He will have help with that, I don’t want anyone running the show alone, but at least he does know how many States he will be running! This just shows you how lame our Government has become to allow morons to become US Senators.

Ten years ago I was promoted to a management position at work. My new position required thorough computer knowledge including MS Office applications as well as proprietary programs used by the company I worked for.

I was in my early fifties and I had no idea how to use a computer. The only training provided was on the job training in an extremely high pressure, fast paced environment. It was sink or swim from the very first minute. I soon realized my future depended on whether or not I could master this “new” technology, and I didn’t have any staff to help me. My peers tried to help me as much as they could but most of them too busy trying to stay afloat themselves.

I was working between fourteen and sixteen hours a day. I didn’t have the time or the money for a formal computer training program. So I purchased a Dell PC and immersed myself in every computer related subject I could find. Thankfully, TechTV was still on the air back then. I was working nights and I watched “The Screen Savers” and Chris’s “Call for Help” every day before work. Sure, go ahead and laugh. But when you’re thrown in the deep end of the pool without a life jacket those two programs were lifesavers.

I learned quickly through a combination of those two programs, books, and help from internet forums. Within a few months I was the office computer guru. I did the spread sheets, the reports, the nightly backups, the quick computer fixes when the tech department wasn’t available. I helped the other managers with their computer questions.

I went so far as to build my own PC and today I still maintain a wireless network at home comprised of four computers. I do everything from hardware upgrades to installing software, to security, replacing motherboards, configuring network peripherals — you name it. If it breaks I fix it, and I’ve never encountered a problem I haven’t been able to fix yet.

OK, so now that I’ve completely bored everyone with my story here’s the reason why I did; if I, as a mid-level management schmuck at a regular job, recognized the importance and the necessity of computer literacy enough to take it to the level I’ve taken it to, then how can a U.S. Senator with designs on the Presidency of the United States of America have any excuse for being totally computer illiterate at this late date? Senator McCain has admitted that the can’t even turn on a computer, and even when the computer is already running Senator McCain doesn’t even know how to access the internet?!

This does not engender confidence in me for Senator McCain. There is absolutely no excuse for anyone, particularly a U.S. Senator, not knowing the barest basics of computer use, IMO. If I could do it, anyone can. It speaks of an intellectual laziness that is already far too prevalent in the current administration, and it’s plain to see where that type of intellectual laziness has led us thus far. We certainly don’t need four more years of it, IMO.

The single fact of Senator McCain’s lack of even the most basic computer skills and his lack of even the minimal intellectual drive to learn them precludes me from casting my vote for Senator McCain.

The comments about how someone in a company learned to use a computer because computers were an integral part of their job description touched me to the core of my being. I guess if the primary job description of the President of the US was the same as Robert’s was, then this might be an issue.

But the computer literacy of the president is absolutely rubbish as a factor in the presidency. If it is, are all the geeks out there going to automatically discount Obama as president because he doesn’t have one minute of military service? After all, Commander in Chief IS in the job description - and the implications of not being militarily “literate” are a hell of a lot bigger than the implications of not spending your life on the Internet or blogging.

If Robert can’t vote for McCain because he doesn’t have experience with the internet, I guess he can’t vote for Obama either because he doesn’t have military experience and military/security issues are such a huge topic currently. Unless, of course, his real issue is with McCain period, and the computer issue is just the excuse.

No person in this day and age can be familiar with everything they might have to deal with as a leader. The relevant issue is if they can pick knowledgeable advisors to assist them in their office, and their intelligence and common sense in interpreting and making decisions in what is put before them.

Man… some bloggers need to get a life. Talk about working on finding fly poop in pepper.

Senator McCain has all the help he need to fulfill all of the functions required as a Senator and possible President. If I was the President of the United States…..I wouldn’t get on the Internet either. A man in his position doesn’t have time search the Internet or read junk emails. He has 2,000,000 plus civil servants to prepare his reports.

I do not feel that physical computer is at all necessary. Do you think Secretary of Defence Gate’s emails President Bush with new stuff from Iraq daily. Heck no. That meeting takes place at 7:00 AM every morning in the White House.

