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What's happening in the federal IT community
By Monday, July 7, 2008 | 4:43 PM
Barack Obama arguably has been the most adept at using the Internet during his run for the presidency. He's raised records amounts of money online and, as The New York Times reported today, has hired one of the founders of Facebook to develop social networking features for his Web site that the campaign can tap to quickly organize armies of supporters. Obama has credited the Internet with much of his success so far.
But John McCain now has someone talking up his technology qualifications: Carly Fiorina, former chief executive officer at Hewlett Packard Co. She says McCain knows that technology is a big part of the economy, according to a Los Angeles Times blog. Fiorina, who has appeared in public for weeks talking up McCain and who is mentioned as a possible member of Cabinet if McCain is elected president, was in Washington, D.C., on Monday talking to reporters about McCain's technology prowess, as well as other issues.
But it's not so clear what McCain's tech strategy for government would be. Obama has suggested he would appoint a chief technology officer to oversee the federal IT infrastructure, presumably to foster innovative, governmentwide e-government programs and applications. Nothing much on how McCain may leverage technology to operate government.
Unlike past elections, could information technology – other than the regulatory environment – become a larger part of debate?
Comments
Fiorina has zero credibility, none!
She was fired from HP.
She destroyed Compaq, and ruined HP.
Her push to merge the companies was destructive.
Furthermore, her paranoia destroyed the governing board of HP.
We don't need leaders like Fiorina, she is a bad example and not someone to follow.
frank | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | 10:19 PMReply to MacNaughton:
Your putting Galileo and Copernicus in the discussion shows how far from reality your view is. There's little doubt that Fiorina would agree with you, but few others. She is no Galileo.
I repeat: At her exit, HP's stock was worth 50% of what it was at her entrance. That's not the work of genius. She started an investigation of her board to try to find a leak and then was shocked when they fired her. The value of the Compag acquisition is highly debated, and hardly a clear plus. I personally rate it a wash for HP.
To be fair, HP needed reorganizing and rethinking of its core values, but it's neither necessary nor productive to get people's attention by throwing grenades into the room, but that's Fiorina's style. It's also not helpful to make the whole project very publicly about you, to show up onstage constantly with rock stars, etc. When you are laying off thousands, it helps if they believe you are truly sharing their pain. But that, again, is Fiorina's style. Subsequent management has approached HP's problems in a much more constructive manner, and the results show it. Has a similar approach been taken at the time Fiorina took over, HP would be in much better shape now.
As an Obama supporter, I'm pleased that McCain has adopted her. This should be fun.
John Douglas | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | 9:46 AMMr. Douglas - you are truly wise beyond your years. The cultural clash HP/Compaq experienced under Fiorina's reign has permanently damaged HP and left Dell with an insurmountable market share. Oh wait...
bairs | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | 8:18 AMThere is a good article in the Economist on Fiorina's time at HP and the outcome. http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm
?story_id=11376881&CFID=12754874&CFTOKEN=14179524
Here is a quick quote from the end of the article, "The verdict on Mr Hurd is that he has skilfully executed the strategy of his flamboyant predecessor. The verdict on that predecessor, Ms Fiorina, has also improved. Her idea was controversial, but apparently right." This was published on May 15.
I'd like to see a Tech Insider comparison of the candidates' commitments to, and vision for manned spaceflight. Specifically, how would budgets for current programs (shuttle replacement, space station, lunar/mars, Hubble/Webb) change? What if any related new initiatives are on their planning horizon? What is their vision for collaboration with private sector and international manned spaceflight initiatives?
Roger Guisinger | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | 7:59 AMThis woudl be the same Carly Fiorina who drove HP to its knees? HP's stock value declined 50% during her tenure as CEO. One can only wonder what she would do to any department she might be chosen to lead. God help it.
John Douglas | Tuesday, July 8, 2008 | 9:57 AMShe says McCain knows that technology is a big part of the economy, according to a Los Angeles Times blog.
---------------------------------
Then why is McCain so far behind Obama in this area? Proof, Obama's people estimate that by 11/2008, they would have raised over $500 million over the net from the American public. McCain cannot make the same claim or anywhere near it.
I am surprised but surprised that Fiorina is a McCain surrogate. She was a combative CEO at HP and was fired by the HP board of directors. She is well known amongst the Fortune 500 which would be her strength inside a McCain administration. She is definately learning the political ropes under fire which was her technique at HP. She enjoys a good fight which I am not sure what the American people are looking for right now.
David Frenkel | Tuesday, July 8, 2008 | 9:05 AMThis is a man who has, by his own words, admitted, as recently as the present election cycle, that he doesn't know how to use a computer.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KOjUSnHSZ_c&feature=related
Does Ms. Fiorina intend to give him some lessons before he takes office?
Eitan | Monday, July 7, 2008 | 11:03 PMCarly - yeah that great tech CEO who trashed HP. She managed to buy Compaq trash for top dollar, destroy the HP Way" and damn near sink the best of the best. Universally hated by Silicon valley and generally considered a forked-tounge with NeoCon ethics, she makes the perfect talking head for the NeoCon Republicans.
If McCain has Carly as his Tech poster girl, well lets just say he knows less about what drives high tech than the janitor at HP.
PS: I live and work in Silicon Valley, in high tech - ask around, the feedback will make your toes curl with Carly stories.
Brilliant McCain - just brilliant!
mike king | Monday, July 7, 2008 | 10:46 PMIt hasbeen reported that McCain has admitted to not knowing how to even use a computer. If this is true he would be too ignorant to know how to even adequately fantasize the appropriate use of a computer and its related eco-systems in all its so varied productive possibilities. To tout this as tech cred is absurd and obviously false.
jhj | Monday, July 7, 2008 | 9:55 PMCarly is a Visionary Communicator.
Dell is in the process of being knocked out of second place by HP; the idiots had her fired, advocating staying stuck in Printers only. The R& D, the investment in Innovation, the taking over of Compaq - ALL insisted on by Carly, resulted in temporary confidence loss during the Tech Bubble Bust - loss in confidence by those who do not understand value investing that is, but she remade the corporation to her credit and its potential. As Hurd continued to keep Carly's changes, the revamped corporation is now knocking out the competition because he stuck with her changes. After she had gone, the board troubles all spilled out anew, complete in-fighting, including espionage etc - a wholly dysfunctional board, getting into trouble with the law - post Carly! She had nothing to do with the dysfunction at HP. As for you independent thinkers, go to Flora TV and get the story there by putting her in the search engine for her principled book, "Tough Choices." Fools mock and slander as they did with Galileo and Copernicus. Carly came out vindicated and with her head high, speaking of her renewed spiritual values. The corporate world is completely sexist - and liars still slander a good and capable visionary executive. She was and is a wonderful human being and communicator. The real executives that are incompetent had things given to them in inheritance; Carly worked her way from the bottom to the top by her gifts.
Edward MacNaughton | Monday, July 7, 2008 | 9:35 PM