Debate: Does the President need to know how to use a Computer/Web?

I was tracking back from comment #34 and wanted to make it known here that while it appears I am defending McCain, it's actually me dismantling the pot-kettle-plonk assumptions/arguments against, assuming, McCain as some kind of quasi-luddite.

To that end, McCain's latest YouTube's series shows that even surrounding yourself with talented rock star-esque video production teams can result in epic fail.

Or, put simply: No, the President doesn't need to know how to use a computer or the web. They can epic fail with an abacus just as easily as they can lead, inspire, and unite with an abacus.

It is hard to believe any Democrat can act superior over this issue when Gore unabashedly announced he invented the internet. Let's see - understanding the military and having global world experience or knowing how to email and push buttons on a computer - which skill is most important for our president?

it is important we don't focus on the pencil as the criteria for knowing how to write. Computers and much of the software we use are pencils.

The understanding of how technology collapses time and distance, how it has created the opportunity for transparency as well as deceit, how it has impacted the flow of commerce, the concept of intellectual property, the flow of venture capital, the concept of news media and the financial models of industries such as newspapers.

These and many other concepts are much much much more important for a leader to understand, that whether the person twitters from his phone.

The political issue that caught GWHB on the scanner photo op was about the price of the socks, not the fact the he commented on the scanner.

his is a dumb question and a non-issue. It should be: Can the Candidate function as an everyday American using the tools, institutions and opportunities available to everyday people?

Remember GHWB in 1992 w/ the grocery scanner?

Same difference.

To answer your questions:
No, not yet.
No, because the leader hires others who can use a computer.
No.
I would expect leaders to ask questions if they don't understand something, and find answers.

It all comes down to this: Who do you want responding to that tweet at 3 a.m.?

A very insightful comment came in from Friendfeed:

"Although my vote would depend more on the vision and positions of a candidate, I think that to be in the position of the most powerful person on the earth, you would need to have at least a minimum amount of knowledge, not just about PC's and the internet BTW. Imagine Medvedev or Putin sending an IM message that goes lost without a reply :-) - Marc Dierens"

Who here thinks that Nelson Mandela is an internet jockey? Does that make you think less of him?

Leaders should lead people - not be technicians. (BTW, that is why Hilary lost to Barak.)

TO'B

It's VERY important for a President to know how to use a computer and the internet, though perhaps not for the obvious reasons.

The reason is because these are tools for intellectually curious minds, and marketplaces for all kinds of ideas.

We've just endured 8 years of abject failure from an Administration with a pathological lack of curiosity and blind, unquestioning faith in its own narrow ideas.

We need curious, intellectually engaged brains in the White House. People who dismiss what may be the greatest learning tool in history as a glorified typewriter scare me.

People that quickly swear off technology scare me because they leave me with the impression that they are not progressive or even interested in keeping up with the times. Granted, it is human nature. Not too many years ago I took a stand about shooting film because digital just didn't capture "it". Well, today I'm a proud operator of a Nikon D200; my poor F100 sits in the back of the closet. Digital cameras can capture "it".

A president should have a basic understanding of contemporary communication technology. I'm not looking for him to maintain his own MySpace page but he should have some basic working knowledge of computers.

Come on, if my 72 year old mother who never graduated from high school can email me jokes and cat pictures, surely a 72 year old Naval Academy graduate/presidential candidate can too!

Yes, it's true that Senator McCain knows how to fly a jet, but knowing how to do so is not, necessarily, critical in the decision making around our foreign policy for example. However, the economy is being transformed at a rate faster than in the past and technology is driving that. I do think that someone who has not used mainstream technologies will have a tougher time appreciating those changes.
I'm 43 and can remember that until I went to college, banking was something done in person during work hours - in fact, companies gave extended lunch breaks on payday to allow employees to cash their checks. If you're still envisioning that world, your judgment will be affected.

I posted to my Content Matters blog on this topic early today before this meme started and have further thoughts there - http://www.contentmatters.info/content_matters/...

It is only 2008, folks. The personal computer isn't 35 years old yet, and email and The Web have less than 20 years going for it, let alone going strong. While these technologies may be tools we use on a daily basis, we represent less than 50% of the US in that respect. Don't confuse the Internet with the real world, particularly where "checking facts" is concerned.

A president shouldn't be sitting at the White House switchboard fielding every incoming call, nor waiting for incoming faxes, nor reading emails and surfing the web to be effectively administering his office.

The technology exists to extend the reach of humanity, not to direct how we should live our lives. If you understand what it means to be human and what's right and wrong, you'll be able to figure out whether the particular instrument in question is put to proper use or not.

