, just a more powerful and original piece of hardware. Fun, with good mileage and the same even more market share than the orginal gameboy

Zsavior @ Feb 24th 2007 10:57AM

This has nothing to do with gameboy actually,but I don't trust any politician that tells me I have to give up what I love to support him, especially when I have no evidence of him sacrificing anything for me.

My Best exmaple is senator Charles Rangle, these politicians are all about governing and making decisions, but really what they want is no accoutability for their actions. Charles Rangle introduced legislation to reinstate the military draft. When asked about it Rangle gave a reply to the idea that he wants the draft started to get more Americans focused on the war, to do something about it. Also he feels it will even the battle field were other children from economic backgrounds will be forced to go rather than just poor.

Now in plain face some people will say "hey a draft is great" and some people will say "Hey a draft is awful", but my real anger is at the fact that after he is voted in to office he still doesn't have the sheer courage to stand up for his people. Instead in a country which in the last two presidential elections has had complaints about voter fraud. In a country where racism and economics strictly divide the masses, he believes a draft will be fair? Second while he sits safe in his congressmen's seat he is waiting for the American people to take action rather than representing their will.

This is why I hate condescending comments like that of Obama's. While you the voter puts him in office and he collects a check, he will not put himself on the line when the time comes, because while you should sacrfice for him, he isn't going to sacrifice his political seat or office for you.

Remember as much as I and the country may dislike Bush these people gave him the money to create this war. Now they ask Us who had no say in the matter to stop him. On top of that now that they have the power to do something they won't because they are more concerned with their job than their duty. Rangle wants people to rip up their draft cards in the streets, rather than standing up and ripping up any legislation that would have sent troops into a bad war.

So when any politician tells me put down my gameboy for them, my response is what the hell are you putting down for me.

Jack the Ripper @ Feb 24th 2007 10:58AM

I vote on national security issues, so I'll cast my ballot for whichever candidate beats me at CounterStrike.

superberg @ Feb 24th 2007 11:09AM

"So when any politician tells me put down my gameboy for them, my response is what the hell are you putting down for me."

Not a JFK fan, I take it.

john @ Feb 24th 2007 11:12AM

"So when any politician tells me put down my gameboy for them, my response is what the hell are you putting down for me."

Well, he's quitting smoking.

I think you guys are making a big dust-up over a throw-away line. It's not like he said "gameboys are bad mmmkay" or "video games are turing our children's brains into delicious tapioca." He's talking to a group of young supporter and asking them to recruit campaign volunteers. It's akin to him saying "It's time to put away your toys and engage in politics." He really doesn't strike me as the kind of politician who would seriously go after video games. Then again who knows.

And for those of you who have decided on your choice for president, it's way too early. Anything could happen in the next 1.5 years.

zenprism @ Feb 24th 2007 11:13AM

I'm hoping since Obama's smart enough to realize young adults play videogames (be it Gameboy or your systems of choice), he'll also be smart enough to not support any ignorant anti-game legislation during his political career. It would actually be interesting to know what his real stance on the topic is.
I'm supporting him for now. He's the most level-headed of the field.

PhoenixJ @ Feb 24th 2007 11:15AM

Methinks out of context?

Joebediah @ Feb 24th 2007 11:14AM

Zsavior,

Unless you're working on his campaign, he is not telling you to do jacksh!t.

Brandon @ Feb 24th 2007 11:24AM

Taken out of context, from a speech aimed at the average texan. Seriously, he is going for the masses, more people know what a gameboy is, than know what a DS or PSP or xbox for that matter is. I mean, if being accurate about current gaming habits risks losing your audience, its not worth it. Especially when its not the point of the statement in the first place.

Arion @ Feb 25th 2007 10:52PM

sigh..this news seems to spread on other gamer sites too.

AND this little tidbit is once again looked over...

Obama mentions game boy in another speech, even jokes about it..at about 9:30 mark in this vid on a speech in san francisco:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CZvKtBRe3Q

It is apart of his children’s life, and he seems rather accepting of “game boys”.

uh_oh @ Feb 24th 2007 11:59AM

The people that are actually listening to him dont even know what a ds is i bet.

Diskoboy @ Feb 24th 2007 11:54AM

Oh there's work to be done alright..... But the work that he's referring to would be by the government, itself.

They've got alot of work to do to clean up Bush's mess.

joystuck @ Feb 24th 2007 12:19PM

You people should avoid political discussion and stick to those fanboy rants about 360 vs ps3.

There are more kids with gameboys and ps2's than any other console.

M @ Feb 24th 2007 12:22PM

GameBoy is to Handhelds
as
Kleenex is to Tissues
or
Band-Aid is to Bandages

Anyhow, at least he didn't tell us to put away our ColecoVisions.

Brian @ Feb 24th 2007 12:25PM

Honestly, given the kinds of comments I read here, I naturally assumed most of you weren't old enough to vote.

murray b @ Feb 24th 2007 12:28PM

honestly where did this guy come from? everyone loves him for some reason, he's been a senator for a little over a year! hes written no bills, no one knows any of his positions on anything! yet hes a major presidental candidate? i might vote for him but i need to know what stands for on anything. i have a feeling he may pull a howard dean and not be nearly as popular as the media says he is.

AssemblyLineHuman @ Feb 24th 2007 12:33PM

*sigh* He wasn't attacking video games or anything. Imagine a world where GameBoys and TVs don't exist and a lot of people are sitting around reading novels all day. Although reading itself is not inherently bad, in a situation where there are serious issues that need to be tackled, would it really be that far-fetched if he said, "I want you to tell them, 'It's time for you to stop reading' ... We've got work to do." If you ignore the facts that the hand-held video game market is dominated by highly commercial titles and that the video game industry as a whole is far from attaining what literature has as a means of expression, it's essentially the same thing.

hvnlysoldr @ Feb 24th 2007 12:45PM

Obama doesn't have a record of doing much of anything. He expects that to get him voted? That's worse than flip-flopping Kerry. Even though Kerry switches positions at least he takes positions. What king of conviction can Obama show if he can't stand for what he believes in?

Paul Gale @ Feb 24th 2007 12:45PM

The Nintendo DS may be the hottest portable around, but I think the name Game Boy will be the most synonymous with handheld gaming for a long time to come, if not ever. And I think part of that will come with what Nintendo calls its next handheld. Personally, I think they should call it: Game Boy DS or Nintendo Game Boy DS (too long, but perhaps more official).
Paul Gale
1up.com

REUYL @ Feb 24th 2007 12:52PM

OMG Obama is a n00b!

Josh @ Feb 24th 2007 1:20PM

murray b is totally right on this. I dont see why so many people are supporting him when theres nothing to support. You can still play video games and get the message out. Just play an MMORPG or xbox live and spread the word on your candidate.

Hillary '08

tmmoore_nc @ Feb 24th 2007 1:37PM

If he's trying to paint an image, and spark debate, then I guess he's done that. Too bad the Democratic party will never have him as his nominee. Go back to last year's Maryland Primaries for Democratic Senator. I'm not going to come out and say the word, but it's pretty obvious once you look at it.

If Hillary is President, she'll be worse than Carter. Her negatives are already at 45% by most counts, some going as high as 75%. Her strategy is to bring in new, single female voters. Bringing in new voters is the riskiest strategy in politics, and it never pans out.

So what does that leave us with? John Edwards. Now, far be it from me to call him a one trick pony who's been running for President ever since he got elected to the US Senate from NC, but, that's exactly what he's been doing. Oh, and renaming Post Offices. Nothing else though.

scott @ Feb 24th 2007 1:42PM

you know whats funny..

not only is he not in on the latest...his middle name is Hussein too....

lol.

MoJo @ Feb 24th 2007 1:45PM

Your a retard #37 (murray b), its not his fault you have no idea about him. Maybe if you see/read the news more often you would see. Just google Obama and you can see what he has done and stands for. Also #35 hit it right on the money!

jollydwarf @ Feb 24th 2007 2:05PM

I'm sure the comment was made for the parents of the kids, not the kids themselves, who are far too young to vote in '08, or even '12. A politician cannot reach children directly (they just don't want to hear it), and he is trying to demonstrate to parents that he CARES about the general atrophying of today's youth, a move which--sincere or not--will ideally garner more votes.

Luigi @ Feb 24th 2007 2:27PM

Oh man, another Jack Thompson leading our country?

And I agree many non-gamers describe handhelds as gameboys. I'm fine with that.

john @ Feb 24th 2007 2:38PM

"I'm sure the comment was made for the parents of the kids, not the kids themselves..."
-jollydwarf

I swear nobody even reads the article summary anymore. It's right up there at the top of the page

"Obama spoke to a group of youths about recruiting their friends for his campaign."

If you know anything about campaigns then it's pretty easy to put this in context. He's asking people who already support him, to ask their friends, if they believe in him, to make a sacrifice for his campaign by cutting back on recreational activities in order to make calls or go door to door (primarily what the kids to in a campaign).

To those who say "why should I bother, what's in it for me?" The idealist would say that if you really believe in his message you should support it. The opportunist would say that working campaigns is a good way to get into politics. If your candidate wins that builds your rep and as you get older and work on more campaigns you stand a chance to be offered a job when your guy is elected. From there it's all brandy, cigars, and corporate bribes! Yeah Baby!