Tuesday, September 16, 2008

McCain can't send an email?

Since we’ve been on the topic of nastiness in the campaign, I have a new example. This is for anyone out there who feels fit to complain that McCain is too negative and Obama is trying to rise above the mud on the proverbial high-road.

A recent Barack Obama campaign ad shows outdated tech devices with the announcer saying: "Things have changed in the last 26 years, but McCain hasn't," explains the announcer. "He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send an e-mail, still doesn't understand the economy and favors $200 billion in new tax cuts for corporations, but almost nothing for the middle class.”

Yes, the ad actually attacks McCain because he “can’t” send an email. "It's extraordinary," Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said, "that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Well, let’s correct the record. The reason why McCain doesn’t use computers is because the North Vietnamese repeatedly broke all of his fingers and both arms. As reported in Slate, Forbes and The Boston Globe, his injuries make it “painfully laborious” to use a keyboard. He mostly relies on staff for this. So it’s not a matter of “doesn’t know how to”, but more a matter of physically unable due to his prisoner of war status and injuries suffered in service of his country.

Barack Obama believes this, in part, makes him unqualified to be President. Think about that the next time you hear someone complain about the “lipstick on a pig” ad.

3 comments:

Auntyem said...

Well, I think that ad was just trying to show McCain as an old fogey who is too old to learn new tricks, and for those running the campaigns, it seems incredible that someone in this day and age doesn't use e-mail.

You were making excuses for McCain, John, but with the new technology, McCain could send e-mails, if he wanted to. He just doesn't want to bother, and it bothers people that he doesn't care about a technology that is so much a part of our lives now.

If Stephen Hawking, that brilliant scientist with that most horrible debilitating disease that has left him with no mobility at all, can use a computer to communicate, McCain surely could, if he cared.

Emilie
Port Orchard, WA

jbellerive87 said...

From what I've read, John McCain actually is fairly tech-savvy. I don't have links on hand, but could look them up if it's deemed necessary. I know that he's reported as reading emails with his wife every night and dictating to her so she can type them up, so I don't think he's totally disconnected or whatever... As well as using a Blackberry and whatnot.

John Washburn said...

Yes, McCain is very tech savvy, he has a congessional record supporting it.

Emilie, during Bill Clinton's entire 8 years in office he sent a grand total of 2 emails (according to the archives of the Clinton presidential library).

I guess he doesn't care about technology either, if you go by Obama's logic.