Oops, Obama ad mocks McCain's inability to send e-mail. Trouble is, he can't due to tortured fingers

(UPDATE: An updated paragraph citing McCain learning computer skills is appended below.)

As part of its effort to show the 72-year-old Republican Sen. John McCain as old and out of touch, the Democratic Party's hip campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, which frequently says it honors the former POW's military service to his country, Friday released a new ad.

As noted Friday by our blogging colleagues over at the Technology blog here, the ad says, among other things: "1982, John McCain goes to Washington. Things have changed in the last 26 years, but McCain hasn't.

"He admits he doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send an e-mail."

Here's the ad. Listen for yourself.

Like many of his generation, McCain does not like to talk details a lot about his wartime experiences, certainly not about any lingering physical symptoms. To be honest, it could sound like complaining and, as he's ruefully noted, unlike many others, McCain did come home.

The former pilot does joke sometimes about flying his plane into a telephone-pole-sized North Vietnamese missile.

Last week in his speech to the Republican National Convention, McCain opened up more than usual, mentioning his two broken arms and broken leg from ejecting over Hanoi, and his 66 months of imprisonment and torture, calling it simply working him over.

But something he did not go into in that speech were ...

... some of the lingering results of his poor medical treatment and brutal beatings.

Here's a passage from a lengthy Boston Globe profile on McCain that was published the last time he ran for president. It was headlined "McCain character loyal to a fault." It was written by Mary Leonard.

And it was printed more than eight years ago, on March 4, 2000.

It is available online, where Jonah Goldberg of The Corner blog at the National Review found it.

"McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan -- Ted Williams is his hero -- but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball."

(UPDATE: A spokesman for the Obama campaign and numerous Ticket readers point out a Huffington Post item from July in which McCain says he is learning how to go online and "I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need." That complete post and a photo of McCain using a cellphone is available here.)

Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer denied that the freshman Illinois senator's ad was making an issue of McCain's age. "It's extraordinary," he said, "that someone who wants to be our president and commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

The Obama campaign has seen some significant and disturbing poll shifts since its convention in Denver, including a broad movement of white women toward the GOP ticket after that party named Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin its vice presidential nominee. And some local and congressional Democrats have begun to fret and grumble over a perceived softness in the Obama-Biden ticket.

According to the Associated Press, Obama campaign manager David Pfouffle issued a stern campaign strategy memo Friday that said, in part:

"Today is the first day of the rest of the campaign. We will respond with speed and ferocity to John McCain's attacks and we will take the fight to him, but we will do it on the big issues that matter to the American people."

The "big issues."

Like fractured fingers?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[M. Robinson]

You liberals are unbelievable! Does whether or not someone uses email really matter all that much? B. Hussein Obama may be more "literate" technologically speaking than Senator McCain, but he has the thinnest resume of any presidential candidate in our history. In fact B. Hussein's resume is not just thin, he lacks the ability, by virtue of his past associations, drug use, etc. to even obtain a security clearance. Yet B. Hussein throws stones at Senator McCain because, perhaps, he has chosen to conduct his business in ways that seem old fashioned. Senator McCain may even write out his words in old fashioned letters using proper pronunciation and spelling, unlike you geniuses on the internet (lol... give me a break!). To see all the vitriolic comments about how his injuries may affect Senator McCain's everyday life (and this was reported in a Boston Globe article way back in 2000) is disgusting! Of course you liberal pukes wouldn't appreciate someone having his back broken and his shoulders repeatedly dislocated during torture. That's what Senator McCain endured, even after refusing the chance to go home because so many other American GIs would still remain captive and because he understood his release would have been used as a propaganda ploy by the communists. In the end it shouldn't matter if Senator McCain has someone else tie his shoes or an assistant send an email on his behalf. Senator McCain's experience, integrity, bravery, patriotism, and character are far and away superior to that of B. Hussein Obama. In fact B. Hussein has shown a disdain for this country and has cavorted with known terrorists, Marxists, America Haters and crooks for most of his adult life. TREASONOUS is a more appropriate description of the “Chosen One.” If B. Hussein Obama is somehow elected, God help us all!

