I just couldn't resist because this gave me such a laugh last night when I saw it as a friend's Myspace default picture. No disrespect to any McCain supporters of course, but I thought it was hilarious and an example of the power of technology, appropriation, and mass media.

I can't help but think of the role that the media, specifically new media, such as the blogosphere, graphic arts, Myspace, Facebook and others have played throughout this election. All the stops were pulled out and people took up computers, printing presses, t-shirt shops and good ole' fashion pen, paper and creativity and got involved deeper than any other election, I believe, thus far. I damn sure don't remember ever seeing a Bush or Gore t-shirt. I know that this election has forever shaped the careers of some journalists and has begun the careers of others. Once again, I have been empowered. Although the media has participated in its own nasty politics with its magazine covers and its sound bites, we can't deny the fact that the media, as a collective, helped to make these candidates a part of our daily lives... a part of our families. Some of us have lived, eaten and slept this election since day one because the significance was realized early on and others have tried, unsuccessfully, to run away from it. To be as least involved as possible. But with a multitude of blogs, bumper stickers, t-shirts, buttons and everything else we could possibly think of... including 7-11 Icy cups, technology as a tool, worked to keep our eyes wide open. I mean, did anyone notice the use of holograms on CNN? That was bananas, for lack of a better word.

If you are a lover of technology, you better keep your eyes open for all of the up coming work that I am sure will be produced on the use of new media during this election. I guess we can say that the Obama camp must have had a lot of techies because they were the only ones to put money toward and use affectively unconventional and untraditional campaigning tools. From the t-shirts to the Obama campaign ads inside of the video games, no community was out of reach. Bravo to a historic event and a historic and powerfully affective use of technology.