# McCain invents Blackberry! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858 "2008-09-16T16:51:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/61 "2008-09-17T21:08:18Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Without any sarcasm at all. This is the single number one reason why I will be voting for Obama. I do not think a computer illiterate has any place as President of the United States. But what if he’s got a nerdy son or daughter who _really_ doesn’t mind spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and several other weekends a year making the aging President’s computer [del]idiot proof[/del] safe for democracy? ---
**Author:** ![ManiacMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/62 "2008-09-17T21:41:29Z")
Gore said: > [@](#): > > "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in **creating the Internet**. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have poroven to be important to our country’s economic growth and enviromental protection, improvements in our educational system. He “sponsored” acts…he jumped on board some good ideas and that’s about it. What bills did he **initiate** with regard to the internet? He sat around on his ass taking credit over many thousands of people…he didn’t “create” jack-squat. What bills did he think of with his own little brain? Exactly when was his Eureka! moment? Unless I am mistaken initiate and sponsor are NOT synonyms…are they? Unless of course I missed his “baby”…his piece of legislation that he **initiated** … ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/63 "2008-09-17T21:58:33Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > But what if he’s got a nerdy son or daughter who _really_ doesn’t mind spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and several other weekends a year making the aging President’s computer [del]idiot proof[/del] safe for democracy? I’d love to see their campaign platform when they run for President. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/64 "2008-09-17T22:21:07Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > The wife thing is essential to understanding his true character. This is a man who is as sanctimonious as virtually anyone in his public statements [Why I Support John McCain – a life uncommon](http://emergingsara.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/why-i-support-john-mccain/) on marriage, yet he ignored his “in sickness and in health” vow, dumped a disabled woman and marriage a younger and richer heiress. And he wants to be president of my nation and is nominated by a party that has spent the past 40 years (as far as I remember) posturing about how superior they are to their opponents on precisely these issues and about how character is an issue. > > As far as the Keating 5 scandal, he took the most money of any of the Senators, and he did try to intervene for Keating after Keating goaded him into doing it. [http://www.wmsa.net/People/john\_mccain/ariz-republic\_chap\_V\_1999.htm](http://www.wmsa.net/People/john_mccain/ariz-republic_chap_V_1999.htm) I still think the same about the wife issue, the election is for president, not for Best Husband (Or Clinton would never been elected and you would have lost a very good pres.) On the other hand i have to thank you for the link on the Keating 5, I had somehow been convinced by MCain’s defenders that he was mostly only included in the “five” as a Republican offset to the other 4 Democrats, but i see he was involved in pressuring auditors and received gifts galore from Keating. Even so, his efforts on campaign finance regulation an things like that are still laudable, i think, whatever his ulterior reasons for them. All in all, i’d say, MCain is honor-wise, a few points above your average politician, and has some good points too in other areas, however, if i was a U.S. citizen i would be busting my ass to get Obama elected as he is IMHO a far better option. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/65 "2008-09-17T22:23:48Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Without any sarcasm at all. This is the single number one reason why I will be voting for Obama. I do not think a computer illiterate has any place as President of the United States. He cannot possibly comprehend the issues of the day if he’s computer illiterate. In this day at age, and for a post of such importance a computer illiterate is only a few stages above a real illiterate. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/66 "2008-09-17T22:58:05Z")
> [@ManiacMan](#): > > He “sponsored” acts…he jumped on board some good ideas and that’s about it. What bills did he **initiate** with regard to the internet? He sat around on his ass taking credit over many thousands of people…he didn’t “create” jack-squat. What bills did he think of with his own little brain? Exactly when was his Eureka! moment? Unless I am mistaken initiate and sponsor are NOT synonyms…are they? Unless of course I missed his “baby”…his piece of legislation that he **initiated** … Will this help? > [@Newt Gingrich](#): > > “Gore is the person who, in the Congress, most systematically worked to make sure that we got to an Internet.” If not, suck my balls. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/67 "2008-09-18T00:10:03Z")
> [@ManiacMan](#): > > He sat around on his ass taking credit over many thousands of people…he didn’t “create” jack-squat. [Yo, dumbass](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10204071&postcount=16). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/68 "2008-09-18T00:18:13Z")
