Clive Thompson’s latest column is concerned with games that simulate the presidential race. Remarkably, there’s four contenders in this category:
The main shortfall with all these games, though, is that you can’t conduct realistic TV interviews and debates. When you get hauled onto a Sunday talk show, for instance, you’re limited to just a few pre-programmed responses. Considering that modern campaigns can turn on a single misstatement, all these games feel like they’re missing a crucial piece.
Interesting…how do game designers build in the Dean factor? I’m sure most election spin-doctors would prefer that the real candidates were limited to a few pre-programmed responses. Clive’s favourite is Political Machine.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
The quotation says, “When you get hauled onto a Sunday talk show, for instance, you’re limited to just a few pre-programmed responses.”
That’s an example of the startling realism of these games. As anyone who’s been following the American presidential campaign can see, the *candidates* are limited to a few pre-programmed responses.