Telling black parents to ‘turn off the Xbox’ after placing campaign ads in Xbox games
President Obama told the NAACP that black parents need to turn off the Xbox, while during his campaign he advertised in the Xbox game "Burnout Paradise."
During his speech to the NAACP at the organization’s 100th anniversary convention, President Obama called on black parents to take a more active role in their children’s lives. The message, overall, was a good one.
But the president said parents need to turn off video games, a tool he used during his campaign to reach young voters.
From the New York Times:
President Obama delivered a fiery sermon to black America on Thursday night, warning black parents that they must accept their own responsibilities by “putting away the Xbox and putting our kids to bed at a reasonable hour,” and telling black children that growing up poor is no reason to get bad grades.
Back in October 2008, the president’s campaign placed billboard ads in the Xbox game “Burnout Paradise.”
From Wired:
In its eternal quest to capture the youth vote, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has taken to the streets of Burnout Paradise, filling the game with billboards promoting the presidential hopeful.
“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” Holly Rockwood, Electronic Arts’ director of corporate communications, told virtual world fixture Wagner James Au.
Sources:
New York Times, July 16, 2009
Obama Gives Fiery Address at N.A.A.C.P.
The Washington Post, July 17, 2009
Obama Speaks Of Blacks’ Struggle
The White House, July 17, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE NAACP CENTENNIAL CONVENTION
Deceiver.com, July 17, 2009
Obama Wants to Prevent Burnouts. Sometimes.
Wired, Oct. 14, 2008
Obama Campaign Hits Burnout Paradise
GigaOm, Oct. 13, 2008
