Kotaku looked at presidential campaign donations for nine companies from January of 2007 through the end of July, 2008. The companies included were Activision, Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Take-Two, THQ, Ubisoft and Valve.

The database showed that the nine companies donated a total of about $97,800 to ten candidates, about $61,000 of which went to democratic candidates, while about $36,700 went to republican candidates.

The company with the largest contributions to campaigns was Electronic Arts, followed by Activision and then Valve. The company with the smallest amount of donations was Take-Two. Hit the jump for an avalanche of colorful pie charts and one, single, lonely bar graph.

ACTIVISION

BLIZZARD

ELECTRONIC ARTS

NINTENDO

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT OF AMERICA

TAKE-TWO

THQ

UBISOFT

VALVE

I'm trying to make allegories between their fighting traits and campaign positions but to be honest, haven't followed things that closely. I do think the choice of weapons is rather adroit. Do you want your president to be some dancing elitist who prefers foreign fightin' styles with sticks, or a guy with good-ole cornfed brute strength enough to pound his enemies with a massive phallic object?

As one commenter on GamePolitics aptly pointed out: Thank God Hillary did not get the nomination. I'll let you think on it for a second.

McCain vs Obama — FIGHT! [PC World, via Gamepolitics]

Yesterday, the very same thing happened. I was "lunching" with a "colleague" from my AP days, she works for CNN now, and of course she mentioned the John McCain Facebook app "Pork Invaders." In it, you maneuver your Campaign Yard Sign back and forth, firing off vetoes at the flying pigs who spend taxpayers' money and hurl heathen inverted crosses at you (it's the subtle imagery that appeals to the conservative Christian base). Complete a level and get a fun fact about the candidate. And a perpetual come-on to sign up for another Facebook app. God, I love it when with-it parents try to get hip with the kids. How is this not a top 20 app?!

Well since we're using Space Invader metaphorics for campaign issues, I've got a few questions: How do you win against this relentless pig insurgency? How exactly is victory defined, and logically, doesn't the present policy require an indefinite, if not permanent, military presence holding back the porkers? If we say we're defeating the pork invaders, then say we'll lose if we quit, how is victory possible?

Also, notice there is no sound in "Pork Invaders." Probably because, after campaigning to Call of Duty tunes, McCain learned his lesson and didn't want to piss off the Taito composer who arranged the original Space Invaders theme.

Pork Invaders [Facebook, via Joystiq and numerous others]

Very inspiring, one supposes? The plot thickens, though, when you learn that the music's composer, Christopher Lennertz, is one hundred percent Team Obama.

Lennertz told GamePolitics that there was just a mix-up over rights, and nothing illegal took place. But how does he feel about having his creation used to support a candidate he opposes? Hit the jump for his comment:

I have been receiving many emails and calls for the past week regarding the use of my music in a national television ad for John McCain's presidential campaign. The ad is called "Safe" and prominently features a track entitled "Casualties of War" that I wrote for Medal of Honor: European Assault. While I do not control the ownership of this piece, I am extremely disappointed its placement in this commercial. I did not authorize the use and was not made aware of the situation. Regardless of party affiliation of support, I would like to think that someone who believes in the American ideals of business and creativity like Sen. McCain supposedly does, would not want to disgrace or inflict any hardship or ill-will on the artists who create in this country by using their works to promote products and agendas which with they disagree.

As an American, I have the utmost respect and admiration for our troops and all of their sacrifices. In fact, much of the inspiration for my music in this piece came from having a grandfather who served this country honorably as an officer in World War II. I respect John McCain for his service to this country, both in the military and in Washington, but I do not and have never supported his candidacy nor his agenda for this country. I am dismayed that my music has been used to promote his platform and even more disappointed that a candidate who claims to be the best voice for American entrepreneurs and business owners in this troubled economy so flagrantly ignored the most basic values and tenents of copyright and intellectual property...

As an artist, business owner, and patriot, I proudly support Senator Barack Obama for the Presidency of the United States of America...

Medal of Honor Music Used in McCain Campaign Ad, But Composer is an Obama Supporter [GamePolitics]