[Nicky]

To the author of this article:

McCain did state that he is now learning how to use a computer. THAT'S THE POINT THE AD IS MAKING. A person does not need to used their fingers to send an e-mail, anything can touch the keyboard to compose or send an e-mail. Your defense for McCain is just as pathetic as his computer illeteracy.

[Art]

The only thing that's tortured is your lame defense of McCain being out-of-touch with today's world.

[Nylund]

Even Stephen Hawkings can use a computer! And McCain uses his cell phone all the time.

http://images.google.com/images?q=mccain+cellphone&hl=en&sourceid=mozilla-search&num=20&start=0&start=0

Here is McCain writing:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/09/17/us/politics/20070917_MCCAIN_SLIDESHOW_13.html

His hands are perfectly capable of TYPING.

The man has no shame. He cowers behind his POW status for everything!

Whats next? The reason he lied about Palin never requesting an earmark because he was a POW?

You know whats a much better reason for his constant lying? Not him being a POW, but him being a POS.

[chefdaniel@hughes.net]

Some of the comments by blinded-by-hate lefties about this subject go lower than anything I've ever read.

That's all the left has these days: Hate.

That's just another reason B. Hussein Obama will lose in November.

[colleen]

I have two frozen wrists due to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. At one point, doctors had to cut away half my wrist bone to quell the constant inflamation. I have still found a way to learn to golf, although my scores are not so great. When my wrists hurt, I slap on working splints, and keep on keeping on. This excuse is an insult to folks who live with physical limitations but do not allow them to put limits on their life.

[Richard]

Michelle,

You are the one full of craps. You are a great representative of the intelligence level from Obama's supporters. Writing and typing involve different joint motion and muscles. Most artificial arm allows patients to write but not to type. I want to see you yell at people with artificial arms not able to type. Yeah, go tell them "If you can write, then you can type."

[TruthMonkey]

Wow. Flat out lies. Hell, even Stephen Hawkings can send email. Is this supposed to be a joke? People who've had both hands cut off can send an email. Pathetic. You know, I could never carry water for the dems like you do the repugs. How can you stand yourself?

[Nylund]

I truly believe McCain was tortured, but it is worth mentioning that those acts of torture have been well-documented, and every single one of them is not considered to be torture by the GOP. This is the same reason the word "torture" was never once used during the RNC despite their numerous references to his POW status.

Simply put, if McCain was tortured, then so are all the people at Gitmo because we are using the same exact techniques on them. This is why McCain initially fought Bush on the torture laws, but the GOP strong-armed McCain and he flip-flopped and now fully supports the current GOP viewpoint. In short, despite himself personally being at the receiving end of such tactics, he now thinks its perfectly OK to do the same exact things to other people.

That, my friends, is not being a maverick. That is selling out your own personal belief system for political gain.

The McCain of 2000 may have been an honorable man, but he has turned his back on everything he once believed in, from torture, to campaign finance, to abortion, and on and on.

Here is a list of 61 positions McCain has flip-flopped on in the last 2 years:

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16124.html

[K. Ball]

The problem with the "lipstick on a pig" gaffe and the internet/email ad is what they say about Obama and his campaign -- specificaly, the fitness of Obama and his advisors to deal with a dangerous world. The past few days do NOT show Obama as a disciplned and thoughtful diplomat. Okay, so he's willing to talk with our enemies without preconditions, but is he capable of at least of thinking through the unintended consequences of his words?

[cutler]

HIs age and inability to relate to the everyday experiences of most Americans is troubling.

I think what's a lot worse is all the lies his campaign is putting out, especially re: Palin's real record vs. the record the campaign wants people to believe. Given that he might not survive either term, is she fit for the presidency? If she ran for the party's presidential nomination on her own, she would have been laughed out of the party.

Four years of Clinton lies re: Lewinsky and then 8 years of Bush lies about pretty much everything - doesn't anyone want an honest politician in the White House??

