John McCain and the Republican National Convention merge YouTube with 'American Idol'

This could be the ultimate merger of politics, the Web and entertainment. The Republican National Convention and John McCain's campaign have teamed up to solicit user videos of "someone in your neighborhood who goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve what Sen. McCain calls, 'a cause greater than their own self-interest.'" Then viewers get to vote on the best submission. The winner gets a pass to the convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Of course, the devil is in the details. When you look at the FAQs, the convention staff winnows down the submissions to five finalists, and then they'll open it up to a vote. Kind of like a private primary by the insiders to winnow down the list of acceptable candidates (now, that's democracy). So you can probably write off any chance of a talking snowman making the cut.

Still, the Republicans have generally lagged behind the Democrats in Web innovation. This might catch them up a bit. Meanwhile, we'll be watching for the Paulista backlash. Ron Paul's supporters have proven themselves to be adept at both the Web, and videos. And since they're still fighting for a bigger place at the St. Paul table, you can bet they'll be submitting.

And you can also bet that if they don't make the "final five," they'll be flaming (read any comments section on a blog post about Paul).

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[allison]

Scott - Why isn't your articlce in and of itself flaming when you start marginalize his supporters like you just did?

What you will instead get below is a series of well-thought out arguments by Paul supporters, supporters of the Constitution and Freedom, written below. Indeed, you may get a few strong-willed comments from Freedom Fighters who have your best interests as a free citizen in mind as well.

Every candidate will have its fringe. When you have over a million supporters that is bound to happen. Try bashing Britney Spears or Madonna on their forums and see what you get. Just check out the McCain forums for a laugh and a trip down a warmongering, racist flaming lane.
http://www.johnmccainforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174

[spinnikerca]

Clearly, if Ron Paul supporters don't make up the final five, it will either be due to cheating, or McCain supporters will have to come up with something better than this:

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

[Tominellay]

"...like a private primary by the insiders to winnow down the list of acceptable candidates..." - your words!

Rudy, Romney, and McCain were acceptable to the insiders...the others had a snowman's chance in hell.

I see Ron Paul is still running, though. I'm voting for him.

[TruthIsTreasonComplianceIsPatriotic]

It's too bad the media never really covered Chuck Hagee and McCain's links because that is the only way you can understand John McCain's apparent flip-flopping on foreign intervention over the years. When it comes to Israel he's all for the pre-emptive attack of the muslim neighbors of Israel.

And here is just one of his pastors, Chuck Hagee, calling for pre-emptive nuclear strikes on Iran for Israel. It has nothing to do with protecting America, let's just get that straight and if you want a president that is under the influence of these rapture nutjobs then you'll vote for McCain.

Here's the proof in this very disturbing (and funny) video:

Chuck Hagee and Disciples: Are you looking forward to Armageddon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjMRgT5o-Ig

[Marilyn]

to truthis: the "truth is, it's JOHN Hagee, not CHUCH Hagee.
And to the writer of this ad, most of us Ron Paul supporters wouldn't waste our time making a video for the likes of McCain.

[carl]

there are 20 of us ron supporters to every 1 mccain supporter. well be nice about it when we change the republican party back to the standards of a republic

[GreatGranny]

Why would McCain's handlers
promote such a contest!?!
They know Congressman Ron Paul
is THE PERSON who fits that profile...
Family Man, Veteran, Doctor, Congressman,
NY Times #1 Bestselling Author, Educator,
Defender of our Constitution, American Statesman,
the person who has devoted his whole life
going "above and beyond the call of duty
to serve a cause greater than his own self interest."
McCain knows the Paulists are pros
at creating YouTube videos.
So, they're asking to be deluged...why???
You know...whatever the reason,
all you talented filmmakers in the hood...
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

http://www.revolutionmarch.com
rEVOLution!!!

[John]

McCain is constitutionally ineligible. Didn't anyone see the 200o election? McCaskill, Obama and Clinton sponsored a non binding resolution to declare McCain eligible. Every school child knows to get a change to the Constitution you need an amendment and ratification by 2/3 of the states as described in Article V... This is a Democratic ploy and McCain should do what is right for the country and resign. We need to draft a Conservative preferably with non Neo-con/Likud ideals. Chuck Hagle perhaps... If McCain stays in the Democrats will get their pound of flesh for 2000 in Florida..

[Dr. Kibble]

"Every school child knows to get a change to the Constitution you need an amendment and ratification by 2/3 of the states as described in Article V."

