Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC?

The New York Times ^ | February 4, 2008 | Noam Cohen

[2ndDivisionVet]

STYLES make fights — or so goes the boxing cliché. In 2008, they make presidential campaigns, too.

This is especially true for the two remaining Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Reporters covering the candidates have already resorted to traditional analysis of style — fashion choices, manner of speaking, even the way they laugh. Yet, according to design experts, the candidates have left a clear blueprint of their personal style — perhaps even a window into their souls — through the Web sites they have created to raise money, recruit volunteers and generally meet-and-greet online.

On one thing, the experts seem to agree. The differences between hillaryclinton.com and barackobama.com can be summed up this way: Barack Obama is a Mac, and Hillary Clinton is a PC.

That is, Mr. Obama’s site is more harmonious, with plenty of white space and a soft blue palette. Its task bar is reminiscent of the one used at Apple’s iTunes site. It signals in myriad ways that it was designed with a younger, more tech-savvy audience in mind — using branding techniques similar to the ones that have made the iPod so popular.

“With Obama’s site, all the features and elements are seamlessly integrated, just like the experience of using a program on a Macintosh computer,” said Alice Twemlow, chairwoman of the M.F.A. program in design criticism at the School of Visual Arts (who is a Mac user).

It is designed, she said, even down to the playful logos that illustrate choices like, Volunteer or Register to Vote. She likened those touches to the elaborate, painstaking packaging Apple uses to woo its customers.

[jriemer]

The WJC 1992

[Vinnie]

8 track players

[Vinnie]

O’Bama is the film you used to buy and put on your black & white TV screen that ‘supposedly’ made your set color.

[nonliberal]

Intellivision?

[Nowhere Man]

Good points, I really LOLed at what you said. Hmmm, my take:

Hillary is like Colossus in the Forbin Project, I know it was mentioned before and I'm stealing it but it is the truth, if you don't buy healthcare or any plan, she will force you to. Sure we have a problem here but hers is not the way Can't get anymore Colossus than that.

Obama is an iMac, it seems like he attracts the young, college types, the artsy/fartsy types and so on. The iMac is popular with those.

McCain is like a 386 or 486 running DOS and Windows 3.1. Old fashioned but it generally works.

Honorable mentions:

John Edwards, an NCR cash register, as a trial lawyer, all I hear is cha-ching, cha-ching!

Mitt Romney, a TRS-80 Model III or IV, good computers, good for business, but would be seen as lacking pizzazz, a quiet machine.

Mike Huckabee, Commodore Amiga, a lot of good points, tried to take on Big Mac and Bigger IBM Blue but lost. Good try.

Dennis Kucinich, Timex Sinclair 1000, 'nuff said.

[Nowhere Man]

Intellivision?

No!! Atari!!!! B-)

Wonder how long it will take for someone to trump us with "Colecovision?" B-D

[Nowhere Man]

Errata:

Kucinich, Coleco Adam, never went anywhere, really wasn't compatible with anything.

Me bring up "Colecovision" brought the old Adam to mind. At least the TS 1000 had a good following and a medium sized support base for a while..

[Biblebelter]

It would take a team of archaeologists to determine exactly what he is. At this point is safe to refer to him as some kind of CRANKY RINO RELIC.

[word_warrior_bob]

They’re all viruses that drain money, power, and resources and support the largest bloatware in the world...government.

[nonliberal]

Colecovision. You just dated yourself. I remember Intellivision and Atari.

[ovrtaxt]

I had a Coleco vision. It was awesome until the Atari 5200 came out.

[nonliberal]

I had one of the first Atari’s, the 2600. I sat and played Pac Man, Defender and Dig Dug for hours.

[Titan Magroyne]

Lots of funny analogies here, but yours had me rollin.

Great thread!

[Nowhere Man]

Colecovision. You just dated yourself. I remember Intellivision and Atari.

I remember my share of Atari/Intellivision wars. I always had Atari. Looking back, I think Intellivision had al ot of cool things too, just didn't like those disc controllers.

[Nowhere Man]

I had a Coleco vision. It was awesome until the Atari 5200 came out.

It did have the best Donkey Kong though (Colecovision). I toyed with the 5200 from time to time but never have much experience with it. Man, if I hit the Powerball, I'll start as place and start collecting those things.

[aruanan]

Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC?

No, Obama is a Dell and Clinton is a Hewlitt Packard, just different versions of the same thing.