Well, i'd just say it was more... his daughters having a wii and footage of him playing it is out there... so politcians and the Media could destroy him if he included it.  While now if they mention it, he can always talk about stuff like Brain Training and Nintendo's efforts to expand videogames into education in general, like how the DS is used in some school systems.

I'm honestly surprised in general though.  Obama always seemed like a guy to me that would have a 360 and play some 2k NCAA Basketball online or something.  Maybe he had one and it RROD or something and that's why he's so bitter. 

Would focus on jogging or playing hoops out on the court actually improve math and science scores? How about promoting strategy games, like Chess or Go? How about having historically based games that generate an interest in history? I know Obama plays basketball, and there is genuine concern that excessive and unfocused to any end videogames can be a problem. BUT, to say kids need to get into shape more physically will help with grades how?

I will go on record here saying that an interest in the game Civilization would do more to raise school scores than playing basketball.

exactly both are powerfully tools for education if applied properly. the internet was established for business and expanded from there keeping it safe from the view president obama has of it. games console, were and primarily are entertainment devices. if gaming wants into the classroom (which it already has in the school I went to), it will have to be emphasized on educational purposes. 

edit: the guy above me just said it. 

Hah, actually come to think of it.. Civilization is what got me interested in a lot of aspects of hiistory.  Sim Life and a few other games involving animals got me interested in Science.

While RPGs greatly helped my math skills as I kept wanting to make my own RPG formulas... so I had to keep involving percentages and the like.  I'd also fill basketball team rosters for my made up basketball videogames by creating shooting percentages using my own performance from different parts of the court.

Of course, I was a strange kid.

I'd say platformers helped my art skills but i've honestly yet to meet anyone who has worse art skills then me... in anything.

What of it?

Plenty of conservatives rally against video games as well, and a good number of them claim games incite violence as well as stupidity.

Try adding something of substance to the conversation instead of a knee jerk politicizing remark.

http://www.livescience.com/health/081229-sports-youth-exercise.html

A bunch of studies have shown that exercise correlates with better test scores.

Democrats and Republicans both to tend to think videogames incite violence and Stupidity.

The main difference is... it's usually just Older Republicans... yet all democrats.

Younger Republicans tend to be very accepting of videogames.

Additionally, excercise also correlates with more active parents. (in their child's lives).  It's not so much the exercise that makes kids smarter, but the parents caring more, forcing them to get exercise as well as helping them with their homework, demanding their children get education etc.

Education is very highly tied to power adversion...  If you are more likely to challenge and authority your more likely going to end up getting a better education.

I agree, i never played games like WOW until i moved out and started a career

Rofl

And the data supporting this is from where? Personal experience? I've met plenty of young die hard republicans who think games are degrading society (they're generally evangelical chrisitians) I've yet to met a democrat of my age who hates videogames.

Oh, and could you read the article next time too? Exercise causes the brain to release a large number of hormones, some of which promote new brain growth. The stuides also corrected for differences in socio-economic status and parental involvment, rendering your point completely mute.

The data is from... what actual polticians support.  Heck, the younger Republicans actually provide "game rooms" and stuff at random Republican events with games like COD.

Also, it's Moot... not Mute... and Not really.  I mean if YOU read the article, you'll notice it's based on some pretty tenous research.  They aren't even really willing to endorse it as being true.  Also, nowhere does it say they corrected for "socio-economic status and parental involvement."

Were you just banking on me not having read it?  It mentions socio economic status... but not parental involvement.  Which is two VERY different things.  It's just a coincidence that Aerobics and BMI are the kind of things that would be most improved when parents play an active part in their kids lives?  Because they are limiting things like Sugar and making sure they get some basic exercise?