I think I caused Obama to lose the election...

MORE than six million people have so far been emailed a spoof video blaming them for electing Republican John McCain as the next President of the United States.

The video is going out to more than 30 new people per second as a direct and personal reminder to them to vote in next Tuesday’s Presidential election.

The spoof video is set after the election and “reveals” that Democratic candidate Barack Obama has lost by just one vote. The ‘missing’ voter is the person receiving the personalised video!

In the spoof news-style video, the missing voter’s name is blazed across headlines in the New York Times, is personally thanked by George W. Bush and is castigated by irate US citizens (including an hilariously foul-mouthed grandmother, pictured above) and a lonely goat herd who now fears his flock is about to be bombed by ‘President McCain’.

The video is witty, irreverent and extremely well done – and it may have the desired effect in helping to Get Out The Vote as well as becoming a global hit.

Research shows that this kind of social “nudging” is extremely effective. The organisers are aiming to reach 10 million people before Election Day in the USA – but look set to easily reach their target.

As the organisers, MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION say: “Studies show that by far the best way to get people out to vote is to convince them that (a) everyone else is voting, and (b) everyone will know if they don’t vote.

“This video does both—with a smile (or a smirk, in some cases).

“It takes just seconds to send, and it could be the thing that actually pushes a friend of yours to the polls.”

It is entirely coincidental, of course, that Barack Obama will be the beneficiary of this ingenious tactic which sets impeccable new standards in communications and political campaigning.

In the next British General Election, will Gordon Brown or David Cameron try something similar?

Check out the video here