[danny]

There are handicapped people out there using the internet everyday. I see them and I work with them. As important as McCain's position is, that is a lame excuse. Technology has made it possible for anyone to use a computer...please!!!! This is the 21st Century you know. He doesn't want to because he is like many of the elder people I meet daily who ask me to help them. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW!!!!

[daniel]

the quote from Tucker Bounds saying that McCain travels with a laptop is actually from the LA Times! http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/09/obama-slams-mcc.html
There's good info there about some of the other issues raised in these comments too. Bounds and Goldberg (and his shill Malcolm) might want to work together to coordinate which line of garbage they want to peddle about their guy.

[berry]

Obama: I'll 'respond with the truth'

I'll point at the cripple and laugh at him. Yea, cause he can't use a computer keyboard and has to have his wife type for him. HAHAha...

Ya'know the dude can't even tie his own shoes or raise his arms high enough to comb his own hair. McCain is so OLD! HAHahaha...

[yellowman]

Michelle, Learn to spell before you complain about McCain's
typing ability.

[JMS2008]

Obama supporters and donors should be really angry at this ad. Not only does the ad not say anything about McCain's ability to be president, but it doesn't target any constituency that Obama doesn't already have in his back pocket. Who does he think will be impressed and influenced by this ad? 18-30 year old white collar elite voters? Doesn't he already have them? It certainly doesn't attract the blue collar segment of the population or the senior voters. It doesn't have any influence on women or veterans or baby boomers. How irritated Obama's backers must be that he has spent millions of dollars of their money on this crap. This is all he's got. How can Obama suggest that sending an email is a prerequisite to being president. Maybe it is to be president of your senior class in high school, but the president of U.S.? Should we be worried that Obama thinks that's more important than military service? No one has suggested or would suggest that the fact that Obama hasn't served in the military makes him unfit, but how, then can not having ever sent an email make McCain unfit? I'm sure that John McCain will have many people who would be happy to volunteer to type his emails for him once he becomes president.

[dANNY]

Why do republicans keep putting up nominees for the presidency who are dumb as a box of rocks (Both Georges and now McCain, and, yes Ray-Gun) Reagan couldn't even stay awake. Good for jokes and one-liners, but that was about it.

[John Ingwersen]

So now Obama's qualified to be president and McCain is not because Obama can type, email, or God-forbid, send a text message??!!! Pathetic!!!

I don't care if a candidate can type...we're electing a leader, not an administrative assistant. McCain has proven he can lead. Obama hasn't. That makes it a very simple choice in my book.

[John Cain]

This article has it backwards. With common voice recognition software for $99 it is actually much EASIER to send email than to write long hand if you can't use your hands effectively.

You just speak and the software "types" the email for you. That's what people with carpal tunnel syndrome do.

[K. Ball]

My understanding is that McCain's inability to use a keyboard has to do with his shoulders, not his fingers.

[tom.a]

Stupid is as Stupid does and this article is chock full of stupid! Take this line for example "The former pilot does joke sometimes about flying his plane into a telephone-pole-sized North Vietnamese missile."

John McCain was shot down by a rocket the size of a telephone pole? Are you kidding me? He was shot down by gunfire.

[don]

You people on the left need to stop talking down from such a low place.

[JC]

McCain also has brain damage from his numerous plane crashes and lengthy captivity.

That's why his judgment sucks.

[Jonathan]

The Obama ad is simply false. In a Forbes article from the 2000 presidential race, McCain discussed using the internet and sending email. He has difficulty typing due to his war injuries, so he relies on others, such as Cindy.

I hope someone from the Times reads the Forbes piece and issues an update to this article. Here is one passage and the link.
http://www.forbes.com/asap/2000/0529/053_print.html
In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the U.S. Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

[Jburn]

The brilliant marketing in the Obama campaign seems to backfiring as of late. Maybe Obama should have hired the entire Facebook team to create his website instead of just one of them. Maybe another YouTube Will.I.Am "Change" mantra video to brainwash younger generation messiah-seekers.