> [@ManiacMan](#): > > Gore said: > > He “sponsored” acts…he jumped on board some good ideas and that’s about it. What bills did he **initiate** with regard to the internet? Yo **ManiacMan** : This particular thread is about the boneheaded comment that one of McCain’s staffers made. If you want to talk about how"Gore is a poopyhead" then start your own God Damn thread please. It’s just kneejerk SOP for some people isn’t it? Must… Change… Topic… ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Hoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Broken\_Hoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Hoe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/69 "2008-09-18T02:19:27Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > …give Gore total **props** I’ve never understood what this term means, or what is is short for…propositions? Proposals? Properties? Propensities? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/70 "2008-09-18T02:26:22Z")
> [@Broken\_Hoe](#): > > I’ve never understood what this term means, or what is is short for…propositions? Proposals? Properties? Propensities? 😕 Props, as in “prop up”, afaik. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/71 "2008-09-18T02:36:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Props, as in “prop up”, afaik. [**Props**](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/props) _(slang)_ “proper respect” or “proper recognition” for another person _I’ve got to give **props** to Roger for the way he handled that situation._ ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Hoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Broken\_Hoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Hoe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/72 "2008-09-18T02:51:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Props, as in “prop up”, afaik. Typically, it’s people/stuff that’s weak and needs help remaining upright that needs to be “propped up”. This is a good thing? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/73 "2008-09-18T02:59:56Z")
> [@Broken\_Hoe](#): > > Typically, it’s people/stuff that’s weak and needs help remaining upright that needs to be “propped up”. > > This is a good thing? 😕 It’s not “propped up”. It’s “props” as in “propers” as in “proper respect”. ---
**Author:** ![ManiacMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/74 "2008-09-18T07:09:09Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Yo **ManiacMan** : > > This particular thread is about the boneheaded comment that one of McCain’s staffers made. If you want to talk about how"Gore is a poopyhead" then start your own God Damn thread please. > > It’s just kneejerk SOP for some people isn’t it? Must… Change… Topic… Isn’t this all the same thing though? The principle of the matter? We got Gore saying he created the internet (fine whatever), and we got a McCain \*staffer \*saying what he said about the Blackberry device. It’s the same sort of thing that will probably have it’s own Snopes cite one day. It’s almost like the media just dog piles on top of every little verbal boo-boo that anyone ever makes…it’s getting old, but some people are pissing themselves over this shit. (Umm it was not I who brought up what Gore said, and what I have written DOES relate to the topic at hand…so there!) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/75 "2008-09-18T11:46:15Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Without any sarcasm at all. This is the single number one reason why I will be voting for Obama. I do not think a computer illiterate has any place as President of the United States. He cannot possibly comprehend the issues of the day if he’s computer illiterate. On the upside, if McCain get’s the White House, we won’t have to worry about there being any ‘deleted emails’ or “emails sent using the wrong account” scandals to embarrass him! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/76 "2008-09-18T15:16:31Z")
But carrier pigeons are so much easier to hack into. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/77 "2008-09-18T16:27:30Z")
> [@ManiacMan](#): > > Isn’t this all the same thing though? The principle of the matter? We got Gore saying he created the internet (fine whatever), and we got a McCain \*staffer \*saying what he said about the Blackberry device. It’s the same sort of thing that will probably have it’s own Snopes cite one day. It’s almost like the media just dog piles on top of every little verbal boo-boo that anyone ever makes…it’s getting old, but some people are pissing themselves over this shit. > > (Umm it was not I who brought up what Gore said, and what I have written DOES relate to the topic at hand…so there!) Hey! quit using logic on me! No fair! This is the pit ya know. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/78 "2008-09-18T18:09:53Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Without any sarcasm at all. This is the single number one reason why I will be voting for Obama. I do not think a computer illiterate has any place as President of the United States. He cannot possibly comprehend the issues of the day if he’s computer illiterate. He has serious problems using a keyboard due to what the Cong did to his hands during their torture sessions. I think we can give him a pass on this, eh? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/79 "2008-09-18T18:19:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > He has serious problems using a keyboard due to what the Cong did to his hands during their torture sessions. I think we can give him a pass on this, eh? I simply don’t believe this. He has no problem holding a microphone, writing with a [pen](http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/17/us/politics/20070917_MCCAIN_SLIDESHOW_13.html), giving us the thumbs up, or shaking hands. All of a sudden he’s too disabled to do a two-finger hunt & peck? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858/80 "2008-09-18T18:56:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > He has serious problems using a keyboard due to what the Cong did to his hands during their torture sessions. I think we can give him a pass on this, eh? He didnt mean “somebody who cant (physically) use a computer” he said computer _illiterate_, he does not \*know \* how to use one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-invents-blackberry/463858.md?page=5)