The First Wii: Obama brings video games to the White House

by Randy Nelson { Jan 8th 2009 at 4:12PM }

When Barack Obama takes office on January 20th, he'll not only be the most powerful man in the world, but also the most powerful gamer. (Nintendo did give outgoing President Bush a DS and Brain Age some years ago; it's up to you to decide if he ever played it.)

The New York Times reports that the President elect -- who even took his campaign to the streets of Burnout Paradise -- gifted his daughters, Sasha and Malia, with a Nintendo Wii for Christmas ... but the head of the First Family has been playing with it, too. Apparently, Obama has been working on his bowling skills by playing Wii Sports. The President-in-waiting bowled a lowly 37 in the real-life sport while on the campaign trail, but tells the paper that he "performs better in the video game."

Being the leader of the free world probably won't leave President Obama with much time for gaming, but we'd like to hear your suggestions for Wii games he should play, given the chance. (Oh, and Mr. Obama, if you're reading this, we'd like to talk about that Video Game Czar position ... )

[Via GameCulture]

Tags: barack-obama, obama, president-obama, wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

john paul @ Jan 8th 2009 4:15PM

Flip-flopping much?
wasn't he saying something about limiting kids time watching tv and playing video games and more time playing outside.

Fernando Rocker @ Jan 8th 2009 4:17PM

He said that parents should supervise the time the kids spend playing videogames.

He never said that people should not play videogames at all.

ill trooper @ Jan 8th 2009 4:33PM

That's not 'flip-flopping.' Flip-flopping means you've changed your stance on a topic, but this seems consistent with his previous attitude toward gaming and television: it should be moderated by parents, so kids maintain a balance of activity/exercise and homework.

Just roll with it man, we got the coolest president in years, no big deal if he has a Wii but he also thinks playing video games should be kept to a healthy amount of time per day. That's just good parenting.

Latin Trident @ Jan 8th 2009 4:45PM

Do you think Obama will follow the wii instructions that say, "why not take a break and go play outside?"

What if the message is custom?
"Why not take a break and nuke a country?"

Just kidding.

DiRT @ Jan 8th 2009 5:10PM

He's said a lot of things he won't own up to. Get used to it. It seems to be a running thing in that Washington DC place.

Sarge @ Jan 8th 2009 6:14PM

But letting your children listen to "Drop It Like It's Hot" is absolutely _terrible_ parenting.

Jake B @ Jan 8th 2009 7:21PM

Im not sure if Obama is the coolest president in years. I think I would rather have a keg or two with Bush.

h3inousguy @ Jan 8th 2009 7:43PM

@ Jake

I wanna do a line or two of coke with him.

I wonder if he'd still be up to it.

Meta @ Jan 8th 2009 8:28PM

http://www.dareland.com/disinfotainmenttoday/issue123.htm

(01) @ Jan 8th 2009 8:45PM

@ Dirt

Eat it. Some of us live here.

Dirty @ Jan 8th 2009 4:17PM

Sell it for a 360. That's my suggestion. How about supporting American made products Mr President.

Dirty @ Jan 8th 2009 4:24PM

Urm flame shield on?

jmarto @ Jan 8th 2009 4:28PM

Doesn't he want to improve foreign policy among the million other things that he campaigned about?

Hashbrown Hunter @ Jan 8th 2009 4:31PM

"Urm flame shield on?"

No need. It was too funny to get upset at.

Hala Madrid!! (Somebody get me a tie! And it sure as hell better be red!) @ Jan 8th 2009 4:33PM

Not necessary, although you should always out watch for the retarded fanboys, they always find something to start a flame.

Hala Madrid!! (Somebody get me a tie! And it sure as hell better be red!) @ Jan 8th 2009 4:36PM

Sorry.

Is *Watch out* not out watch

I was using my Wiimote when I wrote that.

FSK405K @ Jan 8th 2009 4:42PM

360 is American-owned, not American-made. You take your 360 apart and find me one part that doesn't say Made in Malaysia or China or somewhere on it.

Zertoss @ Jan 8th 2009 5:08PM

We're fact-checking jokes now?

Dan CiTi @ Jan 8th 2009 5:41PM

Ugh. The Wii is not as bad as people make it out to be, but it's not quite as good as the 360(which isn't some holy grail either).

juju187 @ Jan 8th 2009 5:43PM

i salute you good man +1.
MS is even laying ppl off

SinfullyPure @ Jan 9th 2009 2:03PM

Hell, I repair xbox's for a living. POS and definitely not American Made.

krebcycle @ Jan 9th 2009 3:18PM

Nintendo is in Redmond right next to Microsoft.

American made.

Si @ Jan 22nd 2009 4:33PM

I am all for supporting American made products. I own a 360 myself, but uh you need to get your facts straight. Xbox is not American MADE is American owned and MADE in Malaysia, Taiwan, and China.

dabamf @ Jan 8th 2009 4:18PM

I'm all for this. He should keep playing the Wii if that will stop him from trying to spend his way out of a recession.

HippoHero @ Jan 8th 2009 5:40PM

Was that a joke? Historically speaking, spending your way out of a recession is very effective. It's kind of what the government has been doing since the 30's.

dabamf @ Jan 8th 2009 5:43PM

People thinking FDR was such a great president, now that's a joke. The reason why the 80's were so prosperous is that taxes and spending were cut by the president.

HippoHero @ Jan 8th 2009 5:50PM

Really? Wasn't there a recession in the 80's?

And the economy follows a cycle. To ensure that we never reach the ups and downs of the 30's era economy, the government regulates the economy. When times are good, they are (supposed to) take in more taxes. When times are bad, the guys cut taxes, encourage spending, and initiate public works projects to stimulate the economy.

Which is why presidents arriving near the end of a recession are so popular. They get to stimulate the economy and act the part of the good guy. It has little to do with their actual ability and more with the economic cycle.

dabamf @ Jan 8th 2009 5:56PM

Well our fundamental disagreement then is over whether the government can (or should) regulate the economy. There was a recession in the early 1980's (until 1982): punishment for a country that would elect Jimmy Carter as president. But whatever, there's no point in having a Liberal / Conservative debate on Joystiq; everyone loves Obama no matter what he does, and it's no different on this blog. I shouldn't have said anything.

HippoHero @ Jan 8th 2009 6:19PM

Although I (and most likely everyone with a valid economics degree) disagree with almost everything you've said economically, I do agree with you on one point; no political debates on Joystiq.

I wonder what Obama's friend code is?

Haggard @ Jan 8th 2009 6:28PM

70 years on and Keynsianism vs. the free market is still being debated..

Hasn't someone worked it out yet?

justshovejayohbe @ Jan 8th 2009 4:19PM

how about less video games and more fixing the county and beating al qaeda?

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Jan 8th 2009 4:20PM

Let's give him 12 days to actually move in first

justshovejayohbe @ Jan 8th 2009 4:35PM

uh, why should we wait? his addresses and speeches and policy ideas already influence how severely the market plunges, his senate is already in place, and pigs will fly before any of his cabinet picks are voted up or down. his silence on Israel-Gaza is already causing grief and international embarassment, and bush is a lame duck who can't pass bills calling for anything more than post office re-namings. what exactly do you expect to magically change when he moves into the white house?