I almost thought of not posting anything about the election, figuring what could I possibly say that hasn’t been said by the national news media 4 billion times. However, every time I turned on the news I never heard the most compelling story of the entire campaign. The fact that I was right.

Now I’m just kidding, this post isn’t about how I made Obama my guy back in 2005 and how I posted (link) about him running for president in January, 2006. It is about the fact that the American people finally got up off the couch and elected an intelligent man who has managed to rise above all the political nonsense that we have been subjected to for the past 14 years.

I’ll admit I had my doubts about Obama around October-Novemeber of 2007. He was flailing around trying to figure out a consistent message to present, and had been doing pretty badly in the huge snow white and the seven dwarfs* style debates. But then one Saturday afternoon I tuned into a town hall meeting with Obama hosted by MTV and a bunch of college kids. I’d been upset with Obama and frustrated with his response to questions and not presenting himself as the smart, quick witted guy I knew him to be from his podcasts, speeches and books.

He then proceeded to remind me why he was my guy. He spoke honestly, he spoke with authority, and when necessary he spoke in an educational tone that reflected the intelligence of his audience. The fact that he managed to get his point across without treating his audience like a bunch of idiots jump started the audience and you could tell he was hitting his stride in terms of policy and its presentation.

You can watch the whole thing on the poorly implemented MTV website here on mtv.com.

It was this moment specifically, as I chilled out on the couch probably snacking on something, that I was shown that this guy was going to stand up and take the Presidency from all the candidates that felt it was “their turn” to win. For me he did so that weekend and never looked back. He did it all, I feel with this quote from the end of the discussion. It is what I feel truly defined his campaign. Not his race, or name, or family, or upbringing, or education, or friends, or religious beliefs. It was this simple statement that ‘I want people to be for something.’ That was an idea that I don’t think the American people has truly heard since Kennedy. And history has now proven that they were ready to hear it. Here is the rest of the quote.

“I’m not interested in just rallying people around being against something, whether its George Bush or one of my opponents. I want people to be for something. I want, especially young people, to feel that at the end of the day, we still have the capacity to rally around the country. That were not just a collection of red states and blue states, or politics is this petty partisan trivialized business. I want people to feel that, you know what, we’ve got some big problems and you guys are part of the solution. You can make a difference.” – Sen. Barack Obama, Oct. 29 2007

Now I can’t wait for January ’09 when I can enjoy another January of relishing my Obama fanhood.

*Reference to the West Wing tv show.

I live in the blue-est county of a very red state. I’m not really one for those distinctions, but put it this way, we elect a democratic congressman year in and year out while the state is decidedly republican. Now that’s all fine and good, to each his own, but whenever I vote it feels very shallow as I am very aware that my vote for president or congressman does little to alter national politics. I am always drowned out by my local compatriots on the left and the greater Kansan population on the right when it comes to electoral votes. And while I always make it a point to get out and vote, I mean, I live across the street from my polling place, it feels like I am just going through the motions.

Cut to this Tuesday. Kansas is caucasing as part of the super (duper!) Tuesday dance party, and it is NOT a winner take all contest. Meaning that every single person who shows up to caucus is going to have their presence count for something in the greater democratic primary election. Needless to say that very much excites me.

I’ve ranted to raved about Obama since 2005, and he is very much a candidate that I’m passionate about and subscribe to his vision of America. I also enjoy feeling inspired by the words of a politician something I had never experience before, short of Aaron Sorkin’s fictional White House.

So check out this video set to the words of Obama’s “Yes We Can” speech, and tell me that it doesn’t inspire you to believe in a world where this man can become President of the United States of America.

Click here to find information on caucsing this Tuesday in Kansas.

p.s. Check out Herbie Hancock on the piano!

“We’ve got a phenomenal customer base, they show their friends and their friends get jealous.” -Steve Jobs

I can’t count the number of jealous friends and family I have converted. :)

Via: Engadget

“The recent arrests that are fellow citizens are now learning about are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with ISLAMIC FASCISTS (emphasis mine) who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom.” -President George W. Bush

Definition of a Fascist:

An advocate or adherent of fascism.

Definition of Fascism:

A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

While this may sound like your average terrorist Mr. President, you are missing a key ingredient that separates them from the pack. Religious Fanaticism. So, while I’m sure you meant to say “Islamic Fundamentalists,” I’m getting more than a little tired of my President consistently sounding like an idiot.

Now what time is the Daily Show on tonight??? This should all make for some good satire.

Via: Meghann Marco, Dictionary.com and CNN.

p.s. Whenever quoting the President I have absolutely no idea where to put a comma or ellipses. Then again, I never know when to do it period.

