With almost half a million views on YouTube, this thing is majorly viral.

This morning, the mainstream media is even covering it.  The austere New York Times included:

CREATOR: Ben Relles, Leah Kauffman and Rick Friedrich.

ON THE SCREEN: A sexy young woman watching the 2004 Democratic National Convention on C-Span falls for Senator Barack Obama and then calls him on the phone. In mock MTV fashion, she starts singing a rapturous urban ballad about her crush on him. She slinks around various locales in New York City, including the subway, the park and her office, suggestively sidling up to images of Mr. Obama while proclaiming her adoration for him.

SCRIPT: “Hey B., it’s me. If you’re there, pick up. I was just watching you on C-Span (sigh). Anyway, call me back … won’t you pick up your phone, ’cause I got a crush on Obama. …

You’re into border security/let’s break this border between you and me/universal health care reform/it makes me warm. You tell the truth, unlike the right/You can love but you can fight … I got a crush on Obama."

THE BUZZ: The video plays on the sex appeal of the candidate, a terrain considered off limits by political campaigns in their own commercials. By using theatrical devices common in R & B videos — like the woman leaving a breathless message on the phone — the video has a campy appeal while also giving a nod to the issues in a playful manner. While overtly salacious, the video is unlike to raise any objections from the Obama campaign.

Leah Kauffman is the performer.  And no, the Obama campaign has nothing to do with this.  The video has led to its own website/blog.

And here’s what the buzz is about: