Word clouding President Barack Obama's inaugural speech

That might take some getting used to. Vice President Biden, too.

People still want newspapers

After watching hundreds of Obama supporters record the moment by snapping photos of each other and the big-screen TV declaring an Obama victory, I came to work today with one goal: Get a copy of today's New York Times.

I walked into our newsroom and picked up a copy of the Journal-World and the University Daily Kansan. But when I left to walk across the street to Borders on a coffee and newspaper run, I saw that the stack of J-Ws – which is never empty – was, in fact, empty. Our staffers raided it.

So I left to get the NYT, and if possible, the Kansas City Star. They were sold out at Borders. They were sold out at Starbucks. Across the city, honor boxes are empty. And other papers are increasing their runs and making extra copies. People want newspapers as historic record. They want them for their news.

They might go online everyday, but this shows that papers are still relevant. After all, it's just not the same printing out an article to show your kids and grandkids.

Personally, I've sent my friends in Chicago on a mission to grab a copy of today's Trib and Sun-Times.

UPDATE: Of course, I would be remiss not to mention other recent events that have sparked similar rushes on news stands: The Phillies' World Series victory created such a high demand that Philly papers printed more. The Journal-World and Kansan both printed thousands more copies after KU won the NCAA basketball championship. People still like having that tangible thing in their hands...even if they can't admit it.

Obama made news media look silly

I was supposed to have my annual review on Friday. But it got pushed back because everyone in the newsroom was clutching their phones, waiting for Barack Obama to txt us his choice for vice prsdnt. When KMBC suggested Evan Bayh was the choice, we wondered what happened to Kathleen Sebelius.

We knew Obama had to announce the v.p. choice before his speech in Springfield today, but we kind of figured it would be during a time where we could report on it as it happened.

You had poor Wolf Blitzer standing in his Situation Room, speculating. Kansas City news reporters staking out a company that produces political signs. You had reporters in Kansas staking out Sebelius. We all thought Obama's media machine would come through.

Well, it turned out it was Obama's NEW media machine that took the helm, sending a text message that woke me up at 2:48 a.m. CST to announce Joe Biden is the choice. (By the way, I predicted this months ago neener neener)

Obama made us all look silly. He bypassed the news media by letting people know the v.p. choice in an expressly modern way. It's akin to Twittering the choice, or announcing it via Facebook. It was immediate, it was direct and kept Obama in the news all Friday as people discussed who his choice could be. One commenter at Daily Kos said the speculation allowed McCain to "marinate" in the question, keeping his seven houses in the news.

Is it strange that Obama bypassed the media? Today's front pages were almost devoid of Biden news, though the Journal-World, NY Post got it. The Times didn't. The Wall Street Journal didn't. The Tribune speculated. However, a late-breaking AP story quoted an anonymous source saying Biden was the choice.

Bottom line, is it's fascinating how Obama's play to the people gave the message directly to them, at a time when only bloggers and barflies could learn and disseminate the news.

Though not all bloggers appreciated the "3 a.m. phone call:"

New video on MTV's THINK site: First name bias?

I'm in England, and forgot to post my latest video for THINK. It's a vlog, asking why do we call some candidates by their first names, and not others? Hmmmm?

New video on MTV's THINK site: Hussein? Who cares?

Obama zings Cheney

I covered two Obama rallies on Jan. 28, in El Dorado, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo. The KCMO rally was much more laid back, and my camera work was pretty bad, as I was distracted by CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, who was standing next to me. She's not ugly.

Anyway, Sen. Obama rallied the crowd, saying how there would be no Bush or Cheney on the next ballot. He drew lots of laughs with reference to how and he and Cheney are distant relations. Say hey, Obama.