Playing Politics, A Wiiventure

Photo: Courtesy of The Game Play Book

Politcos Got Game

With today's instant news media, politics is everywhere. Its on every TV station, on every book shelf, and now it has even entered into video games. With the release of the NBA Jams, politicians may have found another medium to increase their face time, and possibly there own popularity. As a bonus feature, the designers of the new NBA Jams game created both a Democratic Team and its Republican counterpart. While incorporating real life political basketball players like former Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) and President Barrack Obama (D-IL), other famous (or infamous) politicians also made their way into the spotlight. With a full playable political cast including: Bill (D-AR) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Al Gore (D-TN), Joe Biden (D-DE), John McCain (R-AZ), former President George W. Bush (R-TX), and former Vice President Dick Cheney (R-WY); politics has again found a new (albeit fun) way to capture the public conscience. Even more interesting, it may in fact prove an invaluable tool for reaching the most finicky voting block of all, college students.



A Character Breakdown

Out of pure curiosity I took and in depth look at the skill level and characteristics of each politico in the game, wondering if just maybe, the game designers took actual characteristics of the real life politicians into account when creating each player. What follows is nothing more than speculation on my behalf but is nonetheless, very interesting.

Starting with Sarah Palin, it would seem that the game designers may have captured some of her personal characteristics in the players stats. In NBA Jams, Palin has an amazing steal and also an amazing three point shot. This seems to be on par with her own political career, while she may flub some easy points, or interviews, she always shows up in the end with a half court three. For example, while she may have misstepped in her interview with Katie Couric, but she nailed her convention speech (remember the lipstick joke). Also as arguably the best stealer in the game, Palin has the great ability to make her opponents split second hesitation into a personal gain, also reminiscent of her political strategy. In this case, while she and John McCain may have lost the 2008 Presidential Race, the Mama Grizzly seems to have come out stronger with her die hard fans even more endeared to her than before. She even used the McCain camp's petty put downs to her advantage, garnering sympathy from everyone from Democrats and to John McCain's own daughter.

Former President George W. Bush also makes his video game debut in the new NBA Jams. It would seem that the game designers may have not to highly of the former president, giving him distinctly lower stats overall than his political counterparts. His two strengths: dribbling and stealing. Maybe that has something to do with his administrations fascinating ability to label opponents as unpatriotic, considering that his campaign did it with the same ease that a Micheal Jordan would dribble down an empty court. perhaps what is most intriguing is his low clutch score. Clutch is a players ability to produce points in a difficult situation such as a close game, or maybe even a close legislative battle. What may be seen as a poke at the former president, the designers gave him a clutch rating of three, which is perhaps a reference to his Mission Accomplished fiasco or his failure on Social Security and Immigration reform.

(Shockingly former V.P. Dick Cheney is a powerhouse in the game, with great blocking, dunking, and three point ability. It seems the designers must think that Cheney should be the same power on the court as he was in the White House.)

President Barack Obama  was given relatively good ratings by the game designers, lending his name and face to a well balanced player. He has great dunking and two point shooting abilities, as well as strong passing. Perhaps the passing represents the concept that while Obama may be president, he does not seem to be the leading face, or indeed the leading scorer. The legislative battles and victories seemed to produce a feeling of uncertainty of the leadership of the Democrats, with Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appearing to be the acting leader (although now that she lost her position as Speaker of the House the leadership position may be up for grabs).

Perhaps what is most impressive is the abilities attributed to former President Bill Clinton's playable character by the game designers. With an unprecedented nine rating on dunks, an eight for clutch, and an eight for shooting two's and three's, Bill Clinton represents the singularly most dangerous political character in the game. Interestingly the game designers gave Hillary Clinton amazing ratings in nearly all of the areas that Bill is weak in, creating the same power duo in the game that they are in real life.

The Point 

So what's the point, why does politicians appearing in video games really matter? Well first, it represents the shift from politics formerly being constrained to news networks and town hall meetings, to how it now pervades nearly all parts of American life. It also represents a unique chance to bring politicians names and faces to a much younger market and indeed, to the most unreachable voting bloc of all, young voters. While the youth have on occasion voted in massive numbers, generally they are the most apolitical group among registered voters. By adding politicians into video games and creating a fan base for them (admittedly with almost nothing to due to with policy or politics) younger minds will be introduced to our nations leaders and perhaps, foster a new affection for politics amongst a new generation.

Later,
Cody