NYT July Interview with McCain: " I am learning to get online myself"

[DeschutesRiver]

Just in case no one has seen this yet, thought I should put it out front and by itself (have replied with it elsewhere). NYT interview, July this year. McCain can use one - he mostly chooses not to do so.

Q: What websites if any do you look at regularly?

Mr. McCain: Brooke and Mark show me Drudge, obviously, everybody watches, for better or for worse, Drudge. Sometimes I look at Politico. Sometimes RealPolitics, sometimes.

(Mrs. McCain and Ms. Buchanan both interject: “Meagan’s blog!”)

Mr. McCain: Excuse me, Meagan’s blog. And we also look at the blogs from Michael and from you that may not be in the newspaper, that are just part of your blog.

Q: But do you go on line for yourself?

Mr. McCain: They go on for me. I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself. I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need – including going to my daughter’s blog first, before anything else.

Q: Do you use a blackberry or email?

Mr. McCain: No

Mark Salter: He uses a BlackBerry, just ours.

Mr. McCain: I use the Blackberry, but I don’t e-mail, I’ve never felt the particular need to e-mail. I read e-mails all the time, but the communications that I have with my friends and staff are oral and done with my cell phone. I have the luxury of being in contact with them literally all the time. We now have a phone on the plane that is usable on the plane, so I just never really felt a need to do it. But I do – could I just say, really – I understand the impact of blogs on American politics today and political campaigns. I understand that. And I understand that something appears on one blog, can ricochet all around and get into the evening news, the front page of The New York Times. So, I do pay attention to the blogs. And I am not in any way unappreciative of the impact that they have on entire campaigns and world opinion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/us/politics/13text-mc ...

[sunnybrook]

1. this is such a non-issue

It may be hard for some of us to believe but there are still alot of people who are not online, including seniors and low income people. I understand that it is an attempt to portray him as ancient, but of all of the things that could be said about McCain, this is not a scathing indictment. The idea that he is too handicapped to do it is of course total bullshit.

[JackCo]

2. I agree there are people who aren't on the net but

I expect a President to have the knowledge to use a computer and get on the net. It is a basic and modern communication/information mode. Anyone in such a high position that doesn't know how to use it is just lacking. The handicap issue is BS but of course you can't tell that to the freepers.

[sunnybrook]

3. but is that universal?

I understand that you expect everyone to be able to use it, but does this mean he could not get online information, from people around him? There are so many terrible things you could say about McCain right now, really terrible things. This whole idea could be interpreted as ageist and elitist... not really helpful, imo. I understand this is energizing with the youth vote... think we have that pretty sewn up.

[DeschutesRiver]

4. My point in posting this is to debunk Karl Rove

the bigger issue right now is the ease with which lies are being told, and many times, not being debunked immediately. It is an appeal to those who don't keep up on corrections of mis-statements and walk away thinking "poor guy - being picked on for not using a computer when he is a crippled POW".

This is just one of many instances. I don't think the majority of Republicans are going for it; but I can't tell how many are swayed by such stuff, and it concerns me. Had a guy up here to refuel our ranch the other day, and he claimed that Obama's campaign donations are so high that they can't be coming from individual donors. Believes that Tony Rezko and other corrupt bad actors are actually funding Obama monthly in order to boost him into an office he couldn't oherwise obtain on his own.

I know you can't fix every dummy, but it won't stop me from pointing out facts to anyone who will listen, instead of letting lies stand unchallenged. That is my thought, anyway.

[sunnybrook]

6. OK

I get that. Because the idea that he is too disabled to use computer is totally false. Of course everything they are saying these days is totally false. You are right here, they need to be debunked immediately.

[L. Coyote]

5. "I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself."

IN THE REAL WORLD, a college freshman learns that in the first few minutes of a class, and leaves the same class with an online assignment and an understanding of how to create web content.

Meanwhile, McCain says, "I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself."

That, my friends, is an e-tard!

"He can't use a keyboard"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/14/111443/951/640/598367