White House picks new cyber coordinator

[Adsos Letter]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – After months of wrangling and delays, President Barack Obama has chosen a national cyber security coordinator to take on the formidable task of organizing and managing the nation's increasingly vulnerable digital networks.

Obama has tapped Howard A. Schmidt, longtime computer security executive who worked in the Bush administration and has extensive ties to the corporate world, according to a senior White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement will not be made until Tuesday.

Schmidt's selection comes more than 10 months after Obama declared cyber security a priority and ordered a broad administration review.

The official said Obama was personally involved in the selection process and chose Schmidt after an extensive search because of his unique background and skills. Schmidt will have regular and direct access to the President for cybersecurity issues, the official said.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_hi_te/us_us_cyber_czar

[madfloridian]

1. Why does he keep picking Bush people and corporate people.

Guess we are seeing the true face.

[ipaint]

3. Larry Summers wanted him.

Schmidt's selection suggests that economic and business interests in the White House held more sway in the selection process. Schmidt, president and CEO of the Information Security Forum, a nonprofit international consortium that conducts research in information security, has served as chief security officer for Microsoft and as cyber security chief for online auction giant eBay. He was reportedly preferred by NEC director Lawrence Summers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_hi_te/us_us_cyber_czar

[ipaint]

2. Howard A. Schmidt

http://www.aeispeakers.com/speakerbio.php?SpeakerID=1192

[clear eye]

4. Lately I cringe whenever I see word of a new WH appointment.

I don't remember one that doesn't have a record of either putting corporate interests before the common welfare, and/or doesn't have a record of abusing whistleblowers.

The last coordinator (another holdover from Bush, but a surprisingly principled guy) quit b/c he didn't want the gov't to routinely paw through the communications of ordinary citizens w/o some reasonable expectation that something illegal might be going on. He was an expert in the technological end, so was able to report on ways gen'l communications could be left alone while still allowing access to those which were suspect. When the Dept. of Homeland Security did an end run around his recommendations, he walked.

Guess they won't have to worry about that w/ this guy who has friends in corporations--like Microsoft and Norton?

[debbierlus]

5. Another Bush corporate appointment - a google search is warranted

[Yuugal]

6. "who worked in the Bush administration "

I'm overcome with unsurprise. :banghead: