Sorry, my friends, by Grampy McCain is a 20th century geezer who is desperately chasing his lifelong dream in a 21st century he barely comprehends.

Enough said. McCain is passe. Fuck him.

... that's a huge PLUS for him. It was at the time criticized as one of the most corrupt piece of legislation ever passed. It led directly to the media consolidation that most progressives oppose. It has not turned out to be a good law.

As a computer geek of over 40 years standing, I'm not concerned that John McCain doesn't have a MySpace page. He understands the need for nuclear power in this era of $4 gasoline and energy dependence on terrorists who hate us. You people don't.

A president can arrange to get his information from underlings who want to please him. But such a president is susceptible to being steered by others who are fully aware of the extent of presidential knowledge --- and of any gaps in it. This is sometimes called living in a bubble.

But a president -- or senator -- who can occasionally use the internet for background information on vital policy matters can avoid this danger and have better control of subordinates. That is another reason why John McCain's lack of internet savvy is alarming. He can be kept in the dark.

is like Cheney letting Big Oil decide energy policy.

The point of government is to shape policy in the interests of the people. If you can't or won't do that, step down and let someone else to the hard work of integrating all the variables instead of merely reacting to the invisible hand.

can he program the White House VCR?

That McCain thinks that Google

Is that guy with the goog goog googley eyes.

McCain is a man of passion, not reason. The only technologies McCain has ever had a burning passion for is napalm and viagra.

I have not had much time to work on this one, but here is a little something for an Obama surrogate...

“It is crucial for American safety and security to understand the threats of the 21st century, especially the threat of terrorism in all of its guises.

“Our military, security, and intelligence experts know that threats from terrorists come in many forms, including cyber-terrorism. Barack Obama understands the threats to our economic and transportation infrastructure from cyber-terrorism.

“Computers and telecommunications network, cell phones and Blackberries, are important tools of the 21st century. Threats to these tools are 21st century threats. Senator Obama understands that, as do our experts in the military, the CIA, and the FBI.

“We’ve seen that John McCain is confused by some of these tools. We’ve all seen the stories about his lack of familiarity with the very technology that our enemies use with ease. We can’t afford a president who is confused about these vital threats.

“We can’t risk a president who doesn’t know the difference, and amazingly doesn't even care to know the difference, between an iPod and a Blackberry, just like we can’t afford a president who is confused about the difference between Shiite and Sunni, or about which countries border Afghanistan. Now is not the time to be confused. Too much depends on understanding the threats against us. We need a president who can see a way to a brighter and more secure future.

“Barack Obama understands the complex nature of the threats to America, and he is ready to meet the full range of challenges. He understands that our military and security experts are adapting to changing tactics from America’s enemies. We can’t afford to elect somebody, in Senator McCain, who refuses to acknowledge the changing nature of America’s enemies. We can’t afford to elect somebody who will have to play catch-up to our enemies.

“We need somebody who is ahead of the game, somebody who can lead the fight against all the threats we face. Barack Obama is just that type of leader.”

Years ago Bob Dole did some TV ads for Viagra. Maybe McCain can do a few TV spots for Napalm TM, which cures one's sense of impotence by killing lots of poor inocent civilians, but restores a sense of "national honor" to one's sense of self esteem.

Today McCain declared all Americans Georgians in the murky war for oil resouces near Russia's border with the former Soviet Republic. I don't know about "all Americans" but those guys over there? They're on their own from where I'm realistically regarding things at the moment. Don't jump the gun 'ol uncle John, you may react too hastily, in droppin' the big bomb.

If McCain thinks nothing of riffing a Beach Boys' song: "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran"... Then for his sorry ass's sake it's probably a good idea to keep him away from email.

When the Russians invade another country, BO will be able to google what to do. Kewl.

How long could you make this article if you really wanted to go over all the reasons John McCain isn't the leader required?

The only technologies McCain has ever had a burning passion for are napalm and viagra.

(proofread version)

Amanda, thanks bunches for clearing that up for me. McCain is an internet dunce! Go figure.

Maybe those years as a resident of the Hanoi Hilton crippled his capacity to surf the web.

Well, I'm sure going to vote for Net-savvy Obama now. How could I possibly vote for a guy who served and loves his country when I can vote for a guy who would give it away BUT who knows how to surf the net?

Tech know-how is a requisite for the presidency of the United States!

DUNCE!

This article contains a truly priceless piece of comic undertstatement, i.e., the following by Stanford technology professor Lawrence Lessig:

"Technology for the Bush administration is a total non-issue, even though that was the thing that drove most growth in 1992 to 2003. And the reason I think he'd be led to that is because [he's] a guy who doesn't understand anything about technology in the first place"

(emphasis added).

Expecting George Bush to operate a computer is like putting a pink tutu on a baboon and inviting it to high tea at Windsor Castle with the Marx Brothers.