Interesting. After level 10, "the tables turn" and you have to play as Bush, Condaleeza or Rumsfeld, and (I guess) since it's a higher level it's harder to get across the street.

What's the rhetorical message of that? Since it's harder to play as a member of the administration, is that a subtle sympathy for the incumbent? Or does the fact that Rummy is a more cumberson avatar (I thought) than Mike D, make us feel badly about Donald Rumsfield?

In other words, if this is operating with a rhetorical appeal to emotion, is it counting on our identification with or alienation from the avatar? Repeated failure at, say, level 14 is frustrating to the extent that one is actually invested in beating the game (albeit, a small likelihood), so it's interesting that it seems to rely on us directing our frustration at the "enemy" for the first 10 levels and the avatar for the next 10 levels.

Also, what does it mean that the Beastie's rallies consist of people with signs and the Republican ralliers appear to carry sticks of some sort?