by Christi Parsons
CHARLESTON, S.C.-- In the land of YouTube, Obama Girl is queen.
Or so it seemed on Monday night, as the woman who plays the title role in the viral "Obama Girl" videos made her way through the hall, spin room and after-events of the first-ever YouTube presidential debate.
The invited guest of the folks at YouTube, Amber Lee Ettinger met Democratic presidential candidates (Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich), posed for pictures with politicos and, yes, gave interviews to journalists.
Carrying her khaki suit jacket as he followed her through the spin room was "Obama Girl" creator Ben Relles, who conceived of the pro-Obama music video now seen by millions of people, thanks to YouTube.
Relles sees as a political breakthrough the YouTube-CNN debate, in which random people posed the questions by videotaping them at home and sending them in via the Internet.
"What's so exciting is that individuals have a power they didn't have before," said Relles, who was on the scene of the debate in Charleston, S.C. collecting video for the commentary he posts at www.barelypolitical.com. "What we did was tip-of-the-iceberg. You're going to see people making videos that change other people's point of view."
A former journalism student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Relles said he sees a downside to the rising influence of YouTube in the body politic.
"It's somewhat scary," he said. "People sometimes take things as fact just because they're on the Internet."
Likewise, after granting an interview to one male journalist - who was remarkably energetic for that close to midnight - Ettinger allowed that user-generated political messages aren't flawless.
"I see where he's coming from," she said of Democratic candidate Mike Gravel, who suggested during the debate that the funky new format was too much stagecraft.
"But," she countered, "it's getting people involved."
Roughly 3,000 people sent in video questions for the Democratic candidates. CNN and YouTube will reprise the act in mid-September, when they host the Republicans.
No word yet if "Giuliani Girl" will attend.
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Comments
And we continue with the Teen Beatization of the Chicago LIBune. We gonna get more Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie stories?
Posted by: John D | July 24, 2007 8:49 AM
It has come down to this: Pop-culture has jumped in bed with politics. This may be a means of getting more people to vote, especially young people. I'm not a youtube afficianado but if people who don't want to go out of the way to get informed about candidates and issues have their curiosities peaked by the internet/entertainment aspect of the campaigns more people may vote.
Posted by: GW | July 24, 2007 8:59 AM
John D.,
You're absolutely right.
I vote for bringing back Republican hookers, pages & booger sugar stories.
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 24, 2007 10:02 AM
Well Doug, we coould cover Democratic congressman who actually did sleep with male pages, or Barney Frank and his prostitution ring from his condo, or Gary Condit and the missing then dead intern.
Doug, do you think any Democratic congressman's phone number might be on the DC madame's list? Or will the media just out those that are Republican? And will the media make up more stories about Vitter and hookers (he used the DC madame, but the proof in the New Orleans hooker tales seems to have run out of steam)? Will the media continue to camp outside Vitter's house and church?
Posted by: John D | July 24, 2007 10:35 AM
John D.,
SO YOU ADMIT IT!!!
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 24, 2007 10:40 AM
YouTube... I hate it. They both dominate and trivialize the internet.
In principal, I've always loved the democratizing potential of the internet. But sites like YouTube and The Swamp are trenchant arguments against unfettered and unfiltered expression. The intellectually lame, the silly pranksters and the bullies overwhelm anything that's worthwhile.
GW tells us, "..if people who don't want to go out of the way to get informed... have their curiosities peaked by the internet/entertainment aspect of the campaigns more people may vote."
Yeah. And that's a GOOD thing?! What are the votes of these dough heads worth? I don't want that type of moron choosing my leadership. I'd rather they just stayed home on election day.
For YouTube to be involved in a political "debate" (as if these weren't already fluffy enough!) is just sad.
"Teen Beatization" is spot on, John D!
Posted by: [INSERT CLEVER POST NAME HERE] | July 24, 2007 11:57 AM
ICPNH,
In principal this Swampster thinks (as best I can) you make some valid points. But prior to the inetrnet...
Step back a couple of decades. What was the mechanism for John Q. Public to have his voice heard? Letters to the editor? And Jane Q.? She needs to get dinner on the table and otherwise keep her yap shut.
Step back another 50+ years and it was Colonel McCormick who was the king maker in Chicago.
Regarding "stay home on election day." Is an illiterate Golden Rule adherent less worthy than a PHD KKK member?
Who's to say? You? Me? The Government? Who?
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 24, 2007 1:41 PM
The label "You Tube debate' is a phony.
The questions were selected by CNN--known widely as the Clinton News Netork. The format was CNN. The moderator was CNN. And at least one of the questioners was a fraud:
http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/cnn
Yes, the so-called hillbillies are actually a comedy team based in Los Angeles.
Posted by: Bruce | July 24, 2007 1:42 PM
ICPNH,
In principal this Swampster thinks (as best I can) you make some valid points. But prior to the inetrnet...
Step back a couple of decades. What was the mechanism for John Q. Public to have his voice heard? Letters to the editor? And Jane Q.? She needs to get dinner on the table and otherwise keep her yap shut.
Step back another 50+ years and it was Colonel McCormick who was the king maker in Chicago.
Regarding "stay home on election day." Is an illiterate Golden Rule adherent less worthy than a PHD KKK member?
Who's to say? You? Me? The Government? Who?
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 24, 2007 1:56 PM
Doug, I do partially agree with you. The Internet does provide more forums for people to get involved. But like any good thing, there is a bad side to it. It also can be trivializing. There are major issues confronting this nation (regardless of what side one is on and how those problems should be tackled, they are there nonetheless) and questions like "Who was your favorite teacher?" are dumb and ridiculous. A candidate's favorite teacher says nothing about how to handle terrorism, illegal immigration, taxes, health care, whatever.
And with the Internet it also allows a forum for losers like your bud, John E.
Posted by: John D | July 24, 2007 2:41 PM
Doug zook,
I take your point as, I think, you take mine.
Yes, free expression is a good thing and it is indeed freer now. But we have to take the bad with the good and there is a LOT of bad. And as usual the bad shouts down all else. I wouldn't get rid of these electronic forums, but let's not have any illusions about them.
As for staying home on election day: I think it's wrong to twist people's arms to vote if they're not inclined to. There are basically 2 reasons people don't vote:
1) They're lazy and/or stupid and/or uninformed.
2) They're disgusted and disenchanted with the process and/or the choices.
In both cases, we should not chide these people for not voting. It is their right not to, and their not voting is in fact a sociopolitical statement that is worth our attention.
Posted by: [INSERT CLEVER POST NAME HERE] | July 24, 2007 4:28 PM
The questions were the same old, same old. I wish someone would have asked, "If you are elected President, will you form an investigative committee to follow the money trail of those who profited from the Iraq War?" I would have asked the question, but I am not yet technically savvy when it comes to videos. It wouldn't have been picked anyway. Ho hum
Posted by: the truth | July 24, 2007 4:46 PM
I got some great footage of Obama Girl just gazing at Joe Biden talking about Iraq, till her attention span snapped anyway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGSxPS88wXY
Posted by: shelbinator | July 25, 2007 10:55 AM