John McCain helped invent the BlackBerry? Who knew?

John McCain's technological acumen is back in the news -- courtesy of one of his top aides.

Barack Obama's campaign sought to spotlight the subject late last week with a controversial ad that scoffed at the Republican's computer skills.

At a gathering in Washington today, McCain domestic policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin was asked about his candidate's grasp of high-tech matters. Holtz-Eakin held up his BlackBerry and, in a nod toward McCain's onetime tenure as head of the Senate Commerce Committee, said, "He did this."

(An earlier version of this post misspelled Douglas Holtz-Eakin's last name as Holz-Eakin.)

He elaborated: "Telecommunications in the United States, the premiere innovation in the past 15 years, comes right through the Commerce Committee. So you're looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create. And that's what he did."

Throughout the world of politics, one sentence instantly leaped to mind: "Al Gore invented the Internet."

That's what occurred to our colleague Mark Silva of the Chicago Tribune, and he has more on what has become the great Blackberry debate at the Swamp blog.

[UPDATE: Note that Silva's posting includes the demurral from McCain's camp about Holtz-Eakin's comment]

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Fred]

Wow, it is a miracle that these people are not struck by lightning given the enormity of the lies they spew. What I find even more amazing is the number of people that believe this crapola.

[Joe]

Dear God,
Please save us from John McCain's tecnical abilities.

[Ben Sona]

Are you kidding me!!!!!!! BlackBerry, McCain?

What are we all stupid?

I am convinced that the middleclass deserves every bit of misery they are experiencing right now.

You all voted for 8 years of Bush, what did it get you?
You want another 4 years of his policies of Bush with McCain at the helm, God bless you!

I am done fighting for the middlleclass. Just give me my upperclass tax cut and let me waste it on vacations or a new a BMW roadster, I have had my eye on one for quite some time.

Ben Sona
Disgusted Citizen

[Masroor]

I knew that. He is not as dumb as he looks

[Green Atom]

Did John McCain really help invent the blackberry?

Vote today in the world largest particpant driven survey forum. visit http://www.whatdoestheworldthink.com

[Mitch]

Lame...Man, the journalism world must be hurting for good journalists and decent news to cover. Although, it must be an easy paycheck to write about the political opponent of your golden child. I get it! You guys will make McCain look bad in order to make Obama look good! Oh wait, they're even in the polls? Ha, ha, ha. Lame journalist, lame article and lame politician.

[Justin McCarthy]

Yea, baby...Dr Strangelove invented the Blackberry!

[bob]

Bill Gate invented Microsoft and he changed the world and he s not running for President......

Desperate Republicans......

[Bruce]

...and the point is????

[MIke1]

Perhaps what he meant to say is that McCain helped invent the Elder-Berry

[JBBW]

I think Gore probably had more involvement with the developement of the Internet that McCain had with the development of the Blackberry.

[Joy]

John McCain does not use email...oh you got him there Obama. It happens to be true, but only because of McCain's arm injuries which he received as a result of torture while a POW. He is physically unable to use a keyboard. But Obama doesn't really care about that does he...he'll use McCain's disability to paint an incorrect picture of McCain as a stone-age fogy. Real nice.

[Joy]

John McCain does not use email...oh you got him there Obama. It happens to be true, but only because of McCain's arm injuries which he received as a result of torture while a POW. He is physically unable to use a keyboard. But Obama doesn't really care about that does he...he'll use McCain's disability to paint an incorrect picture of McCain as a stone-age fogy. Real nice.

[SHA116]

This is not the same as Al Gore. They are not taking credit for creating the Blackberry, they are simply stating that he was the head of a committee that helped bring the technology into being.

[Steve]

Top 10 US bankruptcies:

1) Lehman 2008
2) Worlcom 2002
3) Enron 2001
4) Conseco 2002
5) Texaco 1989
6) Financial Corp of America 1988
7) Refco 2005
8) Global Crossing 2002
9) Pacific Gas & Elec 2001
10) UAL 2002

What's in common?

Republican Administration.

Wake Up America!

[PaulP]

Wow. I didn't know that McCain was that God like. I guess when he pushed a button to vote for legistation a Blackberry magically fell out of the sky. Cool stuff. Can he push another button and get us out of Iraq?

[Techno]

That's interesting. I didn't know that RIM (Research In Motion) was a U.S. compan, because they're not. They are Canadian! Pretty good trick for someone who can't even send an email. What a pathetic joke. Another lie.

[xelaguy]

Truth matters. Too many exagerations demean credibility and take the focus off the main point. Fame and power are not boosted by half-truths and distortions. Our candidates would do well to read What If Everyone Lived Next Door to Jesus? (hannibal books) and concentrate on being worthy of the trust of the voters. Truth is truth...nothing else comes close as a substitute.

[JRDevo]

Hey, when your fave BHO is losing, you try to turn his opponent into a previously FAILED democrat - al gore.

Entertaining, yet useless spinning MIS-information. Obama will need a TON more than this to come back now.

Just TWO Dem presidents in 40 years says it all !

[Tom in Alabama]

McLame does not even know how to use a PC. We will really dumb down science if he becomes president with VP Sarah "five colleges to graduate" Palin. Expect your kids to learn creationism instead of physics and math and to become as charming and clueless as her children and the "first dude". I'm moving to Barcelona if these dumb ass hicks get elected.

[Lawrence Tailor]

You go Times. But also may I add can you PLEASE keep your paper HONEST with printing just the facts and not slant the news to either left or right, it would be truly a great experience for ALL.
I n the words of Rodney King"Can't we all just get along"
He has it right.Nomatter the outcome of any election we aren't Dems or Repulics but rather we are AMERICANS,FIRST,SECOND AND LASTLY.
This from a guy who happens to be a proud Independent,who always chooses the best candiate,ot either party.Thanks for your consideration.

[Ross]

Obama makes me sick with his mocking and scoffing.
What has he really contributed to this country. It makes no difference whether John McCain is computer literate or what his connection is to Blackberry. None of that will solve the problems this country.
I know for a fact that just about every first grader in this country is computer literate and by the time they reach Junior Highschool they already have a blackberry (usually by second grade) and are probably more computer literate than Obama himself. Does that make them ready to be our president?

[Mike]

I'm pro Obama, but this article should point out that McCain laughed and called his aide boneheaded when he heard about this. Let's keep things in perspective on both sides so that people can make more informed decisions.

[expat4obaba]

It gets even better. RIM is a Canadian Company.
The implications are staggering....

[Dr Jack]

Did you ever stop to think that it is stupid stories like this that makes people believe that the media is biased against Sen. McCain. Here is a piece of advice, get a life and get a better candidate.