Barack Obama taunts John 'lamer' McCain

By Davey Winder
Saturday, 13 September 2008 05:05

Government Tech Policy

One uses Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to spread his message and raises millions of dollars in funding online. The other has never felt the need to email and describes himself as computer illiterate. One of these men will be the next President of the United States of America...

At the end of last year, Presidential hopeful John McCain was interviewed by TechCrunch and in response to some seemingly innocent “Are you a Mac or PC guy” questioning responded with an admission to being computer illiterate.

In January, McCain told Yahoo News that he had to rely on his wife for assistance when it comes to all things computer. And then in a New York Times article in July, while claiming to be learning how to get online at long last, McCain dropped the bombshell that he had “never felt the particular need to email.”

Now I admit that being able to code in C is not a prerequisite to lead a superpower. I will even go as far as conceding that being a geek is not a Presidential requirement either.

However, I would like to think that the man who is going to be sitting in the big chair would have some idea as to the importance of computer technology in this Internet age. Would be comfortable with the concept of email communication in the 21st century.

Barack Obama can certainly claim to be comfortable with technology and with the Internet. He has proven that in his campaign so far, what with the Facebook friends, the following on Twitter, the YouTube videos, the incredibly successful Internet fund raising sweep.

Now Obama has decided to use McCain's apparent unease with technology as an example of just how out of touch he is with the America, and indeed the world, of today.

So what does the advert say about McCain, what do the Republicans say about the advert and why does it matter if the next President can send emails or not? More on page 2...

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