He does need to be beware of the potential of new computer technology and it application so the government runs better. He just needs to know how important computer technology the Defence Department requires and just budget for it. He knows that national defence is so important, that lets just give the Pentagon have whatever it needs. Give our governments scientists what ever they want or want to create. Same for the EPA and the other agencies. Each department of government need their own specially designed systems. Just fund away….better port barrel that the usual….rather waste that money on really important projects.

Obama won’t be on the computer any more than Mr. McCain.
I have never heard any material on this subject from either candidate on the stump. What’s the big deal…..if I was the head man in charge, I’d be the same way…..but I’d tend to throw every dollar I could find into enhanced computer technology, but the Democrats would vote against it anyway because it’s not a social program!

Robert

My oath “they” do need a knowledge of how to use technology.
I don’t want my president to “need” people to program his VCR for Christ’s sake! How can you make policy or even comment (accurately) on anything technological if you have zero understanding of how it works?
They may never need to actually use these things, but an understanding is mandatory. I would NEVER vote for anyone who can’t basically drive a PC in this day and age. There are basic “computer driver’s license” type courses out there by the bucket…ALL senator’s should do one as part of the job.

You misrepresent my words and my sentiment, Rick. I didn’t say that using a computer is an integral skill needed for the office of president or the title commander-in-chief. I said that I believe anyone who is so intellectually lazy and/or mentally incapable of learning the simple task of starting up a computer and logging on to the internet is not fit to be president or commander-in-chief, IMO.

I can teach a five year old how to start a computer and log on to the internet in a few minutes yet Senator McCain either hasn’t bothered or is incapable of learning these simple tasks. That precludes him from getting my vote.

We already have an intellectually lazy dullard in the White House and just look at the condition this nation is in! Do you really want to risk four more years? I don’t.

BTW, military experience is not a pre-requisite for president or commander-in-chief. As a matter of fact, eleven former presidents had NO military experience, including the two that led us through both world wars, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Also, the current occupant of the White House served only in the champagne unit of TXANG after his father managed to have a political buddy procure a position for him there rather than serving in Vietnam. A position whose term the current president and commander-in-chief never even bothered to complete.

To reiterate, I refuse to vote for anyone who is so intellectually lazy and/or intellectually incompetent that he or she can’t learn the simple task of starting a computer and getting on the internet.

You can have four more years of intellectual laziness and incompetence if you like. I’d rather not.

Robert Bowers, this information is directly from the stump. I watched on the news as McCain squirmed uncomfortably before a crowd, trying desperately to explain his incompetence at such a simple task.

I mean, really, does he need help him with the toaster too? Does he need his staff to tie his shoes? And I shudder to think what he does when confronted by a microwave oven!

This reminds me all too much of the now infamous photo op of George H.W. Bush and his shock and awe at seeing his first optical scanner at the super market — in 1992!

It is indicative of just how out of touch elitists like Bush and McCain truly are.

I don’t misrepresent your words at all, Robert. You had a need for a high level of computer knowledge in your work and obviously acquired some interest along the way. IMcCain and probably every other senator on both sides have more things they could be doing, learning, investigating than they have time in the day. Which means they pick and choose where they allot their time. If McCain chooses to allot his time elsewhere rather than playing with computers, then so be it. Two of the smartest people I work with, recognized experts in their field who pretty much command whatever price they want to do contracts, can barely run a computer - or a cell phone for that matter. Both are published and hold doctorates, and yet by your standards they are “intellectually lazy” because they put their time and energy elsewhere. Go figger…

Second, assuming somebody is “intellectually lazy” because they choose to put their time somewhere other than into computers is like another person assuming those who don’t choose military service are cowards. Both are ridulous leaps to assumptions, that say more about the individual prejudices and values of those leaping to those judgements than anything else.

Third, I didn’t say military service was a prerequisite to being president. What I DID say is “commander in chief” is certainly part of the job description for the president - but “computer user” isn’t.

Your last paragraph and following post simply reinforces my suspicion that your comments and attitude are more about a dislike of Republicans in general and this government in particular than anything else. “squirmed uncomfortably”… “trying desperately”… jeez, not much loaded language there, is there? Your patently obvious dislike id fine - the Bush government is not exactly a shining moment in the history of this country - but making it out to be about whether or not somebody chooses to allot what free time they have to becoming computer knowledgeable rather than devoting it to something else is ridiculous.

