McCain

[Obryn]

If McCain says something about D&D, it's news. If some low-level campaign staffer does, it's not. The latter is what actually happened.

It's news if a campaign staffer posted it on the official campaign website, which is exactly what happened. What's more, it's not the first D&D basement-dwelling troglodyte comment the campaign has made in the past few weeks. (The first time was while talking about political bloggers.)

There's nothing partisan about it. I'd find it interesting if Obama or one of his staffers called D&D players basement-dwelling nerds, too.

-O

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

A quick Google search indicates he's been a Deputy Communications Director of the McCain campaign, whatever that means, since early June.

I bow to your superior Google-fu.

I didn't find that under a simple search of his name. Only once I added the phrase Deputy Communications Director did I find links supporting that.

Nevertheless, the news article headline should attribute the article to "Michael Goldfarb" not "McCain Staffer." As the only reason you would use McCain's name is if you are trying to attribute the opinion to McCain himself. A common and effective media tool used to assign beliefs to a person who has not given any indication that they would hold such an opinion.

 

[jaerdaph]

I have no attachments to McCain, but at least be fair when attacking someone's integrity.

That's why I promise to soundly thrash the first person I see in a "John McCain Killed Gary" t-shirt.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

It's news if a campaign staffer posted it on the official campaign website, which is exactly what happened. What's more, it's not the first D&D basement-dwelling troglodyte comment the campaign has made in the past few weeks. (The first time was while talking about political bloggers.)

You speak about "the campaign" as if they were a collective hive-mind. Individuals tied to the campaign have their own opinions. Unless McCain himself started using the D&D analogy is his press conferences and debates, I for one would not jump to the assumption that he holds the same opinion with every person on his campaign staff.

As much as I'd love to believe that every politician is a Monty-Pythonesque twit, I know that they are actually intelligent individuals and no matter how much the media tries to tell me that all Republicans and Democrats are one and the same person, I know that their opinions vary and would prefer to give each the benefit of the doubt until the show otherwise.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

That's why I promise to soundly thrash the first person I see in a "John McCain Killed Gary" t-shirt.

I think there might have been an "incident" if I had attended GenCon this year and saw some disrespectful moron wearing one of those "4E killed Gary" t-shirts. Pathetic!

 

[Obryn]

You speak about "the campaign" as if they were a collective hive-mind. Individuals tied to the campaign have their own opinions. Unless McCain himself started using the D&D analogy is his press conferences and debates, I for one would not jump to the assumption that he holds the same opinion with every person on his campaign staff.

No, and I don't think anyone's stating that McCain hates gamers. The issue isn't what McCain himself thinks or doesn't think; it's about what a member of his staff put on the official campaign website - that, basically, denigrates gamers as pasty nerds, still living in their moms' basements.

I think it's a given that statements from campaign staffers on a campaign's official website are, in part, the candidate's responsibility. The campaign website is for press releases, not simple blogs; they're the bread and butter that moves politics, shapes opinion, and tries to position the candidate in as favorable a light as possible.

It's insulting any way you cut it.

-O

 

[DM_Matt]

It's news if a campaign staffer posted it on the official campaign website, which is exactly what happened. What's more, it's not the first D&D basement-dwelling troglodyte comment the campaign has made in the past few weeks. (The first time was while talking about political bloggers.)

FYI, that was Goldfarb too. He seems to have issues with gamers.

 

[blargney the second]

FYI, that was Goldfarb too. He seems to have issues with gamers.

You know what they say about gamophobes...

 

[Morrus]

Just got this email:

I realize I have run amok of the D&D community, and in fact this is not the first time--though the response has been far more severe in this latest instance.

I would be grateful if you would direct your readers to my apology which can be seen here:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Goldfarb_keeps_experience_points.html?showall

It was never my intention to offend the decent and patriotic Americans of the gaming community, and I deeply regret that I have done so.

Sincerely,
Mike Goldfarb
Deputy Director of Communications
McCain 2008

At a guess, I'd say they have someone trawling for references to the comment and sending out links to the apology. I'll stick that link up today when I've woken up.

 

[Obryn]

At a guess, I'd say they have someone trawling for references to the comment and sending out links to the apology. I'll stick that link up today when I've woken up.

According to that link, he apologized August 1st or so - for previous similar comments.

So lemme see if I get this straight.

Step 1: Say something wacky.

Step 2: Apologize for said wackiness.

Step 3: Repeat that same wacky thing, and refer people to the previous apology when there's an uproar.


-O