MATT BRITTEN

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It's 3AM: When do you want the White House texting you?

Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:04 AM EDT

politics, obama, president, biden, barack, cell, text, joe, message, vp, vice, 3am

By Matt Britten

Photo by Gaetan Lee. (License: Creative Commons Attribution)

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It's 3am and your children are safe and asleep.
But there's a phone on your bedside table, and it's buzzing.
Something is happening in the the Obama campaign.
He's picked his running mate.
Is it Hillary, or Tim, or Evan?
It's 3am and your children are safe and asleep.
What time do you want to be receiving texts from your President?

So, the long-awaited VP text message went out from the Obama campaign this morning. Early this morning. I received mine at 3:06am. Is that really the time that the Obama campaign planned on rolling this big announcement out?

After the New York Times report earlier this week that the announcement could come as early as Wednesday morning, political junkies across the country sat with Blackberry in hand.

And then, yesterday, the reports started to roll in that it would not be Kaine, that it would not be Bayh, that it would not be Clinton. With all indicators pointing to Joe Biden, the guessing game then came down to when the announcement would be made.

It was assumed by many reporters that the official text would be sent out around 7 or 8am Saturday morning, in time for the afternoon joint appearance in Springfield. It was even reported that the announcement would come "when Americans were awake."

But it came at 3am. That's pretty early. I don't think most Americans were up waiting for their O-text.

So, what was the reason for this middle-of-the-night messaging? Had the Obama camp always planned to roll out the announcement at 3am? Or did the 12:42am spoiler from John King force Obama to hit "Send" early? Did the media win this? Or did the Obama campaign do a good job of keeping a secret?

What do you think? Were you up? Drop a comment below.

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Public Discussion (26)

Matt Britten

More reports on MSNBC that a 7am text had been planned.

2 votes

#1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:12 AM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

Great article Matt. Very entertaining. I think the text was supposed to go later -- 7 a.m. sounds about right. I guess the campaign rolled it out earlier to catch up with the news networks, which broke the story around 10 p.m. Friday.

2 votes

#1.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:50 PM EDT

Brian Ford

After the New York Times report earlier this week that the announcement could come as early as Wednesday morning, political junkies across the country sat with Blackberry in hand.

Clearly, that wasn't the time it was planned. The trouble is, they promised to give people who gave away their phone number the news first, and the news was leaked before the message went out. They had to act fast to lessen the impact, because otherwise, they come across as *just* mining for phone numbers, which could anger some people.

I didn't offer up my phone number (though, they already have it) because I knew that it would either 1) leak or 2) I would find out within one minute of the text message.

1 vote

#2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:45 AM EDT

Matt Britten

Agreed. I made fun of my friend who took the NYT report to mean that it was going to be announced Wed.

#3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:21 PM EDT

Barry Rutherford

I think I was the first one to get it i live in Australia !

2 votes

#4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:34 PM EDT

Dr Know

3 am in which time zone? A 7 am message sent in NY would be 4 am in LA...

1 vote

#5 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:47 PM EDT

Matt Britten

It was 3 am Eastern...so midnight LA.

#5.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:49 PM EDT

Tumbler

It had to coincide with their communist party bosses mid day meal in Bejing, hehe

#6 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:48 PM EDT

Arizonan

First, I wouldn't complain about getting it at 3 am.. since I did offer up my number in the first place. I kinda think it could be a little joke.. well, at least we know someone in the Obama league was up at 3 am. Just in case we wonder if they would be. (Honestly, knowing what I know about computers, I know they could have set it to sent anytime they wanted, without actually having to be awake.)

I was a little disappointed. I was up until midnight, here in Arizona, and (insert your cable news of choice here) was already reporting that the message had been sent, people were calling in to the live show saying they had recieved the message and who it was.

This morning, when I woke, I did have the message and it says it was sent at 12:53 am. I thinks it wasn't sent to all at the same time?

#7 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:04 PM EDT

JoulesBeef

He is showing he was awake at 3am.. get it?

not sure if mccain can make it past noon.

3 votes

#8 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

Aine MacDermot

The question was about when I'd want the White House texting me. I don't have a cell phone, but if I did, and our president wanted to text me... I'd have no problem with 3AM, 4AM, 1AM, whenever. It'd be nice if I could then text him back, but impractical. *smiles*

3 votes

#9 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

dcuben

The question was about when I'd want the White House texting me. I don't have a cell phone, but if I did, and our president wanted to text me... I'd have no problem with 3AM, 4AM, 1AM, whenever.

To me, it would depend on who was in the White House at the time. If the current occupant woke me out of a sound sleep, what I'd tell him might just melt the profanity filter on the Vine. But Obama? Sure, I'd chat with him.

2 votes

#9.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:32 PM EDT

Rod StaffDeleted

dcuben

Gee, Rod - did you think that up all by yourself, or did you get that from Uncle Rush?

2 votes

#9.3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:24 PM EDT

Aine MacDermot

Doesn't matter to me who's occupying the White House for this question, my answer would be the same.

1 vote

#9.4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:32 PM EDT

Rod StaffDeleted

Dr Know

No one said the White House would be CALLING at 3 am. It is one way communication and always will be. NO president listens to the common people.

1 vote

#9.6 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:51 PM EDT

Carla-444762

I think Obama is self-absorbed and media hog....He also treated Hilary in a very disrespectful manner without even a phone call...He kept his little secret...and kept everyone on edge waiting for his text message, just shows what type of person he is by getting everyones phone number so he can call for donations later!! I will never vote for him now... I also figure that John Mccain will top him by his announcement when he sends out his choice for VP in "Morse Code"!!! Then he can say: "Gotcha Barack."!!!

#10 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:39 PM EDT

Dirk Mandeville

Matt,

I hate to sound cruel here, but . . . If this is the kind of "citizen journalism" we can expect to see from the convention, then I am sadly disappointed. Obama picks his running mate, a seasoned veteran like Joe Biden, and all you can find to write about is a complaint about what time the text message arrived? ???????? Are you joking? You really call that journalism?

Why not try an in-depth article discussing the reasons why Obama might have picked Biden over his other likely choices? Or how about an analysis of what Biden brings to the ticket (or not) in terms of influence, experience, and electoral votes? Why not anything remotely newsworthy? Something requiring research and analysis. But an article complaining about the time the text message went out? I seriously hope you can do better than this reporting from the convention. Otherwise, someone made a really poor choice picking you for the job.

#11 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:11 PM EDT

Matt Britten

Thanks for reading my article, Dirk.

I have stated often that I intend to have a little fun along the way, and that is, in fact, why I won by such a large margin of MySpace/MSNBC viewer votes. I hope that you are able to enjoy my campaign coverage on MySpace's Decision08. Many have posted about their own enjoyment.

The analysis that you comment about was already abundant on the Vine and other news sites, and my 3am angle was actually reported on later in the day (after my post) on the cable nets.

Though I wouldn't disparage your posts, I hear your criticism, and I look forward to hearing about what issues you would like to see covered during this convention.

1 vote

#11.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:35 PM EDT

Dirk Mandeville

Nothing wrong with having a little fun along the way, I guess. It just seemed like a pretty light take on a very newsworthy story. Resources are scarce (especially time) so I would have expected something a little more analytical. At any rate, good luck with it, and enjoy the experience.

As for issues I would like to see covered . . . any insight into who Obama will be looking toward to put on his staff (as we have learned with Bush, who the president surrounds himself with is often more important than who the president himself is); what would be the priorities of his first 100 days in office; and how is he going to frame the issues for voters for this election. Also interested in how the democratic party might be changing the superdelegate system, if at all.

#11.2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:45 PM EDT

Matt Britten

Thanks, Dirk!

I'm interested in what the first 100 days are going to look like as well. The "change" promise sounds just as good as any we've heard in past election cycles, but I think America has gotten used to having it's heart broken when the inauguration rolls around, and campaign promises are forgotten.

As for talking about the staff, that's a great idea. You're right, and I'm thinking that may actually be one of the most important lessons we have learned from the Bush presidency. I tend to think that there is so much talent out among the American people...how come we don't see more top minds working in Washington, instead of best friends?

1 vote

#11.3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:05 PM EDT

Dr Know

I think one point is that people were promised they would know BEFORE everyone else AND that the message would go out at 10 am. The MSM broke the news the night before. The best action probably would have been to wait and just confirm the press announcements. As it was it seems a bit lame.

#11.4 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:54 PM EDT

DebbieO

Dear Matt, I enjoy a lighthearted look at the news and that's why I voted for you. I see many reporters

about to have a stroke over things that are meaningless. Keep it up!

DebbieO

#12 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 2:38 PM EDT

Matt Britten

Thanks, Debbie! That really means a lot. I'm hoping to bring you informative and enjoyable updates from Denver this week. Do you have any topics you'd like to see covered?

#13 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:20 PM EDT

Tumbler

You would think that some would get a clue. Most Americans don't own them thar new fangled fancy shmancy phones. They're too busy clinging to their guns and reading their bible.

MATT BRITTEN

It's 3AM: When do you want the White House texting you?

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