True. And there's also the fact that George Bush's anus isn't as spit-shiny clean as it could be. McCain's too busy doing that job to respond to any silly surveys.

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

Spartan1308™

Pheonix2og

GonePostal77

ThisCharmingMan

Ask any parent if they think it is a good idea to allow their child to have unsupervised voice chat with adult strangers over a computer. They will look at you with horror and ask what kind of idiot you take them for.

Then ask them if they allow their child to have unsupervised voice chat with adult strangers over a video game console.

DOH!

robinandtami

dMasterDyne

Overall, I don't expect any of them to come close to a) knowing anything about video games or b) having a logical stance on "what to do" about them.

The Gorgon's Gaze

Good point. Fact is he didn't reply, so stop assuming his position.

WhoreofSpamylon

torched

hansamurai

Only Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, Senator Barack Obama, Former Governor Mitt Romney and Governor Bill Richardson answered the questions in time for the deadline.

Can someone ban their asses, please?

beeporama (brian.j.parker)

Foxdie

llllDrGONZOllll

Then again, why should he follow up on every frickin' questionnaire that passes his desk? There's more important things to do...like win the primary.

boopadoo

"I don't need to ask to know what Ron Paul's answer would be, and that one's my favorite."

While Ron Paul would be one of the most reluctant to advocate "federal" legislation on this matter, you may be surprised at what state legislation he would condone on the basis of "state's right."

Not that state's rights don't have a place, it is just that one has to remember that Jim Crow laws flourished in the south because of the lack of federal jurisdiction on the issue, and Dixiecrats (not in any way affiliated to today's mainstream Democratic Party) made the "state's right" case when arguing in favor of Jim Crow.

WhoreofSpamylon

TheIrishNinja

Oh, it wouldn't be a problem if he talked when everyone else did. Except, ya know, he doesn't. Dude is like that kid that shows up ready to play basketball when everyone else is getting ready to go home because they've been there for the last two hours. He hasn't really said anything memorable in any of the "debates" and hasn't really don't anything to push himself out there and make any grounds. Dude's polls had a spike up when he entered and then has gradually declined. Unless he suddenly starts actually projecting his presence, he's gone after the first two primaries.

Nikolii

Romney though, geez. At first I had a positive impression of him, but now it's like he's trying to make himself as unappealing a candidate as possible to me personally.

Jawajoey

Zetah

you can keep romney, but hey, that other guy's fit to talk about soldiers, cause i says so.
also, who cares if politicians are/magically aren't "adulterers"? i'm electing a president, not a moral leader.

TheIrishNinja

Or how about the other way around? How many of us have seen, at a Wal-Mart or GameStop, or seen while working at a Wal-Mart or Gamestop, some old or not-even-that-old codger trying to pick up GTA for little Billy because A) he/she is too ignorant/pretending to be too ignorant to use common sense/read the rating on the FRONT of the box and make the right desicion, or B) despite the clerk's warnings, he/she feels his/her youngster can "handle it."

You know what? I wish Schwarzenegger was in on this. His logic hole was easy: we should outlaw selling M-rated games to minors, yet any kid can waltz on down to Blockbuster and rent a little movie called Total Recall, no questions asked.

@quail64: If you trust Richardson, you're obviously not from New Mexico. 100% crook.

king_e_dawg

It is because Zul says he has too many unpaid parking tickets.

sluggo

This has to be the first time I have ever agreed with you.

WhoreofSpamylon

"At this point, id personally like Obama vs Huckabee, but pretty much anyone but Romney would be alright by me."

Check on Rudy's foreign policy panel and I think you could confidently add another name to the "anyone but" list.

WhoreofSpamylon

Zetah

Sorry, I just do not like the guy. Especially his stance on immigration.

But, to clarify (and potentially cover my ass), there isn't a candidate who I really DO like right now. Tancredo is the easiest to make fun of because of how out there I find him and his ideas.

(And, for reference, I am a middle-leaning middle-winger who entertains violent spasms of nausea at both the far right and far left.)

Johnny_Under

Tisteldun

I'm sure he's about to write that document, as soon as he gets around to it... Zing!

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

Zetah

...he's either a complete economic ignoramus or he's batshit insane. Either way, the mere fact that he's ridiculous enough to support a gold standard means he isn't qualified for the job of president.

Oh, and all of his talk about the federal government is amusing as well.
He doesn't seem to understand that a federal government is crucial when international travel, trade, and communications infastructure is involved.

