emptyage

Hello, Time.

Sigh. It's nice to get the mention in Time, but this is pretty lazy reporting. And because it's Time, it instantly becomes an authoritative source.

Where's Balloon Boy? Ask the Web - TIME. Around the same time, writer Mathew Honan created BarackObamaIsYourNewBicycle.com, a fanciful site listing all the considerate things the then-candidate had supposedly done for you ("Barack Obama shoveled the snow from your walkway," etc.). The meme inspired numerous imitators and, like many popular Internet gags, is now available as a book. Soon after Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" at President Obama last month, the decidedly less complimentary JoeWilsonIsYourPreexistingCondition.com started making the rounds online. That site includes a link to ActBlue, a Democratic group supporting Joe Wilson opponent Rob Miller (Miller and Wilson raised more than $1 million each in contributions in the days after the outburst). However, most single-serving sites are not designed with money in mind.

Barack Obama is your new Book Deal

I'm really psyched to be able to finally announce this: I agreed to a book deal last week with Gotham Books (a division of Penguin) to turn BOIYNB into an actual book that you can buy at an actual bookstore with actual money. My friend Omar Lee is going to do the illustrations. It's going to be fantastic.

We're going to try to have the book out in time for the Democratic Convention in August, which is incredibly fast, and more than a little challenging. Please buy 13 copies. Don't worry about the price, I have it on good authority that Barack Obama will pay off your credit card bill.

The Barack Obama is Your New Bicycle T-Shirt: How you can own a piece of Genuine Internet History!

My little Barack Obama is your New Bicycle site has already spawned Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Michelle Obama, and even Ron Paul spinoffs. (What, no respect for Mike Huckabee?)

Why, it's Campaign 2008 Internet meme history. One day it could even have its own page on wikipedia. In fact, it could have two. People keep suggesting I sell t-shirts. So, I thought I should go ahead make some, before somebody else does.

That's right, you can get you very own Barack Obama is Your New Bicycle T-shirts right here. 10 years from now you'll pull it out of the bottom of some footlocker and be all, like, "Hey! I remember that! It was the meme for Valentine's Day in 2008." Which will be awesome because this thing is gonna be worn out and 14^^3 by St Patrick's Day. Act now. Two fabulous designs to choose from. Get them here.

Hillary Clinton is not your new bicycle

Hillary Clinton is your new bicycle.

Jacob Walker created this great parody site of BOIYNB. He really nailed it, I think. It's a riot, but it also demonstrates why her campaign is in trouble.

Now we just need johnmccainisyouroldcar.com and we'll be all set for November.