He is all fluff, and when pressed he rants about another 4 years of Bush and "don't you want cheaper gas and change?" Socialist. Fascista!

Do I trust his foreign policy or experience, No - he thinks "poking" the Middle East will instigate lasting peace. Do I trust his energy plan? No, he's hasn't taken a conclusive stand on ANYTHING during his time in the Senate, including getting behind legislation that could have averted must of our present crisis. This foul play will only increase from the Obama camp, especially when he denigrates to getting Clinton to campaign for him - the end is near. NObama NOway.

[Doug]

It's come to light that Sen. McCain *does* use the Web to some extent. So, either the Obama ad is making fun of his age and disability, or else it's a lie. Either way, the One is finally being shown in all his empty splendor, along with his more loony followers. Implosion.

Anyway, doesn't anyone in the Obama campaign know how to use Google? It's comforting though that the Messiah knows how to type and click "send". Vital skill there.

[Steve V]

That Balloon Juice link in benjoya's comment really says it all. What a pathetic whining mess the McCain people are. It amazes me that, after 20 years of conservative talk radio complaining that liberals advance a culture of victimization, the McCain campaign is the biggest crier of "victim!" ever seen in American politics. And every single time, their claims are based on a lie.

BTW, the secret to spotting a republican hack journalist is that they always write that "McCain is reluctant to discuss his Vietnam experience ..." or some similar nonsense. Any remotely objective reporter ditched that nonsense (which has been untrue for years btw) by July.

[Christina]

Different people choose to adapt to their disabilities in different ways. Some embrace adaptive technology, and spend the time in Occupational Therapy learning to use the technology, because for them it makes sense. Others develop other strategies.

McCain chose other ways to meet his communication and information needs. To sneer at the way he chose to adapt is like sneering at a blind person for choosing a guide dog with a sneering, "What? You can't steer without a dog to pull you around?"

And anybody who tries to compare other tasks with working a keyboard displays nothing but their own ignorance. Manipulating a pencil or pen requires different muscles, bones, and ligaments than manipulating a keyboard.

But it's not about reality, is it? It's about Obama wanting the image of the hip, with-it, savvy young guy, and wanting to paint McCain as the stodgy old guy who is suspicious of all things newfangled.

[Ashleigh]

I really respect and admire McCain and am proud to be voting for him. It's interesting to watch the Obama worshippers get so worked up that all they can do is slander and arrogantly insult McCain/Palin. That's all I ever see them say- Palin is "white trash," "idiot," "bad mother," "redneck," and McCain is "stupid," "dysfunctional," "racist."

Personally, as a young woman myself, I could care less whether or not McCain uses a computer or email. There are people in this worl d who are not tech-savvy, and it does not change my opinion of him in the least bit.

Face it-- Obama is desperate and it's obvious. He has lost his spotlight. He is bent out of shape that he is no longer the star (thank God!). He's mad as a hornet, and he's loosing that cool facade that he has hidden behind for so long now. I predict it will only get worse, and he's going to really have a tough time. He does not seem like someone who will be a gracious loser!

[Steve V]

BTW, it goes without saying that this post having been soundly refuted, a correction needs to be posted. And not just as some lonely update at the bottom of the post, long after it's been pushed off the front page of the blog, but as a separate blog entry.

[masaccio]

I think you got all the GOP talking points just right. If I want that I can go to the professionals instead of you amateurs.

[Tane]

As if that would keep him from using a computer. He's a multi-millionaire, surely he can afford voice activated software, hell even Windows comes with a basic software for this. My grandfather has degenerative joint disorder and can't use his fingers, but he has been cheerfully sending me emails for years.

[Shoeempress]

Jesus, is there nothing McSame can't blame on his POW experience? Can he dial a push button phone? How about a cell phone? (I KNOW THOSE AREN"T ROTARY DIAL) If you believe this load of crap, have I got a bridge to nowhere to sell you, moron.

[Jay Hughes]

McCain has never used his physical injuries as an excuse for being computer illiterate. My 84-year old parents, each with arthritis and bad eyesight, email us almost every day.