If we returned to the "good old days" of limited government, our economy would collapse because we'd be out-competed and outclassed by almost every industrialized nation.

Sparkamus

I knew I couldn't be the only one who listens to Stephanie Miller here!

Monsieur Fap★Fap!

Zetah

Zetah

Bill didn't embezzle public funds to pay for weekend retreats with his mistress in the Hamptons. That's why its ok compared to that scumbag from NY.

I left out that Thompson is indecisive to the point that he staggered around like a corpse for months deciding if he wanted to bother with the primary and really hasn't made much of an impression on anyone but the starfucking cult that likes him because "He's that guy from Law and Order." Politically, he's more than qualified. I don't think he's electible because he doesn't project that Presidential aura (if that makes any sense). He comes off as too slow to say something or make a move, and he's really lost in the mix. If he made it out to the main race, he'd likely pull a Dole (hence the Bob Dole part).

Nikolii

kyosen

Obama's whole tech platform sounds interesting...I doubt he'll really make his executive minutes available on some type of gov.wiki thing like he says he will, but even just trying to make government more open and proactive (as opposed to secretive and reactive like we have now) is better than doing nothing at all. I expect that nothing of any substance will come from these positions on games, as the industry continues to grow in size it is becoming clear it has the funds necessary to "take care of itself" in Washington regardless of who is in power.

@Spartan1308: Heh, I wonder if Fred Thompson understands half of what he is being asked sometimes ;)

DaiMacculate

Zetah

..At least I have a hunch on how Mitt Romney spent his (probably very polygamous with ) honeymoon*..

*Thesis based on other "would-be-do-gooders" professing one thing, and doing the opposite. (Hint: Catholic Priests with Choir boys and GOP Senator Larry Craig's "BathroomGate")

I'm convinced that people like Lieberman and Romney have plenty of skeletons, so they find "red herring" arguements, like video games to hide them.

I can find things far more pornographic than video games and what's on television, Like some of the returning troop's wounds, the high amount of PTSD, etc. Shame that the candidates aren't spending enough time on what is TRULY appauling..

Soldier_CLE

torched

GamerBunny

They are politicians, everything they say is for a political reason and they all have their agendas.

Zetah

You forgot to mention Hillary has no fucking place in a presidential election as she has done, what? NOTHING. Nothing more than pillowtalk with her hubby.
BTW, why is adultery acceptable just because he's Bill Clinton?

ITT: Lots of 14 year olds dishing out big words like neo-con thinking they knows sum polataks.

Zetah

Romney is a jackass. I don't think he's given a right answer yet. And no, I don't think he's electable because his base (at least the crazy part of the Religious Right) aren't going to show up for a Mormon.

Ron Paul is the Republican Kucinick.

Huckabee frightens the piss out of me.

Thompson reminds me of what would happen if Bob Dole had a lovechild with Herman Munster.

Guiliani is a scumbucket.

McCain won't win his own party, but is arguably the best choice (much like in 2000).

Hillary has no solid position on anything, ranging from baseball to the War in Iraq and everything in between.

I don't mind Edwards, met him once when he was building houses in Katrinaland. Seems nice, but not sure if he'll get attention.

IMO, Obama jumped the gun in running for president, though I like him. It helps because he doesn't have a record, and it hurts because he doesn't have a record. And nothing will terrify white America more than a black guy with a progressive platform.

Richardson might be a good VP.

Biden? Missed his window.

Candidates are going to sound off on media violence because it's an issue and will remain an issue. At least everyone but Romney has a passible canned answer. And not shocked that Republicans are coming out as all for banning it. That's what you get for abandoning classical conservatism for this neo-con garbage that's designed to pander to the religious right and moral conservatives.

Nikolii

Zetah

Um, you just described ALL politicians. ;)

kyosen

Zetah

Yes I've been drinking and I love spellcheck.

Zetah

kyosen

Aresef

CalcioFool

Trov

Bob6k

justhesh

Romney is also giving his usual type of response that panders to the religious right. He's a one trick pony, and is basing most of his campaign on giving this sort of response to everything and trying to make this kind of non-issue the focus.

What do I think SHOULD be said? The following; We won't do anything, because nothing needs to be done. There's no mass epidemic of kids buying evil games that cause them to be corrupted, and this is a complete non-issue that is only ever brought up by "culture warriors" with an ax to grind, or opportunists looking to make a name for themselves and appeal to various right leaning constituents.

