A lot has been written about John McCain's admission that he's not computer literate, doesn't see the need to e-mail, or in his words, "I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself," as The New York Times reported.
Now the Obama campaign sees an opportunity to use McCain's technophobia against him, releasing this ad today:
Hat tip: The Washington Post.
COMMENTS
Some of commentary made here implies that this video is attacking mccain's disabilities -- caused from him serving our country -- those comments are taken out of context. There was no implications to his disabilities. They are just making a point that obama is younger and more adaptable to evolving technologies than mccain, who is physically older and (based upon scientific facts) has a harder time retaining knowledge because of his brain deterioration. It happens as you get older.
Not saying obama is smarter than mccain, but obama, based upon his younger age, would have a better time learning new technologies. Just as you see companies hiring 20-30 year old folks before 40-50 year old folks.
J 10/27/08 05:02 pm ET
Funny, I'd have to say that all the R's got together on this one. R's do a great job of sticking together and it would be commendable if there weren't so much at stake.
Private Citizen 09/22/08 02:22 pm ET
Vic,
If you think Palin is such a horrendous choice, why don't you just state it. I can't imagine anything worse than having the most liberal Senator elevated to the Presidency with a Vice-President that is such an insider. The only change that I truly see them engendering is that of who resides in the White House. Read arclight's response, he nailed it.
And for those of you thinking that the President should look up his own "information" on the Internet, I'd prefer one who scrutinizes the information that he receives and makes wise decisions from there. The choice of who works for him is much more important than him googling, "What is the capital of Sri Lanka?"
Red Wing 55 09/18/08 12:57 pm ET
Come on people. McCain is a hero because of his internment as a POW and his service to our country. So are all the brave soldiers from all our wars, including Iraq. Being disabled does not interfere with making the right decisions. Does anyone remember Franklin D. Roosevelt? He was paralyzed from the waist down but was one of our greatest Presidents. Our voting decision should be based on the candidates experience, ethics, vision, service to our country, and making the right decisions untethered to the media and opinion polls. God Bless America.
Ronnie 09/16/08 06:28 pm ET
What qualifications does the ability to use a computer and the Internet have on being a President? Is my question. It has no bearing on desicion making, policy making nor using ones brain. MORONS
It is easier to sit and critize someones abilities or lack thereof instead of getting out and making a difference or trying to make our world better. At least John McCain has tried to do that faults and all.
Dianne 09/16/08 02:01 pm ET
I've never heard McCain say he can't type because of his war injuries. He's from a pre-personal-computer generation and seems to be content to stay there, which shows a lack of interest in change. He became interested in change only after the Democrats wrapped George Bush around his neck, so it's political expediency and not conviction that is stimulating his "interest" in change.
He's just an old guy whos is set in his ways. His health may not allow him to survive being president. All of you who cut him so much slack because of his having been a POW should think very seriously about his running mate, who would become president if McCain were to die on the job. Be honest with yourselves: You have no idea if she's up to the job of cleaning up the economic, military, and foreign-policy messes being left behind by the current administation.
Vic 09/16/08 11:13 am ET
Are you kidding me? Blaming McCain's ignorance of the internet on war wounds?! If he is too disabled to understand and use the technology, he is too disabled to be President and I haven't heard anyone say that. My husband had Muscular Dystrophy, was wheelchair bound, Parkinson's also took over but he was one of the first to begin using the old Apple 2 computers and had plenty of use of the internet and email, even though he couldn't write legibly or spell at all. The computer and keyboard became his constant tool and he made an excellent middle class living up to the day he died at 62. War wounds don't get it. McCain is so dependent on others, that is why he doesn't know the technology or how many homes he owns. God bless his service but that was 40 years ago and everyone needs to get over that reason for elcting him or feeling sorry for him or explaining his inadequacies. My dad served in WWII and Korea, and no, he wasn't a POW. But the emotional marks it made on him did not stop him from being progressive and living in the 20th century high moving technological world capably.
PLT 09/16/08 08:06 am ET
It's a partial truth and borders on a direct lie. John McCain cannot physically use a computer and email for long periods of time because the torture he endured during Vietnam. It is simply too painful for him. He is also sighted by numerous tech folks as a senator who understands enough about IT to make informed decisions on it. When did becoming president come down to words per minute or the ability to google for information? I expected more from the "change" candidate.
Peter 09/16/08 07:55 am ET
Rachel: Every President from Washington forward has relied on others to provide him information, as does every corporate CEO or other leader today. The fact that McCain does this isn't a mark against him. Additionally, perhaps what McCain is looking for is wisdom as opposed to knowledge. The Internet is great for serving up knowledge (but caveat emptor applies there), but not so great at serving up wisdom. Which would you rather he have available to him?
I know a number of older folks who don't use computers and who still function and contribute to the society. Should we ban them from participating, or refuse to receive what wisdom they have to offer, because they don't use computers?
M: I will gently point out that neither McCain nor Obama as President can change ANYTHING without the consent of the Congress (that's the way our government works). The willingness of the Congress to change depends in large part on the willingness of their campaign backers to tolerate it (that has been true for 35+ years at least, if not all the way back to the founding of the Republic). Finally, the dirty secret is that unless the Congress ensures proper year-after-year funding to enforce whatever laws they pass, then those laws are just marks on paper. This is the best way for the Congress to deal with things that the American people want but that their backers don't really want: pass the law but don't really appropriate funds to enforce it.