What next? We start having public forums where presidential candidates have to demonstrate they can load an operating system, find a series of drivers, and for bonus points set up a proxy server?

Whatever you might think of McCain, anybody of any political persuasion who can survive in the Hanoi Hilton as long as he and others did, probably has sufficient ingenuity and problem solving skills to deal with a computer should that ever become necessary. My best guess is that very few of the computer gurus out there have ever faced that kind of test of their ingenuity and ability to adapt and survive adverse extreme challenges.

Having to learn computer skills without support is child’s play in comparison. No matter which side of the house he represents, and no matter which way you choose to vote.

John McCain graduated 894th out of a Naval Academy class of 899. Do you think that just might indicate that the man just might
be the tiniest bit “intellectually lazy”?

Of “What” world is McCain planning to be president? This is not ‘new’ technology. Nor is it a passing fad! This is OUR world and we need a president who understands more than how to drive his horse and buggy. Just because he’s a Veteran and can kill people doesn’t make him qualified to rule over the same country than can text under the dinner table. Honestly, this is the deal breaker for me. I was wavering but this cinches it.

This has been showing up all over online, and it really has me bewildered. To me this should really be a non-issue, not part of the selection process. At least this isn’t as bad as when Al Gore claimed that he invented the internet.

I understand why the generation growing up with a computer in every room would find computer literacy so important. But knowing how to text really isn’t that important of a skill (can you picture the president sending Thx 4 the msg, see u 2nite to a foreign dignitary?). I really doubt that foreign leaders would be sending important information via email. And honestly I wouldn’t want my president (or anyone else really) relying on Wikipedia for information.

There actually are a whole lot of jobs that don’t require computer skills, and I don’t mean McDs. I know quite a few people making $75-150 K that don’t even know how to turn a computer on. Many people 40 and over (even some 30s) are not very computer literate. I fall into the 40s age range, and frequently have to help out friends with their computers and give tutorials on programs. I am also constantly being called over to ‘clean up’ the messes many of their tweens and teens make because they think they know what they are doing.

I attended a town hall meeting several months ago. Sen McCain talked about how he is not as computer literate as his children, but they are always teaching him new things. He mentioned how he had learned email, sending pics, etc to keep in communication with his children years ago.

Sen McCain also went into great detail about his economic plan. He talked about how the ‘good jobs’ of the past are gone and how technology was the future. …why we need more job/skill training in technology fields, and how we can pay for it.

He also had a very coherent, detailed plan to solve the energy problems, especially why we need to end our dependence on foreign oil. How we need to start with conservation and exploration of alternative fuels. (He has actually been touting this for many years, one of the reasons hard core Repubs don’t like him much.) Of course the media here didn’t mention any of this. They did bring up the light bulbs he mentioned, so they could bring up that they are made overseas.

Recently Obama has been bringing out his plans, which sound eerily similar to McCain’s and Clinton’s with the exception that he doesn’t explain how he is going to pay for them. (except for his plan to take more from Exxon to give to the poor, even though they are already paying 60+ billion/yr and making 10% profit)

Before you make a decision against Sen McCain I recommend you attend a town hall meeting and listen to his Q&As (without the benefit of a teleprompter). He may not deliver as pretty speeches, but he has real policies that can work.

Judi,

Thanks very much for your comments. I appreciate your taking time to contribute to this post. I am going to link an article here by Anna Quindlen. you might find it interesting:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/148980

Catherine

Thanks, I did just read that article, but really didn’t think it had much to offer beyond an opinion that has already been stated. I found the original UK telegraph article (your link is to a 404) and read through that too. I then went to the original NY Times article that all of this is based on. This has been floating around for awhile now.
As you say, his skills are very limited. He frequently pokes fun at himself about it.
I just think it really is a non-issue as long as he understands the importance of technology. After attending that town hall meeting, I feel that he has a firm grasp of not only the importance, but where Americans need to be to succeed.
Everyone compares it to Sen. Obama emailing on his blackberry, but if he’s elected - he’ll not only have to give up the blackberry, he won’t even be allowed email.

Thanks Judi … here is the link to the article:

http://tinyurl.com/6ocjwt

Catherine