Today, leading technology blog TechCrunch endorsed Democratic
Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain as the top
"Tech President" contenders in the 2008 U.S. Presidential elections.
The endorsements follow a series of digital policy-themed interviews
TechCrunch founder and editor Michael Arrington conducted with many of
the Presidential candidates, as well as a tech primary that TechCrunch
opened to the blog´s readership in late December 2007
(http://primaries.techcrunch.com).
"In an effort to elevate discussion around digital policy in the
2008 presidential election, TechCrunch is endorsing Senators Barack
Obama and John McCain as the leading ´Tech President´ candidates for
this year´s Presidential election," said Michael Arrington, founder
and co-editor of TechCrunch. "The blog´s editors, readership and
affiliates have concluded that in an era of great partisanship
Senators Obama and McCain best reflect the policies, core values and
global vision to advocate for technology-based businesses, both large
and small, should either candidate be elected President of the United
States."
Digital Policy Issues Important to TechCrunch Readers
The TechCrunch audience identified ten digital policy issues as
the technology industry´s leading considerations for the 2008
presidential election. These policy categories, framing the foundation
for the "Tech President" endorsements, include:
-- Technology Education
-- Immigration and H1B Visas
-- The Digital Divide
-- Identity Theft
-- Mobile Spectrum Auctions and Rules
-- China
-- Internet Taxes
-- Net Neutrality
-- Intellectual Property
-- Renewable Energy
TechCrunch Endorses Candidate Barack Obama
TechCrunch endorses Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic ticket
Tech President candidate in the 2008 Presidential election. Senator
Obama won the TechCrunch Primary poll with 61% of the total vote for
Democratic candidates.
"Senator Barack Obama is a tech-savvy, popular candidate in
Silicon Valley and with the TechCrunch audience," said Arrington. "He
supports mainstream, pro-technology policies such as more ubiquitous
broadband Internet access and delivering technology to schools,
keeping the Internet tax free, increasing the H1-B visa program, and
making big investments in renewable energy. Importantly, Senator Obama
has effectively utilized the Internet in his campaign to connect to
younger and disenfranchised voters to bring them into the process of
this critical election."
TechCrunch Endorses Candidate John McCain
TechCrunch endorses Senator John McCain as the Republican ticket
Tech President candidate in the 2008 Presidential election. Senator
McCain was the second choice, following Congressman Ron Paul, in the
TechCrunch Primary poll with 16% of the total vote for Republican
candidates.
"Senator McCain´s straight talk and candor in his interview with
me impressed the TechCrunch audience," said Arrington. "While he is
aligned with many of the policies supported by leading technologists
and tech business owners, it is John McCain´s life story and global
perspective that may hold the most value to the technology industry
should he become our President. Navigating important technology
markets like China and India will require the type of experienced and
courageous leadership that John McCain is uniquely qualified to
provide."
Crunching the Candidates
The TechCrunch primary poll captured 15,734 votes. The results by
candidate are as follows:
Democrats
Barack Obama 61% of votes
John Edwards 26% of votes
Mike Gravel 7% of votes
Hillary Clinton 6% of votes
Republicans
Ron Paul 74% of votes
John McCain 16% of votes
Mike Huckabee 5% of votes
Mitt Romney 3% of votes
Rudy Giuliani 1% of votes
About TechCrunch
Founded in 2005, TechCrunch is a leading technology blog dedicated
to obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and
companies. In addition to covering new companies, TechCrunch profiles
existing companies that are making a commercial or cultural impact on
the new Web space. TechCrunch is co-edited by Michael Arrington and
Erick Schonfeld. TechCrunch is the flagship property of the Crunch
Network, which delivers 10 million page views per month from more than
a dozen blogs and other websites focused on various technology
verticals and geographies.
TechCrunch and the TechCrunch logo are trademarks of Interserve,
Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of
their respective owners.