However, I think that this particular piece of commentary about advertising and innovation is a more than a little inaccurate and is nothing more than a pot shot at the industry. The following is a quote from his post:

“I’m fond of saying, when people in the advertising business ask me where my disaffection with that industry comes from, I tell them to do the math:

The Cuetrain [sic] wasn’t written by a Leo Burnett employee.
Movable Type wasn’t invented by McCann’s.
RSS wasn’t invented by JWT.
Robert Scoble doesn’t work for Fallon.
Techmeme wasn’t invented by Saatchi’s.

Advertising people are supposed to be in “the idea business”. But none of the ideas that have excited me in the last 5 years or so have come from Madison Avenue. Not one. Zero. Zilch. Nada.” -Hugh Macleod

I agree that there is a lot of hubris in the ad industry as a whole, and the term “creative” as a job title is more than a little off kilter. However, this sort of egoism is required when on a daily basis 1 out of your 1000 ideas is able to take hold and really accomplish something for your client and agency. Advertising people are still in the “idea business,” just not the ideas that MacLeod is interested in.

In response to MacLeod’s list of grievances with the industry I offer up my own list.

Let me preface this with the fact that I’m not a current marketing/advertising practitioner, but I have a degree in it and a large number of my friends are down in the trenches of the industry. I instead make educational software, it is much less stressful. :) Let me start by saying that I can’t argue with his first point in regards to The Cluetrain Manifesto as it is a great book and continues to be the gold standard, even 6 years after it was published. However, let me move on the points with which I disagree on.

Movable Type wasn’t invented by McCann’s. RSS wasn’t invented by JWT.

In regards to his second and third point, that Movable Type and RSS weren’t invented by the ad industry all I can respond with is that television, radio and magazines weren’t created by advertising professionals either but rather, where mediums with which to tell their clients stories….they were developed and invented by technologists, exactly how Movable Type and RSS came about.

Robert Scoble doesn’t work for Fallon.

As much as I love Scoble he only has credibility in the technology sector so why should he work for Fallon as they aren’t attempting to influence anyone in the tech industry? How would Scoble be able to help Fallon with one of their clients like Brawny? Not sure.

Techmeme wasn’t invented by Saatchi’s.

Next up on the list is techmeme giving publicity to writers/bloggers, which is what Saatchi‘s does in the “real” world. This really isn’t a valid argument as Saatchi’s isn’t trying to influence the insular blogosphere which is what techmeme is currently syndicating. If somehow the PR world got turned upside-down with agents and casting directors subscribing to RSS feeds then there would be a legitimate grip…but for right now the argument is null and void. Why would an actor in New York want a write up in some technology based blog in Montana which could then be re-syndicated by techmeme? I don’t know…do you?

I would also like to discuss the quote that sparked this post by MacLeod in which Doc Searls states:

Whatever marketing becomes will start, I believe, as a technology trend.

I completely agree but what Doc said is nothing new as TV, Radio, the Telephone and the Printing Press where definitely not invented by marketers, but rather by technologists. As much as I love a lot of people in the Ad industry they are not gods, just people trying to solve problems for their individual clients and using various mediums to do so.

I agree that there are parts of the ad industry that are stagnant and a lot of people who are still clinging to the old ways of doing things, however there are plenty of people (link, link, link, link, link and link–my old roommate works for that last one) really thinking and I can only hope that some of the reasons MacLeod is fed up with the advertising can be remedied as the next wave of marketing online comes about.

One cannot look towards Advertising to come up with the next big-technological-thing, however you can look for them to create one killer way of apply that technology to delivering messages and telling stories for their clients.

p.s. Sorry for such a long post but while I don’t drink all the kool-aid the agencies put out there, I do feel the need to defend some of my friends from KU as they are hard working ad/pr people, fighting to promote their brands.

“There’s only one rule: The guy who trains the hardest, the most, wins. Period. Because you won’t die. Even though you feel like you’ll die, you don’t actually die. Like when you’re training, you can always do one more. Always. As tired as you might think you are, you can always, always do one more.” -Floyd Landis

Who can’t appropriate that quote to his/her very own passions…playing a musical instrument, learning new skills/tools, marketing, writing, editing, reading and biking? I love it.

Read the article. Via: kottke.

Update: Maybe I spoke to soon in regards to praising Landis. It appears one of his urine samples has tested positive for high levels of testosterone. Bummer. It seems like we can never really have a sports hero that isn’t tarnished somehow. If it is confirmed that his second sample is positive then this post might have to change a bit. Check out the article on MSNBC.

“On my blog, I’m backing up the only part of me that can be backed up. Once I’m gone that’s what will be left is my data, that’s it.” -Lisa Williams, Bloggercon 2006 Emotional Life Session.

