McCain Sneaking Up on Late Twentieth Century With Occasional Computer Use

Senator John McCain, while campaigning and fundraising in Silicon Valley, says "I am forcing myself...let me just say, I'm using the computer more and more every day."

He also had this to say:

"Now, I read e-mails," he added, saying his staff is "constantly showing them to me as the news breaks during the day."

"I use a computer almost every day. I go on different web sites ... ours and the various media," he said.

How very...Y2K. How very...5 year old kid who already uses a mouse and knows how to surf PBS Kids.

AND McCain was chair of the Senate Commerce Committee which made important rulings on the telecom industry, among other high-tech issues.

Yikes. Why do I feel like that's akin to leaving the ice-seller with his horse-drawn cart in charge of the refrigerator factory?

So much for having Silicon Valley heavy hitters Carly Fiorina (Hewlett-Packard) and Meg Whitman (Ebay) as "advisors" to the campaign.

H/T to MOMos CityMama and oneplustwo.

ETA: A recent survey of people aged 100 years old or older yields these results:

When it comes to e-mail, usage is even higher: 7 per cent [of those surveyed] are familiar with the idea of an inbox, and of those more than half have either sent or received digital photos. The internet more generally has been used by 12 per cent of those aged 100 or more, though that is still a stretch behind mobile phones, which have been embraced by 19 per cent.

Showing that when it comes to using or being familiar with technology, age isn't an excuse. What's McCain's?

Cynematic blogs at P i l l o w b o o k. She's afraid her retiree mom-in-law will join Twitter and the volume of text-messages with "LOL" and "c u l8r" will skyrocket to overwhelming levels of tweet. (Just kidding, love you Mom-in-law!!) Her own retiree parents, well into their 70s, have moved on from "Neiman cookie recipe" and "flashing headlights is a gang sign" glurge to Beijing Olympics- and panda-related spam. (Joking, love you too, Mom!) PS Momses, I never--well, almost never--drop the f-bomb here.

Comments

[Stefania/CityMama]

I'll totally be emailing McCain at 74829034.9427 @compuserve.com once my the 1200 baud external modem on my TRS-80 connects to the information superhighway via Delphi.

[cynematic]

Hey CityMama, way to rock that wheelbarrow on the Information Superduperhighway! (Not. She has the latest secret Intel brain chip-implant to send emails with the sheer power of her *mind*, that's how bleeding edge geek she is.)

Should we be thankful McCain isn't doing CB radio?

[jen]

That's IT! Let's run the country by HAM radio.

[lildb]

ham. radio.

*guffaws in unladylike fashion*

[cynematic]

Jen, ham radio?? Listen, if *telegraph* was good enough for American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T), it's good enough to base an entire modern economy on.

Oh wait, this is the 21st century, not 19th.

[Jo-Ann]

Well, it's been such a comfort for the past eight years knowing that our president is always the dumbest person in the room. Why not go for 4 more?

[Vote McCain]

To each generation there own devices. Other than not being young, how does using or not using email make one a better candidate for president?

The only thing I'm getting is your attempt to make fun of somebody for being different.

[cynematic]

Well, VoteMcCain (ahem, not that you aren't equally partisan, but that's ok)--just where do you suggest we grow the economy?

The web is one of the few economic sectors that shows any life or growth. It's kinda propping up traditional media (like tv and the advertising industry) and definitely stealing the thunder from print media.

Come February 2009, your tv signals will be digitally broadcast and you'll need a new set or continue to subscribe to cable or satellite.

Your cell phone is only getting fancier and more complex, with more functions.

I'd prefer to have someone who understands the importance and *application* of social media, the high-tech industry, and isn't technophobic running our country and shaping policy. That would be Obama.

After all, YOU'RE on the interwebz, VoteMcCain, aren't you?