Barack Obama Is Aware Of The Military
A lot of folks are having a field day with a video from this year’s PDF where it comes out that “John McCain is aware of the Internet” despite not owning a computer. To hear the former John Edwards advisor say it, McCain’s lack of hands on use of the Internets puts this country in grave danger.
Does the same apply for her or Barack Obama’s lack of hands on military experience?
The Internet is a fantastic tool and has opened up politics and governing in ways one would have had trouble imagining just ten or more years ago. Yet to expect everyone to have full intimate knowledge of how every facet of it works (Facebook, Twitter, Google - to use her examples) is to fail to understand how not just politics but the world works. I seriously doubt that John Edwards or Barack Obama personal Twitter or update their Facebook pages or, heck, even have the means to do so. That’s what they pay staffers to do.
But to assume or demand that people know every bit of every tool at their disposal, whether virtual or physical (does Barack Obama read every mailing that’s sent out on his campaign’s behalf?) shows more naivete on the part of the speaker than it does on John McCain.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:08 am
McCain is yester-year’s candidate. He’s free to avoid technology and the information age, just as George W. Bush is free to not read newpapers. And likewise, we are free to NOT hire the man because his skill set is totally outmoded.
In my line of work, education, we’re starting to weed out teachers who are not computer literate. Even though they may be good at their jobs, we can’t have them passing on computer illiteracy to learners who need to be competetive in today’s job market. Likewise, McCain is modeling detatchment and obstinate denial of innovation and progress. His military credentials don’t exhonerate him from active participation in 21st Century reality.
J: Aren’t you a little bit miffed that your idol will never see and appreciate your virtual homage?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:18 am
“21st Century reality” and its gadgets isn’t necessarily the same as political reality. You don’t Twitter Ahmadinejad (yes, I had to Google for the spelling) to see what’s going on in Iran, nor do you really bother to read his blog (unless you’re looking for a good chuckle). I think that political leaders could certainly learn a thing or two about the Internet to be sure, but if you’re basing your vote on whether or not a candidate can sent a text message or friends you on MySpace, your priorities are really messed up.
I would be concerned if he didn’t surround himself with computer literate people or if his campaign hired a web developer who used animated gifs and a midi of “God Bless America” on his home page, but I think he gets the Internet well enough. He gets it well enough that he knows he needs to find people for his campaign who do get it. Just as Obama knows he needs to find people who do get the military or foreign policy so he can attempt to shore up his credentials there.
Which is a greater issue? Understanding how to use a Mac thanks to hands on experience or understanding how to deal with military affairs thanks to hands on experience?
It’s a question of priorities.
And, nah, I’m not miffed at all. Because even if McCain (my idol?) did use a computer, the chances of him coming to J’s Notes is slim to none. Only three people read this site, after all.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:50 am
He’s just out of touch, that’s all. It’s not a crime, but it is a symptom of McCain’s geriatric incompetence. Yeah, that’s ageist. But, it’s an important job. In the run up to the 2000 election, everyone knew that George W’s “intelegence” was going to be an issue, and it has been. In fact, I’d say that politics and media have sunk to a lowest common denominator in the US, thanks to Bush’s overall ignorance. With McCain, we have an option to avoid similar mistake. He’s approaching scenility and that’s being merciful. And about the military experience… considering McCain’s full speed ahead approach to Iraq, it doesn’t appear that he learned much from Vietnam. But, what do I know. I’m just a taxpayer.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
So would Obama’s youth lead to inexperienceness? I think so, but you might argue.
But you’re assuming that Obama himself gets all this Internets stuff and gets everything he feeds the world through speeches when that is not the case. He has advisers who help shape his thoughts and opinions and stances, but because he is aware of these issues he knows to find people who can help him with it. As does McCain.
And on Iraq, the surge is working, J. To say otherwise is to ignore the facts on the ground and even in the news. To cut and run will not solve the problem and it shouldn’t take an experienced advisor to show that.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Weed out good teachers because they are not computer literate? Did you really say that? Amazing. We wouldn’t want our kids to be infected with something like maybe THINKING!
June 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
And there. We have all 3 of J’s readers checking in.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Except that with me that makes 4… must be an anomaly…
June 26th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Make that five.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Egads, I’ve almost doubled my readership!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see RVAFoodie harassing somebody else. He or she appears to only comment when he or she has something snarky to say. I know this because as soon as I stopped posting about Ron Paul and turned to more lefty topics, he/she disappeared. Thanks for your support, Foodie!
I think it says it all that an educator thinks his or her own computer literacy is such a crucial skill that not having it holds his or her students back (as opposed to, oh, I dunno, being another “continuing development” merit badge on the teacher’s resume that is totally divorced from any real world application). Of course, that computer literacy teachers learn in night school will be taught to kids via a state-approved, bureaucratically constructed, authority-driven curriculum - should be loads and loads of fun for kids who already figured the internet out years ago.
It’s that illusion of relevance on the part of teachers that makes our education system a shining example to the world! Much better to concentrate on presidential candidates’ myspace pages as the indicator of competence. What a tool.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:48 am
[...] covered this before here and here. I’ll cover it again if I have to. September 12th, 2008 at 7:48 am | Tags: [...]