Election 08: Obama To Get The Brett Favre Treatment, Including Skycam

TV Decoder ^ | August 23, 2008 | Brian Stelter

[fightinJAG]

When Barack Obama accepts his party’s presidential nomination in front of 76,000 people at Invesco Field in Denver on Thursday, an aerial camera will hover above the turf, using a TV technique normally applied at football games.

The unique camera angle – and CNN’s willingness to spend close to $100,000 to have it – exemplifies the theatrics that will accompany Mr. Obama’s historic address. The “skycam” will swoop up and down the field as Mr. Obama addresses the audience from a podium on the 50-yard-line.

The camera had originally been for use exclusively by CNN. “It’s been something I’ve always wanted to have in a convention hall,” David Bohrman, the Washington bureau chief and senior vice president at CNN, said in an interview Friday. “It’s an omnipresent view, gliding in and floating around.”

On a conference call on Friday, other television networks objected to CNN’s planned use of the camera and appealed to the convention organizers to consider revoking its use. After “long discussions” with the Democratic officials who manage the convention TV coverage, CNN said in an e-mail to the other networks that it would share the camera, provided that they pitch in to pay for it.

The aerial camera, operated by a company called Skycam, is familiar to football and basketball fans. (The view is also akin to the over-the-shoulder perspective of sports video games.) The camera will be suspended on four wires, one at each corner of the stadium, and a computer-controlled joystick will control its movement. “It flies,” Mr. Bohrman said.

[big'ol_freeper]

Since it will be flying around like a bird maybe we could figure out a way to have it crap on him....

[Jeff Chandler]

Yet another opportunity for the McCain campaign to ridicule the Obamedia. A great ad in the making.

[Third Order]

is that the replay where they pause, swing around in 3d? What about the yellow line to show how far off he is?

[Senator John Blutarski]

So CNN is going to help film “Triumph of the Will - Part II”?

[cardinal4]

A good way to use fancy editing show more people when in reality there are less. Video loops!

[txroadkill]

What about the yellow line to show how far off he is?

LMAO

[Wil H]

Well he whines like Brett Favre so I guess it’s appropriate.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The "environmentally friendly" DemocRATik Party has come a long ways since those "Fireside Chats with Jimmah" with everyone dressed up in their Sunday go to meetin' sweaters.

Can this election freakshow get any freakier?

[vietvet67]

More like LieCam..

[EagleandLiberty]

I believe that is a DISHONOR....putting Brett Favre’s name anywhere near anything that talks about OBAMA. Brett is a great American - Obama is a GREAT ANTI-AMERICAN.

[EagleandLiberty]

What about the yellow line to show how far off he is?

He is so far off that the YELLOW line will be at GILLETTE STADIUM, not at INVESCO FIELD!

[tbpiper]

The unique camera angle – and CNN’s willingness to spend close to $100,000 to have it – exemplifies the theatrics that will accompany Mr. Obama’s historic address. The “skycam” will swoop up and down the field as Mr. Obama addresses the audience from a podium on the 50-yard-line.

Reminds me of the movie "Jule of the Nile".

[tbpiper]

Note to self:

Self....it's spelled J.E.W.EL.

[LibFreeOrDie]

[Verginius Rufus]

Obama will get the Brett Favre treatment...and won’t be allowed to quarterback for the Packers this season.

[Candor7]

Anything to make Messiah recapture his messianic image with AMerica. They will have him walk on water, turn water into wine, and just for the Greeks in America, fart thunderbolts out his a$$ like Zeus.

This is getting hillarious! I hope they keep it up!!

[CedarDave]

The unique camera angle – and CNN’s willingness to spend close to $100,000 to have it – exemplifies the theatrics that will accompany Mr. Obama’s historic address.

Always knew CNN was in the tank for the 'Rats. Wonder if it can be considered a $100,000 in-kind campaign contribution?

[Glenn]

Thursday? Sorry. Can’t make it. Big Brother is on. Mama Julie is my preferred minority.