So after days of researching, mind you I'm using Google and have complete access to everything, I have finally found out where the candidates stand on video games. And by finding out i really mean i found nothing.  John McCain and Barack Obama have said no polarizing or definitive statements regarding video games and same goes to their respected vice presidential choices.  So far when Obama and Mccain both were asked separately about video games and violence they both agreed that it is up to parents to be parents.  But that wasn't enough for me so I kept looking around. 

You want to know which candidate people in the video game industry are throwing their money at?  Of 16 donors, only 3 went to John Mccain.  Of the 13 donors for Obama George Lucas (LucasArts) and Alex Rigopulos (CEO, Harmonix) donated over $30,000.  Did Gabe Newell donate money you ask?  He did but he donated to Senator Chris Dodd, who if you didn't is under allegations for wrong doing with Country Wide a major lending company.

Senator Obama has mentioned several times a plan to get every household available broadband.  Senator Mccain hasn't talked much about our country's broadband infrastructure.  Obama also strongly favors net neutrality which can mean several things unfortunately but most know it as keeping the Internet from being like cable t.v.  You pay for channels instead of download/upload speeds.  Both candidates have supported a moratorium on increasing Internet sales tax.  Senator Biden is a staunch ally of Hollywood and copyright laws, with several bills to try and increase penalties such as his bill to increase fines for those that illegally upload on P2P networks.  Not much from Governor Palin as she has been in office only briefly.

John Mccain does have close to ties to Senator Lieberman, the conservative democrat/independent.  Lieberman has taken a very definitive stance against video games. He has supported many bills that seek to restrain video game companies and Internet web sites.  Much of the controversial bill, the communications decency act, was overturned.  While Lieberman is not running, Senator Mccain has referenced his ties to him several times.

So there you have it.  It is a relatively calm election season in regards to video game debate.  It seems that the Obama camp tries to convey a sense of parental duty over something they really don't feel that strongly about, and the Mccain camp is trying to use parental to cover some deeper negative feelings.  The last thing either candidate needs, especially Mccain right now is a first amendment battle, because the First Amendment always wins.

Thanks to game politics for their great analysis.  I would link the campaigns websites but they were kinda vague about these issues, mainly Mccains' so no link for them.