2012 Presidential Election: Mitt Romney To Announce VP Decision Via Smartphone App For iOS, Android

By Dave Smith | July 31 2012 12:18 PM

In 2008, then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama decided to announce his running mate, then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, over a text message, which was sent out to Obama's legions of followers. Four years later, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the likely presidential nominee from the Republican Party, has decided to make his VP announcement over a smartphone app.

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On Tuesday, Mitt Romney's campaign team launched an app on Apple's iOS App Store and the Google Play store for Android smartphones, called "Mitt's VP," which promises app users will be the first to know the official news of Romney's running mate for the November election.

"There's no telling when Mitt will choose his VP," said Mitt Romney's official campaign site. "But when he does, be the first to find out with Mitt's VP app. Share with friends and earn exclusive campaign gear."

Mitt Romney's campaign team says supporters and downloaders of the app will receive official word from the campaign party "before the press," although frankly, it's more likely that somebody will know the truth before the text is actually sent. In fact, right before Obama's campaign had officially sent the text announcing Joe Biden as his vice presidential nominee, word had already leaked out to the public of then-Sen. Obama's decision.

Nonetheless, Romney's campaign hopes to gain some traction on mobile networks by announcing the news over a mobile platform while making users feel like they are privy to exclusive news direct from the source.

"The first official way to learn the name of the Republican Vice Presidential candidate is by using our new 'Mitt's VP' app," said Romney Digital Director Zac Moffatt in a statement. "Users of the app will be the first to get the news on the biggest political decision of the year through an instantaneous alert on the one device most people carry around the clock - their phone."

Beth Myers, Romney's campaign adviser who's current goal is finding the Massachusetts governor a running mate, said Romney's VP decision would be announced "soon."

"Soon everyone will know who Mitt Romney selects as his Vice Presidential running mate," Myers said. "With this new app, users can be the first to know the second member of America's Comeback Team."

"Mitt's VP" is a free app, which can be downloaded from the iOS App Store and Google Play store for iPhone and Android smartphones, respectively.