Immigration reform is the classic example. Neither party's backers really want reform; the Democrats desire to use the increasing numbers of immigrants to justify increasing wealth redistribution, while the Republicans want cheap, exploitable labor. Since the American people want real reform, though, I imagine that with great fanfare some law will be passed, and then next year or the following year after that the deliberate underfunding of the effort will begin, and nothing will really change.
Until the Congress is shackled with regard to budget and tax code manipulation, nothing large will ever change, regardless of who wins the White House. In all this talk of change, that's one constant to remember.
arclight 09/16/08 07:31 am ET
Well, let's see now, Al Gore invented the Internet, so apparently Democrats have a lock on technology?
I'm sure John McCain will eventually learn to surf the Web. But when he goes home at night, is it more important for him to be with family and assist with his election campaign, or waste an hour of his evening like most of us, opening e-mails that don't amount to a hill of beans.
Maybe McCain can offer Obama a job in the White House as technology czar when McCain wins the election.
JB 09/16/08 07:13 am ET
"M" -- There's a big difference between understanding and embracing technology and not personally using technology because of the physical limitations placed on you by war wounds. I guess if we followed your logic, there's no excuse for Bob Dole not to be a qualified typist. Geezzzz....give these folks some slack. You rise everyday and go to sleep under the very blanket of freedom their sacrifices give you and all of us. Maybe just a little gratitude and less insensitivity might be a good start?
Wayne 09/15/08 03:33 pm ET
I thought postal employees were not to get into politics verbally. I take offense to this about McCain's inability to use the computer. Because of his war-POW injuries he is unable to type.
Joanne Beery 09/15/08 02:43 pm ET
*The Chosen One* couldn't think his way out of a paper bag... so I guess they're even?
FJ 09/15/08 02:30 pm ET
I can't tell you how many of my students come to class thinking they know computers. Some are so arrogant of thier knowledge that they end up barely passing. I prefer a president who knows he doesn't know jack, he'll be more likely to ask questions from multiple sources and wait till he gets answers that most people can understand. It's huge that he's willing to say he doesn't know something, it's much better then getting fluffed with BS.
AMS 09/15/08 02:26 pm ET
I love this! If you are that out of touch with the real world, where most people use the Internet for everything, how can you begin to understand what it takes to go forward? There are plenty of older people who are sore from years of living who still have educated themselves on new technology. Using McCain's POW experience as an excuse not to be in touch with technology is just ridiculous. The fact is that this is just one more item in a long list of things that WON'T CHANGE if McCain gets elected.
M 09/15/08 01:58 pm ET
If it wasn't for the sacrifices of John McCain and the millions of other men and women that have served this country with honor and distinction, I wonder if we would even have the technology that we do in the greatest free society on Earth. I had been on the fence until I saw this ad, but it did it for me. It shows Senator Obama's campaign as insensitive to the wounds that Senator McCain and countless other veterans have made, sacrificing their lives and youth, so that liberty might grow old. Advice to the Obama Campaign: You ought to stop these tactics, you just lost me. We should all kiss the keyboards that John McCain and other veterans cannot type on because of their service-connected disabilities.
wayne 09/15/08 10:43 am ET
Frankly, if a paralyzed guy can use a stick in his mouth or eye blinking motions to operate a computer, than so can McCain, even with his limited mobility.
Maybe he can't respond to e-mails in depth, but a few words wouldn't kill him. Or even typing in a short querry on Google. Web browsing is mostly mouse oriented, point n' click. I don't think people are asking him to type out the Constitution...
And if he has difficulties using a mouse, there are trackball mice, ergonomic mice and even the WACOM pen/tablet. It's a mouse in the form of a pen! He can use a pen, right?
If he really wanted to be connected, then he would.
But he seems to prefer to rely on other people to give him information... Which means he's relying on them not to have their own personal bias and/or telling him what they think he wants to hear.
And that's the problem.
Rachel 09/15/08 10:36 am ET
The Obama ad is a disgrace. Senator McCain's war injuries prevent him from using a keyboard for any length of time. Obama owes John McCain an apology.
Emily 09/15/08 10:16 am ET
While I realize that Senator Obama probably has a lot of time on his hands to surf the web and email everybody who will listen, I am not so sure that NOT being computer literate is a detriment to running a country. That's what is staff is for.
Susan 09/15/08 09:23 am ET
John McCain's wounds suffered as a POW make it painful and very difficult for him to use a keyboard for any length of time. Obama's campaign staff should have looked into this before making these remarks.
Cheryl 09/15/08 09:02 am ET
He lacks the manual dexterity to use a keyboard for any length of time or degree of speed, thanks to his time being tortured as a prisoner of war. Let's not pick on those with limitations caused by service for our country.
leia 09/15/08 08:23 am ET
There are morons out there who does not show any respect to people who served this country. We all be thankful to the sacrifices of all these veterans, especially, those who came back with disabilities. The freedom that we all have came from these people.
People will use anything to get whatever goal/s they have for themselves. C'mon people, let's support those who need us, and not be taken by those who are just good in words but lack many things in action. Experience counts.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Ben 09/15/08 07:59 am ET