I daresay he can pilot a fighter, and most of you cannot. So it's likely he has the intellectual capacity to use a computer if necessary.

McCain is a Senator, please remember, and I do not think it is asking too much to expect that a member of Congress should know how to send an email or visit a web site.

I'd argue that the personal computer and the Internet have spawned all sorts of things that we, who use the technology all the time, think are vitally important yet really don't mean anything.

Think of the amount of time spent - or wasted - via email, Facebook widgets, and so on.

Leonid states he wants "...the president to have ability to do independent verification of facts. Such facts are increasingly located on the Internet."

I'd argue that the reverse is true: you can mine the Internet endlessly for all the variations on any given issue; a Googolplex of words don't necessarily equal knowledge nor wisdom.

As an extension of that argument, consider forums such as this page. You find vitriolic comments more often than not, comments that state an emotional position without facts to back them up. I'd want a president who values good arguments and healthy dialogue; IdeaExchange and UserVoice are two examples of how this kind of software has "grown up".

And as far as China, net neutrality, and so on...having intimate knowledge of how systems is important but not necessarily most important. A computer is ultimately a coping skill -- it is but one way to manage information.

I believe that the ability to see things clearly, and the ability to keep an open mind without being influenced by popularity polls, are vastly more important than the ability to use a computer.

Joseph Kimojino, a Masai wildlife ranger in Kenya's Mara Triangle, learned to use a computer in Nov 2007 and blogs about the Mara triangle, posting photos on Flickr.

It's 2008. From school teachers to elected officials, anyone in a position of power - anyone in a position to effect what happens to the country in the future - needs to understand the technology that makes the world tick today.

The president needs to understand communication. He needs to know how to Read, how to Write, how to use the telephone, and how to use the Internet.

I just added some stats about Internet usage in US, as well as those 65+.

I'm a data geek, a useful skill I've learned to hone at Forrester.

I think the President should understand technology and how it's changing people's lives, interactions, businesses and culture. That said, I don't think it's a requirement that he should have to use one. If he doesn't know anything about computers, he should just do some reading and investigating. Spend 30 mins or an hour learning each day and he could learn the basics pretty quickly.

I don’t care if a President has others to handle his email and other technologies, but he/she should certainly understand what these technologies are, how people are using them, how businesses are using them and how legislation could affect people, the economy and quality of life issues relative to technology. It’s more of an issue that being dismissive of technology betrays an attitude that these new ways of communicating and doing work are of little importance. How can you lead people when you are out of touch with such a major part of everyday experience?

The cumulative effect of the cluster of technologies that started first with PCs and the Internet and is now taking shape with Web 2.0 technologies is the very definition of being disruptive. It’s not the small changes we see month over month but the larger changes that are being felt over four or five years that make a difference and need to be understood to lead this country through the rest of the Connected Century.

This changing landscape will need to be understood and reflected at every level of policy direction and any corresponding legislation or agency direction and oversight. People that keep up with these issues are in tune to the subtle changes that new forms of communication and technology can have on the way people think and solve problems, particularly long-term complex problems. It’s a cultural issue as much as anything else and I don’t think it’s too much to expect our leaders to make it a priority to understand the profound changes occurring with these new forms of communication and technology.

When the president and Congress are making budgetary calls about capital expenditure allowances, IT support allowances for schools and budgets for computer as well as assistive technology for students with disabilities, I really hope they understand the technology they are making decisions about. Everyone's got an agenda, including the advisors to the president.

When we talk about unfunded mandates like IDEA (something McCain promised to fully fund eight years ago, by the way), a president who does not find personal value (and thus reason to spend dollars on) a personal computer is on very shaky ground with me when he makes a value decision on educational technologies that increase independence and marketable skills for our students in today's workplace.

And I agree with Karoli entirely. When our federal government is dealing with China and internet censorship, our own laws on internet usage and how a crime is commited via the internet and a whole host of other issues that all have to do with computers and how people use them for bad reasons, it stands to reason that he might have SOME inkling of how to use a computer and how the internet works before he made decisions on even the advisors he has around him. The internet and computers are becoming and larger and larger part of foreign policy, and that's a large part of his job.

I don't think it's necessary. The president won't have time in his/her schedule to get on a computer. They are briefed all day long on issues and events. He has a huge staff of peopled that are on computers 24/7/365. I am sure that most people in that position completely understand the importance and the impact that modern computing has on society. Here's my analogy: Does a Great Military General need to know how to fly a B2 Bomber aircraft? I'm more concerned with their ability to analyze and make complicated decisions that actually impact the world we live in.

