DENVER (CNN) – Barack Obama planned to name Joe Biden as his running mate by text message at 8 a.m. ET Saturday morning, but was forced to move up the announcement when CNN broke the story after midnight, a senior Obama official said.
At 12:42 a.m. ET, CNN reported that Obama had picked Biden to join him on the ticket. Several other news organizations confirmed the CNN report shortly afterwards.
“Had a certain network not blown our cover at a certain time the text message would have gone out in the morning, 8 a.m. Eastern,” Robert Gibbs, a senior advisor, said with a grin on Sunday. “We told people they would find out from us. When we decided it was going to get out we decided to send the text out.”
Gibbs said he believes despite the fact that the rollout plan had to be altered, a “vast majority of the people” still learned by text message when they woke up in the morning.
Some Republicans and others suggested that Obama’s 3 a.m. ET email had been intended as a deliberate swipe at Hillary Clinton, who ran a primary season ad that referenced that hour of the morning to make the case she was more qualified to handle a breaking crisis.
From CNN Politics
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Instead of trying to be first to spoil something, CNN should work on their objectivity – they are so rightwing lately, I can't even watch them anymore. Another viewer lost!
McCain has no ideas. He'll just be four more years of Bush/Cheney.
His only chance is to make America afraid of Barack Obama. That should not work. Let's hope it doesn't work.
This is why I hate the media. Tjey respect no one. Obama should have been allowed to break his own news first. Thast's just a fact. Everything is not about Hillary. I'm sure Obama goes to the restroom at 3 AM also. Want to make an issue of that one CNN.
Great CNN. Pat yourself on the back. Wow.
Media becomes Reality.
Janey of MI, what underhanded tactics have you seen BO perform? Have you been paying attention to which campaign is doing what?
If you support McCain, that is your choice, but do not be like im and cast false accusations. There is nothing underhanded about his campaign.
I find it hard to believe that the fools who voted for Bush have the audacity to refer to another campaign as underanded. Since you voted for him twice, you must enjoy underhandedness.
And journalists wonder why they're as popular as car salesmen...now you know.
Is PUMA really a REP organization trying to create problems for the Dem so old man McCain can win?
Is this some sort of CNN self-aggrandizement? Are you trying to say you broke the story first?
Well, well,... we all know it was FOX News first.
How about you all use this high-powered gumshoe ability to get the scoop on stories and events that really matter?
For example, demanding accountability from the US government for billions of taxpayers dollars that have gone missing and unaccounted for in Iraq. Do us a favor and find out where the money went, but until you do, you might want to put the brakes on the arrogant self congratulations.
Or don't, because you've lost this viewer permanently to MSNBC (and Fox News...imagine that).
Well said Jeanette. "Operation Chaos" Limbots will jump at every chance they get to divide the Democratic party, and they can count on a minority of dim-witted Hillary supporters to march in lockstep with them. Pathetic.
Jpn King - looks as if he is on something just like the rest of the media.
I'm tired fo hearing about the PUMAs, I'm a OBAMA supporter and I like a lot of OBAMA supporters would have been upset if he would've put her on the ticket, the annointed Clintons are where they need to be #2. The Repubs are worried can't you tell. Don't listen to the polls.
I can't believe the Obamabots are so gullible that they actually believe this farse!! But look at the postings above!! 3:00 am was merely a coincidence!! It was all CNNs fault!! How ignorant are these people?? And how arrogant of Obama. He basically said he doesn't need my vote, That is fine because McCain will get it.
PUMA - Vote McCain
I for one, resent CNN for the rampant speculation and deceptive tickers around Obama's VP selection. I applaud the Obama campaign for bringing some sense of civility to the news cycle.
I've tired of the tabloid-like, print-it-first attitude I see in TV, cable, radio, internet and standard publications.
I also hope the Obama campaign holds those Democratic staffer that leaked the news responsible. Penalize them ... let them be last to ask a question in the next press conference.
Next time, don't even tell the VP candidates since either they or there personnel can't keep their mouths shut.
Did any of you go to J-school?
Or just B-school. Anything for a buck, huh CNN?
You guys are jerks.... go ahead, moderate this into oblivion.
Just proof that CNN has gone the route of Fox News. You're not a news network......you're a propaganda machine.
And quit thinking so highly of yourselves. You have lost so much credibility!
You mock Obama and call him presumptious.......I think you need to look in the mirror.....
Watch out FOX "news" – you've got competition!
They'll break this story, but won't go near the Bush administration. This is truly good new for us all. Not.
I never received any text message even though I had signed up for it. Neither did my wife. I smell telecom conspiracy! A little thank you to the GOP for covering their back with FISA immunity.
This is partisan politics on the part of McCain and McBush. All McCain and McBush and his republican gangs are trying to do is to stir up tension with HC supporters but ironically, it will backfire. We already now McCain absolutely has nothing to offer other than war. He has no agenda and cannot articulate one either. We have a fire for him – GET'm Joe!!!
Obama-Biden '08
Obama-Biden '12
Actually, I received the text message at 2:37am. I suppose CNN will tell me that Barack couldn't even wait until 3am.
I first saw it on drudge – hate it or love the media breaking his story early... credit where credit is due.
This story just shows that old media trumped new media this time around. Even if it didn't end the way the Obama campaign would have liked, they successfully crowded out John McCain from the headlines for several days and got a whole new database of email addresses and phone numbers to work with. That matters far more to the Obama campaign than the temporary irritation of having voters' cell phones wake them up in the middle of the night.
http://www.theseventen.com
YEH DYLAN i'm with you and a million other lemmings in this country. Why CNN do you have to report on the news, why must you consantly try to dig hard and deep to unconver information first? Why can't you be in last place.? Why couldn't you just wait till the inauguration to let us know? You sound like a bunch of twelve year old women with braided armpit hair... I apologize to our French readers.