John's earlier post is inaccurate. It takes 2/3 of the votes of Congress to PROPOSE an amendment to the Constitution. It then takes ratification, or approval by means of Convention, of 3/4 of the various states. This is the case provided that no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

[Teflon Ron]

No enthuthiasm for McCain, no creativity,, just more of the same. Ron Paul's supporters out perform even the Democrats who have boatloads of money. Why would McCain shoot himself in the foot like this.

Chuck Hagee
This Catholic remembers.

[shaneinwy]

just like apolitician to try be something they aren't and look stupid doing it. We, the "paulistas", do the web thing ON OUR OWN. That is the entire point. Never did Dr. Paul ask for his "web savvy" support, and I'm quite sure he didn't even want much of what surfaced. This is not something that can be ran from the top down.

Bottom line...John McCain might be the "presumptive nominee", but that doesn't win him the office. Without us "paulistas" (an oxymoron if there ever was one), the Senator is toast. GOP-act right or get smacked right in 08

[Rhys]

Andrew should have wrote this. at least the Anti-Paul insults would have been funny.

[joe]

McCain who? Illegals are us. Mr. Global Warming? McCain Feingold? Keating 5? And we are going broke and I'm going to vote for Mc What's his name. Bob Barr in 2008!

[Buffal Bruce]

The ultimate merger of politics, the Web and entertainment might be Aimee Allen's video, "Aimee Allen's *Unofficial* Ron Paul Revolution Video" as found on YouTube. Senator McCain's campaign could use a dose of Aimee's passion to match his Rothschilld financial support.

[Baba Padmanabhan]

Here's an article from the Angusleader.com this morning:

I'm responding to the disillusioned Republican from a couple weeks ago who was upset about McCain becoming the presumptive nominee. He said for the first time since 1980, he would not be voting in the Republican Primary.

I would like to ask this gentleman to reconsider. Instead of boycotting the primary, vote for Ron Paul against McCain. Paul is the only one left who hasn't sold out and endorsed McCain and is still actively campaigning for as many votes as possible. We still have the option to vote for a true conservative.

McCain received an "F" Rating from the Gun Owners of America, while Ron Paul received an "A+" rating. McCain votes with Teddy Kennedy on every piece of gun control legislation (a worse record than Hillary Clinton), while Paul is actively working to repeal the last 20 years of federal gun control laws.

McCain has a terrible record when it comes to protecting the life of the unborn. He was part of the Democrats filibuster blocking Bush's pro-life judicial appointees, has said in the past that he doesn't want to see Roe v Wade overturned and supported federal funding of stem cell research. Paul is an OB/GYN by trade, who has been fighting against federal funding for abortions and federal mandated abortion rights laws his entire career.

The National Taxpayers Union states that McCain's budget would increase the federal spending by $180 billion dollars. Paul wants to cut spending by at least that much and received the TaxPayers Best Friend award from the NTU again this year. We're already seeing the inflationary effects of too much government spending. A McCain presidency (like a Hillary or Obama one) would only make inflation worse.

A vote for McCain is a vote against the Republican Party's very soul. The Republican Party should not be forced to unify behind a candidate who is just as liberal as the Democrats running.

I urge all Republicans to vote their conscience June 3 instead of blindly voting for McCain. Let the National Republican Party know that South Dakota Republicans do not want a liberal for their nominee.

[DJ]

Heh... is the Axis of Blogging Evil really that inept as to try and fool people with your bandwagon fallacies, again? Plus, can you really blame the US Patriots for passionately fighting against tyranny - which happened to give Top of the Ticket a chance with Andrew's sweet deceptive platitudes? Last time I checked, most of this so-called "flaming" by the average Ron Paul supporter were defending against subtle smears by your ilk. So, is it not right to point out the yellow journalism that this Agitprop clone has perpetrated and continues to perpetuate?

I suppose you have to feed your families somehow, cause honesty and integrity apparently doesn't put the food on the table at the LAT. It's all about sensationalism, slanderous catch phrases, and backhanded soundbites here, right or wrong. Who cares about America when you can make a quick buck, right? As Allison accurately points out, we'll fight for your rights to act in this disrespectful manner. Doesn't mean we have to subject ourselves to this level of ignorance either.

To paraphrase Samuel Adams, "If you love web hits more than liberty, the tranquility of mindless parroting and servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace."