Obama talks Grand Theft Auto at campaign stop
by Justin McElroy 
{ May 2nd 2008 at 1:15PM }
In our opinion, it went pretty well. He put the onus on parents to monitor that sort of thing, didn't complain about violence and didn't try to sound hip by pretending he knew more about it than he did. In fact, he said the word "goo gobs" out loud, which is like, the complete opposite of trying to sound cool.
[Via Megatonik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Marty @ May 2nd 2008 1:18PM
[looks up from GTA4]
Go Obama!
[gets back to playing]
BananaBoat @ May 2nd 2008 5:33PM
When did Joystiq turn into Digg?
Buried for inaccuracy (Video isn't about GTA at all!)
Adam @ May 2nd 2008 1:22PM
Hilary needs to drop out already.
343 Guilty Fart @ May 2nd 2008 1:50PM
I've never heard of this person.
Seraphim @ May 2nd 2008 1:59PM
I guess we're lucky that the presidential electorates aren't elected based solely on whether or not they look like the Crypt Keeper from Tales From the Crypt. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the Crypt Keeper looks like Fabio in comparison.
samfish @ May 2nd 2008 2:24PM
"I've never heard of this person."
She's the one who's trying to sink Obama's campaign in the fall so she can run against President John McCain in 2012 (if he hasn't had any rage-ons and nuked us all by then, that is).
She's kind of a bitch like that.
Tiptup300 @ May 2nd 2008 3:14PM
Or die of cancer.
SugarDaddy @ May 2nd 2008 3:24PM
Yikes, Tiptup. Did Hillary kill your dog or something? That's a pretty wretched thing to say. That kind of hatred will end up giving YOU cancer.
Obie @ May 2nd 2008 4:21PM
Yeah Hilary Goldstein sucks!
343 Guilty Fart @ May 2nd 2008 5:41PM
Is it time for the two minute hate already? My favorite time of day!
NoHitHair @ May 2nd 2008 7:54PM
2 minute hate...
I love you, guilty fart. As disgusting as that sounds.
GatorSax2010 @ May 2nd 2008 1:22PM
"It's gonna make goo gobs of money."
You better believe I'm adding that phrase to my lexicon.
Zertoss @ May 2nd 2008 1:26PM
Damn straight.
And I already have goo gobs of phrases in mine.
Ted @ May 2nd 2008 1:48PM
No way, I don't have time to be adding goo gobs of new words to my lexicon, I'm busy playing GTA IV.
CM @ May 2nd 2008 7:38PM
What is a lexicon? Stupid video games got in way of my edjamication.
T @ May 2nd 2008 1:57PM
Obama's mentioned video games on more than one occasion, but from the comments of his I've been seeing he really has focused not on games themselves, but the overall culture that's developed in America of plopping a kid down in front of something instead of trying to get involved.
The fact he has acknowledged GTA isn't made for children, and voices the concern that it'll be played by them anyway is a welcome change from the people who cry that games like GTA are corrupting children.
riggs @ May 2nd 2008 1:28PM
this plus the video of him playin ball at a high school in indiana has made him earn my vote.
im like dave chappelle. i dont look at their ideals, i look at their character.
Phranctoast @ May 2nd 2008 1:36PM
Guiliani had my vote because of all the SNL skits he was on.
GunForHire @ May 2nd 2008 1:54PM
So you're yet another voter who doesn't give a shit about their policies, just about their PR. Good work, a credit to your nation.
riggs @ May 2nd 2008 1:57PM
i thought my quoting of a comedian wouldve implied that i wasnt serious, but hey not all people are quick.
Kodros @ May 2nd 2008 2:00PM
FYI, you can quote comedians and still be serious.
riggs @ May 2nd 2008 2:11PM
so i should quote a politician and be silly next time, thanks for the info.
Sidebuster @ May 2nd 2008 1:32PM
Anyone know what McCain thinks about this topic? I already know that dizzy bitch Hilary's stand on gaming. Since I usually find myself on the conservative side, I might be voting for Barak Hussein Obama papa ooh mou mou papa ooh mou ma mou.. sorry about that...
I still have now idea what I am gonna vote for at this time. It's so damn corn-fusing.
GRANTED @ May 2nd 2008 1:33PM
sounds like we'd all be better off if people like you didn't bother...
Sidebuster @ May 2nd 2008 1:35PM
Corrected
"I still have no idea who I am going to vote for at this time. It's so damn corn-fusing."
Marty @ May 2nd 2008 1:35PM
...what?
Sidebuster @ May 2nd 2008 1:39PM
Sorry Proof reading is not my friend.
I usually vote conservative, but I really don't like McCain or Hilary. So I might be voting for Barak, but I should take GRANTED's request to not even bother for the sake of mankind.
