My Rant On Obama's Website

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My Rant On Obama's Website

First, I had no idea that post would end up at the top of techmeme today. Slow news day I guess.

Second, I am not a tech luddite. I know how to use a computer and a broswer. I have the most updated plugins you can have. The announcement speech video didn't work for me. And a bunch of other people too. Same with MyBarackObama. Here's my profile on MyBarackObama by the way. (shit, don't click on that link, you can't link to a profile on his website. there's no unique url for each member).

Third, I was not attempting some kind of hatchet job on Obama. He's my favorite candidate of the bunch.

The reason I posted it was that I care about the net's impact on or political system. Rightly or wrongly, I see the net as the greatest democratizing force to enter our society in several generations. And I want to see the candidates use the net to its fullest. Obama's campaign couldn't show me his annoucement video yesterday. Their social network pages wouldn't load either. That troubled me.

That's all there is too it.

Chris said I missed the opportunity to post about the speech. Yeah, but I couldn't watch the speech.

Rob doesn't understand why I want the posts I do here to show up on Obama's website. If Obama wants me on his website, then he has to have this blog on his website. It is me.

Jerry says "in fact, the information you provide is demonstrably false and probably something you did to screw up your configuration. All because YOU (as in ME, ME, ME) couldn't get your browser to work."

I forgot what happens when you start blogging about politics. Gotta get thicker skin.

UPDATE: Here is the link to my profile. Thanks Raffy.

Comments (12) | Posted February 11, 2007 in Politics , Venture Capital and Technology

Comments

Wow, I'm stunned.

They completely missed the point of your original post. So ugly.

As an aside I'm not happy with my Dem party if we are going to be down to Obama and Sen Clinton. I love that Obama was against the Iraq war from the start but he's not taking a firm stand on getting out now. Dave Winer has a great post today on the war today about getting out now.

I wish Feingold would run. That guy strikes a chord with me on many issues.

Posted by: bijan | Feb 11, 2007 8:38:49 PM

I don't understand the violent reaction you got. It is just sort of a fact Obama was having serious technical problems yesterday. Having these sorts of problems on the day of your announcements is a serious problem, as it prevented them from fully taking advantage of the traffic influx from the announcement.

Posted by: Todd Zeigler | Feb 11, 2007 8:45:13 PM

Fred, I'm totally with you. Had the same experience on Obama's site. I think Obama needs to get people active and excited FAST if he's going to wake people up and get them to come down off the Hilary ledge.

Posted by: Waldron | Feb 11, 2007 8:56:27 PM

interesting imbroglio on TechCrunch as Obama's social networking site allowed people to use some nasty words, with response from the thin-skinned rookies who created the site...

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/02/11/very-bad-bug-a-barackobamacom/

BTW saw Hillary Friday at Cipriani and she was great. The others are running for VP creds, unless something crazy happens.

Posted by: druce | Feb 11, 2007 9:15:36 PM

A lot of political folks are reading your site now - using you for campaign ideas.

Posted by: Rick | Feb 11, 2007 10:33:19 PM

Hideous url, but is this your profile?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/public/CZQM

Posted by: Raffy | Feb 11, 2007 11:13:09 PM

Fred, can you share some thoughts on why Obama is your favorite?

I'm a Dem, (independently minded, though) and haven't heard enough yet to decide whom I'm supporting for the primary.

I like Obama's charisma, but I don't like his inexperience. You could argue that W. Bush didn't have experience either, but look where that got us.

Pete

Posted by: Pete | Feb 12, 2007 10:18:48 AM

Fred,

Perhaps not directly linked to your "rant", but at least tangentially relevant.

Living in Germany, I can merely watch US politics from afar. Blogging makes it a lot easier for observers like myself to get a real sense of the issues, without the filters of our own media.

Many A list tech bloggers have been vociferous in attacking DRM, DCMA, copyright and most hold some sort of position on patents, good or evil. I'm yet to see any of them challenge the politicians on copyright. With Viacom and Google in a spat over youtube materials, I'd like to see more transparency from the politicians on Intellectual property. It is unlikely that they will volunteer this, but as bloggers and users of youtube, surely it is something the blogging community should be aware of. more here http://theotherthomasotter.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/social-media-politics-copyright-blogswarm-and-activism/

Also if politicians want to gain the upside of social media, they should be prepared for the downside. (apologies to the Clash)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1vwKZiDsY4

Posted by: Thomas Otter | Feb 12, 2007 1:53:16 PM

Fred,

Perhaps not directly linked to your "rant", but at least tangentially relevant.

Living in Germany, I can merely watch US politics from afar. Blogging makes it a lot easier for observers like myself to get a real sense of the issues, without the filters of our own media.

Also if politicians want to gain the upside of social media, they should be prepared for the downside. (apologies to the Clash)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1vwKZiDsY4

Posted by: Thomas Otter | Feb 12, 2007 1:54:10 PM

Wonder what they would have done if you would have had a (gasp!!!) Bush bumper sticker on. Political intolerance is a GIANT problem for our country.

In fact, I think it's a much bigger problem than race-based intolerance (and others), because at least those people are marginalized and rarely influential.

On the other hand, political "screamers" dominate the landscape, encourage a culture of yelling and not listening, and stifle all attempts at credible debate. It simply is not possible to concede a point anymore in politics, and it hurts us all, no matter what side of the political fence we're trying to listen from.

Posted by: Andy | Feb 12, 2007 3:40:40 PM

I don't know what 'they' would have done if Fred had a Bush bumper sticker, but I know I'd have a coronary, and spral into deep depression with nothing to believe in.

(774)

Posted by: jackson | Feb 13, 2007 4:35:06 PM

welcome to politics, blogosmear...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070214/ap_on_el_pr/on_the2008_trail_30

Posted by: phil | Feb 13, 2007 9:37:34 PM

A VC

Musings of a VC in NYC