If using a computer is now becoming as common as a telephone or driving a car for past generations, wouldn't we want a president that could do things everyone else could do? Understanding the web/computer is tablestakes. Perhaps the job of president of the U.S. is too important to be left to only Americans.

How can McCain possibly understand policy issues like Net neutrality, warrantless wiretaps, backups of important data, leveraging the Web for maximum communication value, etc. etc. etc?

I don't think anyone can look at Internet use as a theory or an 'idea' and really understand why government policies around its use are critical.

As an example, I'm sure that McCain would approve of the conviction of someone on child porn charges as a crime-and-punishment issue without even considering the malware and backdoor trojans that can cause the unauthorized use of someone's computer as a conduit for passing such material. Would he understand the importance of forensics in those situations, or would he simply rubber stamp the conservative "if it's porn it's bad" position without considering the possibility that the defendant might have a defense?

Would net neutrality mean anything to someone who didn't actually USE the internet?

To me, it's utterly critical that our next president not only have top-notch advisors, but also understand the advice they're giving. Otherwise it simply means he would be rubber-stamping the advice of someone who may have an agenda that's not good for the Internet.

At the very least, you'd think he'd be using email and a word processor. My father in law, who is also 72 is very computer-savvy and has been for 10 years. Same with my mother. There's really not much excuse in this day and age for not learning.

Great questions! I think as time goes on, a President knowing how to use a computer and the Internet will become more relevant. Being that this is a newer technology, however, I certainly don't expect it from the President. I think as long as he surrounds himself with competent people that understand what's going on in technology and the impact it's having within the population, he'll be in good order. This certainly wouldn't influence my vote, there are much more critical factors that I give more weight to. I love technology, but technology is only a part of the whole that makes us go 'round :)

The president doesn't need to know how to upgrade RAM or rebuild an OS. He/She really doesn't even know how to use the most simple applications. But the president must understand how that technology affects the world, how people work and communicate, and especially the effect of the instantaneous backchannel we have today.

Yet another reason why that person is not someone I want to be my President.

I ruled him out as a candidate long ago, so to me it is irrelevant. However, I expect the President to have ability to do independent verification of facts. Such facts are increasingly located on the Internet.

For instance, he should review foreign news sources to get an accurate opinion of world's attitude toward the US. The President used to be accessible to his citizens.

Security? Be a good President and you won't need as much of it.

With today's technology, he can be plugged in and get alerts on the bills that are getting serious negative sentiment from the citizens, for example.

I am pretty sure the other candidate is well aware of the power of Internet. Witness the donation pattern from his Internet-enabled constituents.

Having a research staff is great, but ultimately, the decision is the President's to make. I would much rather have him unlimited information than whatever his staff chose for him as approved sources.

Wouldn't it be cool for the President to post a poll about issues he's considering and ask the order of priorities from his citizens?

A plugged in President, in my opinion, is a better President.

It's not so much the inability to use the computer that baffles us, it's the disconnect from the rest of us that's scary.

Jennifer and Hillary

Interesting, so value and understanding is more important than usage.

I work with state governments, and I've heard more than a few times that the reason the web and other technology is not a priority for the state is because the governor doesn't use a computer, and therefore doesn't value it.

I don't really care if McCain knows how to use a computer as long as he values the ability to do so...

If Bill Marriott freely admits that he is not so tech-savvy but yet still maintains a blog, I think John McCain can probably wrap his head around technology, even if it's just email and a word processor. I do care that our highest elected official have some clue of how to use the method a lot of our country communicates through. I might vote for McCain, but I care about how our kids learn today, and if the president doesn't see computer knowledge as being essential to his job, why would he even think to consider decent technology budgets for schools to prepare our children for the workforce of right now, nevermind tomorrow? I have to question that lack of desire to communicate more efficiently. If my father and grandparents can figure out how to write an email, mail merge their Christmas letters, burn a CD and play a game of solitaire, I think McCain can probably find time to turn one on and dink with it.

I'm not convinced having internet ability is going to make him a better president.

I'm also not convinced by not having these skills are going to damage him. He's got staff, he's got resources, he doesn't need them to do his job.

On the other hand, there's a big opportunity missing, the ability to listen in, communicate out, and to quickly keep his pulse on the state of the community.

I would say that he does not necessarily need to use it, but he knows to understand what the web and blogging are all about. Otherwise he will try to do things in a top-down manner, as Bush has done.

In a way which no longer works....