I would imagine that a good deal of parents don't monitor their kids media habits, OR raise a fuss over this, since most are probably level headed enough not to see it as the epic problem that the politicians make it out to be, and this is another one of those things where politicians are simply seeking to create controversy where there is none.

It's similar to the Janet Jackson Wardrobe Malfunction, as the FCC apparently reported that the majority of calls and emails they received complaining about it came not from a wide demographic across the nation, but one small group using mass emailings and other less than legit means to make it look like they were bigger than they were. Thats how almost ALL of these media-bashing things get started.

Look at Jack Thompson! Is he the forefront of a large unified social movement? No, he's just a lone crank with some support among a small but vocal political minority obsessed with censorship.

But telling people anything this blunt would never play, since voters want to be pandered too, and elections are their big chance to pretend to be concerned with all sorts of things they usually never give a second thought too.

I've met a decent amount of people in my life, and I haven't met many who sit around and fret over some phantom onslaught of media trying to destroy their kids, like these politicians make them out to be.

KamatariSeta

bluesquareapple

I was wondering why you were such a big supporter of Thompson. He does "nothing" better than the dead.

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

Fortunately, we can determine what politicians' policies will be based purely on their party labels and our minimal understanding of what they mean.

Rather than on, you know, what they actually say and do.

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

ah the joys of growing up a mormon, the crazy old days :)

giant_historical_crabs

HAL9triple0

Unfortunately, the largest cuts a Ron Paul presidency will see will be in science, education, rural and urban development projects, and foreign aid, despite those -- combined, even -- making up a small fraction of spending compared to, say, the military.

The president doesn't have the power to entirely dismantle government or to do much to directly affect taxes. We'd likely see a substantially less effectual government under Ron Paul without seeing substantially lower taxes. For some people, that's all they want, but many Dr. Paul supporters seem to think that everything they dislike about government will go away while everything they take for granted will stay.

emag

Darthvinder

Pity I'm not a US Citizen.

markusdragon

torched

Seven Is Darker

emag

anthrax_man

My vote would go to Ron Paul. He's all for lesser federal government and against governing over people's personal responsibilities. Google him.

kirstpo

Katorok

PogiJones

And for supporters of Huckabee, conservative talk shows have been praising him but they explain that he will never be able to beat Clinton or Obama if it came down to them. Especially if they have to debate. They also say that the liberal media knows this and has been pushing him lately, they compare him to Bob Dole in this matter. I don't know enough about him to know whether this is right or wrong but that is what they are saying. I think I'll go do some research about my candidates.

hapidan

Obama is just miles ahead of the rest. Let's hope he can live up to what he promises.

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

Not that I don't agree with younger people playing games above their age range (Where film's concerned, I saw Akira and Demon City Shinjuku before 101 Dalmations) but if the parents choses to deny their kids the opportunity to play it then they ought to have that kind of power.

XanderSan

okenny :)

fuzzycuffs

kyosen

The best response to the questions, as presented on here? Obama.

InsidiousTuna

And as a CT resident, that race had nothing to do with videogames.

As for the answers, I'm not an Edwards fan, but he's the only one that doesn't fail based on Kotaku's excerpt. I'll have to read the whole thing in a bit....

GorbyGipper

SG_Mahonay

Edge of Blade

There are some conservatives who are alright and have half a brain... enough to lead the country (cause evidently that's all ANY prez candidate needs), but the rest of them can't stop talking about "the way things used to be." How are we to expect them to lead our country if they are looking back to 1960's sitcoms for validation of their values?

Edge of Blade

ajay42

LucasKane

It is finally nice to hear something from the politicians about this and to see if I still like them or not. ><

That Girl Hates You

shadydentist

I personally stop letting things like abortion stop becoming a non-topic for me. I'll vote the same way every time it come up so it's been removed as a factor for me; it's up their with "Do you want a communist state?" and "Do you want universal health care?"

okenny :)

torched

ajay42

terry2070

ajay42

kyosen

If the election was held tomorrow based on that I'd vote Obama.

Heihachi.vs.Kazuya

MetaKz

onidavin

danecy

And I realized I lived in Canada

DeLoRtEd1

ajay42

ezcheezbandit

sn1per420

Spartan1308™

onidavin

Funny, I know you meant this as an "OMG! NEVER!" sarcastic remark, but I kinda think there should be.

ajay42

onidavin

And I say good job to Obama and Edwards. Such rational people. As for Romney...umm....ya know, technically there aren't any adult video games that you can buy. Especially those adult games with sex...

AZRoboto

JoyOfJoys

But overall I think the hardcore evangelical angle isn't going to play well with the general public this time, though I said "pretty much" earlier because you really can't tell anymore.

Fugue

quail64

onidavin

Obama for the win!

NeoAkira

Except for Romney, who is just weirding me out now.

Mister Adequate

There's a reason we drove Lieberman out of the party in 2006.

SSJPabs

Spartan1308™

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

Kirbytheslayer: In-Kirby XMB

Maybe I'm missing something;

Now what are you referring to...?

Pheonix2og

torched

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

Personaly I couldn't care what the video game position of any of the bastards is: cause it's not a priority. I'm not a big fan of any of'em. Cause will just see who gets nominated the Giant Duche and who get the Terd Sandwiche nominations and i'll go from there.

DanteODiabo

torched

ZinkO: Balls of the Patriots

MasterOfPastures

I love that video so much. I watch it twice aday.

Kirbytheslayer: In-Kirby XMB

Grave

Very often, parents would just say, "Well, he's just gonna play it at his friends' house."

If I hung out with "the bad kids," believe me, my parents would have limited my time with them.

superberg

Ergophobia

ZinkO: Balls of the Patriots

Romney's answer is actually scary. Jerry Falwell died this year. Please let him and his overbearing moral fundamentalist ideas rest in peace.

Spartan1308™

Johnny_Under

I was taught that it was incredibly important.
If you let the flag touch the ground, you have to burn it, and put a new, purer flag up.

That simple. There's nothing with that.

Kirbytheslayer: In-Kirby XMB

The one I would have like to have heard is Hillary..but I guess we already know how she feels about it...

adventchild08

RabidWombat

Anyways, Mitt Romney's answer scares me.

kojirodensetsu

Samos42

Basically, I was voting for Obama in the California primaries (which are actually relevant this time, hooray!) anyway, and his response to this question doesn't make me regret that decision. Edwards has a little bit better response from the gamer perspective, I suppose, but I think Obama strikes a good balance between letting the industry police itself but still informing parents.

Of course, Clinton's stance towards video games is one of the reasons I barely consider her a Democrat, and Romney can go ahead and fuck off both with regards to video games and in general.

Stormrider

Fatal_CC

BTW the only candidate that is a federalist(i.e. believes in states rights) is Fred Thompson. And the only strict constitutionalist is Ron Paul.

torched

Why Lieberman and even Clinton get so much attention when they occasionally latch onto proposals that Republicans almsot unanimously support is beyond me.

I guess when Democrats do it, it's "man bites dog," and when Republicans do it, it's "dog bites man." Meh, at least Senator Man-on-dog is gone.

sxp151, the happy-headed nose

I wish Ron Paul had gotten it out in time, I'd like to know where he stand on this issue.

SwimOdin

Noks415

Detre

My vote at this time would probably go to Obama.

Deviation59

And what exactly does Romney mean by obscenity laws? Is that code for flagburning and that pesky free speech?

Strangelove

thatdidnthurt

FlapDangerous

Kirbytheslayer: In-Kirby XMB

Funny you'd say that, Barack used to be a wrestler under the ring name "Ba Rock." Also, he was the model for Mortal Komvbat's Barracka.

No, seriously! I'm not making this up, or issuing sarcastic assurances of my own truthiness!

SuperMaxZero

But as long as the video game industry keeps being such a money making proposition, I doubt the government will legislate on it. When has any politician ever refused easy money?

mechis

baccardi84

Nexus6

KaneTaker

red_muffins

Democratic response: Facts on the industry, ESRB regulation, dropping rates of retailers selling games to the underage, contemplation of the changing digital age.

Republican response: Violence! Filth! Sex! SAVE THE CHILDREN!!!

SpaceWhale

Ra is on That 70s Show

the whole debate about violent media is stupid anyway, here's some questions I'd like to see answered-

What are you going to do about broken homes and orphans?

How will you help stimulate the economy?

What is your opinion about the senseless war in Iraq?

SkutSkut

WaterMedia

Earthslide

myrlin

Then again, I'm not a minor so I'd be more than happy to have access to shit they don't.

CreamSodaSlurpee

Ra is on That 70s Show

That totally has to be a Fyre alt. There's no way that could happen so perfectly. Or is Fyre the next Pachter?

Kirbytheslayer: In-Kirby XMB

Translation: Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be Congressmen.

justhesh