Phranctoast @ May 2nd 2008 1:39PM
McCain Probably doesn't know what video games are....
I swear..that guy reminds me of a high school teacher.
Curtis the Claw:XBL - supapaypamawio @ May 2nd 2008 1:49PM
I live in Utah so I won't be voting anyways.
_TMS @ May 2nd 2008 1:55PM
If unsure of who to vote for, check possible court appointees. Strict constructionism vs. judicial activism.
edgore @ May 2nd 2008 2:02PM
McCain has spoken out strongly agaisnt the popular Vietcong Prison Camp Tycoon series in the past.
NATO_Duke @ May 2nd 2008 2:38PM
My understanding is that McCain hasn't made comments on games. It seems to me that games really are not a huge presidential issue anyway, and people forget that president does not equal congressman. The laws on speech are made by congress folks. (Yeah I know, the court interprets them…but that hasn’t led to any of the anti-first person decisions people claim will happen.)
I live in Illinois and have Obama forced on me nonstop- though he seems like an ok guy, I don’t know how anyone would say they were a conservative of any sort and then vote for him. His stance on major issues is far from conservative. Personally, he doesn't call for things I believe in and I think the hype over change is just that. The country is not going to change overnight into some perfect place to be.
mietha CAG @ May 2nd 2008 1:35PM
Not going to happen. No teenager is going to find Moby Dick more entertaining than Bioshock(well, ok, mainly because Bioshock is better, but anyway). And modern kids are smart enough to know that "how you do in shcool" doesn't really mean shit. The entire job market is fucked and the only way to fix that is legislation, not education.
Jody Anthony (cookingrebels.com) @ May 2nd 2008 1:36PM
Moby Dick is an amazing book.
Gunner McGrath @ May 2nd 2008 1:40PM
Come on! I'm not saying Bioshock isn't entertaining, and I'm not saying Moby Dick is interesting (it's not), but a "thirst for education" goes a lot further than liking a book. Kids DO want to learn things, which is why they're always asking questions. We as parents need to encourage that desire for knowledge, and not depend on tv and games to keep them out of our hair. That's the point (well, one of the points) Obama was making.
Phranctoast @ May 2nd 2008 1:42PM
Moby Dick will still be talked about when Bioshock is long forgotten....but you're right. Not a lot of teenagers read instead of playing video games.
tmacairjordan87 @ May 2nd 2008 1:51PM
What's a book?
Trippy Haps @ May 2nd 2008 2:56PM
That really colorful thing they usually send along with games inside the box.
JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ May 2nd 2008 2:57PM
Isn't it like that useless piece of paper that always comes inside with a game?
Trippy Haps @ May 2nd 2008 3:14PM
*And for but a brief moment, all of Joystiq remained at a pause. The two commenters, joined by their similar attempts at humor, eyed each other in silence*
*A nod...and the strangers departed, leaving behind an unspoken resolution*
*In the distance, a cat LOL'd*
hai2u @ May 2nd 2008 1:36PM
im not a fan of Obama Bin Laden
Noshino @ May 2nd 2008 1:39PM
How Hillary managed to have the guts to post on a gaming blog still amazes me....
xFenixKnightx @ May 2nd 2008 1:40PM
It's Barack Hussein Obama, get it right!
XanthouS @ May 2nd 2008 1:42PM
She'll do absolutely anything for a vote.
/gobama
Phranctoast @ May 2nd 2008 1:43PM
@Noshino
+++++++LMAO!!!!!
Shattercross @ May 2nd 2008 1:43PM
Don't you have a monster truck rally and a barefoot pregnant wife to attend to?
d-pad @ May 2nd 2008 1:45PM
Look, I can't stand Obama or his policies.
That said, comparing him to a man who planned, financed and blessed the murdering 3,000 Americans, as well as the countless of thousands who've died in the Afghanistan war theatre just isn't cool.
Not cool at all.
ChooChooCharlie (MK 0430-8740-2222) @ May 2nd 2008 1:46PM
"How Hillary managed to have the guts to post on a gaming blog still amazes me...."
Especially since girls don't exist on the internet ... oh wait.
*insert joke about Hillary's masculinity here*
xFenixKnightx @ May 2nd 2008 1:50PM
One thing Barack really has going for him is that hes so eloquent unlike giiitter done Bush.
hai2u @ May 2nd 2008 1:52PM
I just think that it's a bad time to have him as the president. We have this terrible president right now and the economy is in the shitter. We need someone who is has some experience to run the country... someone who wont get filibustered into eternity when dealing with congress. I'm not gonna tell anyone who to vote for, but the man is going to end up being Jimmy Carter part 2 if hes elected.