To put the quote in a little bit of context, I feel that she is saying that her “data” is all of the thoughts, feelings, photos, impressions, ideas and personality that she pours into her blog and that it is one of the few tangible things that will remain after you, or Lisa, or myself are gone. That is a very powerful, and empowering thing to me.

I’d love to hear your comments as to how you feel about blogging and why you do, or do not, blog. If you don’t, and you’d like to start you can begin backing up yourself for free here, or my preferred solution…hosting your own weblog with this.

Let us know if you start one so we can all join in the fun.

Update: Long time friend of the site, Jim Di Gioia, has weighed in with his thoughts in the comments and his site with the immortal phrase “blog to be infinite”. Great stuff Jim!

Update 2: Lennea has chimed in with her personal take on what blogging is. Check out the comments to read more, or to post your own thoughts!

As previously stated, I’m very much in favor of net neutrality if for no other reason than that I don’t think the ISPs should be payed twice. Once for delivering me access to content via the Interwebs and a second time by the content creators (such as Google, Amazon, Rocketboom etc..) in return for not slowing down access to their site. Anyway, I could go into this for hours, but lets get to the real meat of the post, the letter from Roberts.

June 19, 2006

Dear Mr. Kappenman:

Thank you for writing me regarding the issue of net neutrality. I appreciate your taking the time to write.

The past century saw great changes in technology, bringing with it new or improved means of communications. These technological changes create an ever-shrinking world. However, they have also created new challenges in oversight. Congress has repeatedly updated telecommunications laws as new trends emerge. The most recent reorganization of telecommunications regulations came with the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Since 1996, we have experienced additional changes and challenges in the telecommunications industry. Congress recognizes these changes and has begun debating how to best alter current law to further promote competition, spur investment in infrastructure and stimulate technological advances.

I understand your concerns about net neutrality. This is an important topic of debate as Congress continues to consider numerous proposals to update our telecommunications laws. The Senate Commerce Committee is currently debating S. 2686, the Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act introduced by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). This legislation was introduced earlier this year and would make it easier for phone companies to compete with cable companies in the video market. Included in the bill is a provision that would direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct an annual study on the issue of net neutrality, and if it finds problems, to make recommendations to Congress about what authority they need to address the issue. S. 2686 awaits further action by the Senate Commerce Committee.

As the debate surrounding renewal of the telecommunications laws continues, I will be sure to keep your comments in mind. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I look forward to your continued advice and counsel.

With every best wish,

Sincerely,

Pat Roberts

Normally I wouldn’t quote the entirety of something like this, but rather pull out the juicy quotes and then link you to a full piece of content…however I can’t seem to find any piece of substantive information about the issue at hand or Sen. Roberts position. Instead I get hit with a bunch of facts about how Congress is “looking” into the issue as well as what some Senator from Arkansas is saying. That’s not why I emailed you Senator Roberts. I emailed you to voice my concerns and then to hear what you have to say about the issue. Instead I got a what is either a terribly crafted PR response or the Senators own reply which doesn’t speak to well about the transparency of my elected representative.

Learn what you can do to Save the Internet and contract your hopefully more helpful Senators and Congressman/woman.

p.s. Lennea has a great rant about our other Senator from Kansas. Sometimes I feel like we are in a loose/loose Senator situation here. Oh and check out Mike’s great photo, it is equally as applicable.

“I’ve got a bill, along with others, saying, look, make every single automobile company—by the year 2008 or 9, depending on which one you pick—have flex-fuel automobiles. Make every gas station in America have to have a flex-fuel pump. That would fundamentally begin to alter importation.

But no one wants to offend anybody. We don’t want to offend the oil companies. We don’t want to offend the auto workers. We don’t want to offend anybody. And what are we going to do? Because we don’t want to make any hard decisions, let’s go talk about gay marriage. I think it’s ridiculous.” -Sen. Joe Biden

I’ll admit that I don’t know enough about Sen. Biden to make an informed decision about him, but I sure do like this quote. You can’t tell me that the sudden appearance of a gay marriage amendment, and a flag burning amendment from out of nowhere is anything more than a political smokescreen for Bush, as well as a gift served up to his base for the midterms.

Also, Sen. Biden’s idea about offending people to allow for progress isn’t a something that people should just apply to politics, but also to business, marketing and advertising. Sometimes you have to go out on a limb and offend somebody…if only to wake up everyone else.

Check the Meet the Press Podcast and Transcript.

“I am a strong supporter of the First Amendment, Forth Amendment and Civil Liberties, but you have no Civil Liberties if you’re dead.” -Senator Pat Roberts, KS

Contrast that with:

“Give me liberty, or give me death.” -Patrick Henry

I sure am proud to have Senator Roberts as my elected representative. ;)

Here is a link to the NPR Story.

Update: Great minds think alike.