Politically, I think it's not a good idea for McCain to try to play the disability issue, given his age. It didn't help Bob Dole any. I think that's sad, but that's as much of a reality as Obama losing votes because of his racial makeup.

The point is that it will take high technology savvy to replace lost manufacturing jobs with high tech jobs. If you're so unfamiliar with computer technology, it's hard to understand how differences in internet technology formats, for example, may impact various sectors of the economy.

[Bill]

Boy, the hatred from the left is amazing...

The serious question is whether the computing habits of the presumptive Republican nominee should have any bearing at all on his fitness to be commander in chief.

While 73 percent of American adults use the Internet (only 35 percent 65 or older), according to a survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, it’s likely that many of them would rather have a president who can get Osama bin Laden than get online. And there is a common belief that says being president should be more a “vision” job than a “management” job, and that the clutter of a digital life can only distract from the Big Picture and Deep Thoughts a leader should be concerned with. In other words, would we really want a president “friending” from the Oval Office, scouring Wikipedia for information on Iran’s nuclear program or fielding e-mail from someone claiming to be “Nigerian general” seeking an American bank account for embezzled millions?

As a practical matter, probably not. Presidents can avoid using computers if they want to. That’s one of the privileges of the office. They are surrounded by a staff entrusted with keeping them plugged in, day and night.

[Phil Thompson]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution just ran an article called "John McCain's office: Cluttered comfort"
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/news/mccain-office/

It's a photo gallery of John McCain's current office. Notice in photo #3 the desktop computer with *perfectly normal keyboard* (and the touch-tone pushbutton phone.)

He can use a desktop computer but he's too tortured to learn to send e-mail?

[lawkat08]

Where have you guys been?
"He's been reluctant to talk about his POW experience" Yeah right his POW experience is pretty much all he talks about... he talks about it to explain his love of ABBA, why he didn't cheat at the Saddleback Forum, to defend against the housing gaffe and lets not forget the 3 day RNC that had every speaker giving some version of the POW story

[Creamo'theearth]

This is an insult on our sensibilities. Does McSame need to lift his hand above his head to type on a keyboard. Give me a break please.

[nordstrom]

If he can't push buttons, why do I always see pictures of him talking on a cell phone? Tjos buttons are small, mind you, and require some dexterity.

I'm sick of McCain's P.O.W. sympathy card, and I'm sick of his campaign playing the sexism card and hiding behind Palin. Be a man, McCain. You've lost all honor.

[Charlotte Toerner]

First of all, it is a completely ineffective ad if its intent is to go after those voters in swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio who tend to be older and blue collar. Most will be offended by the ad. The techies who will think it is cute have already been persuaded so this ad is preaching to the proverbial choir. Thus, it is at best a waste of good money. Secondly, for those who have posted comments regarding his injuries being used as "excuses" by McCain, give it up! We are not going to win this one. Just accept that McCain's service is extraordinary(it is by anyone's standards) and send emails to Obama's campaign telling them to focus on the economy which is a winner for Obama. We keep being distracted by these peripheral issues Democrats and we're going to lose this one!

[Comeon]

People people people. When McCain says he relies on his wife for help with the computer, does it mean he is a technophobe? Does it mean he doesn't understand it? Or does it mean he can't use a keyboard well and he dictates to his wife?

Yes, McCain can dictate, what do you think he does? Do you really think he has never sent an email? Come on, wake up and smell the koolaid.

It is also ignorant to label him as a technology neophyte, he was chairman of the senate commerce committee for many years.

[CybScryb]

Seems that i see John McCain using his Blackberry quite often. Without taking advantage of SMS and Email, a Blackberry is nothing but a cell phone.

In fact, I think I saw a pretty decent first pitch in the 2001 World Series Game 7 thrown by a tortured former POW turned Senator. Like everything else from the McCain camp, this is a ploy for sympathy based on lies. As a Republican, I'm ashamed for many things over the past eight years. Outdoing the Bush administrations record of shamelessness is not the way to bring dignity, honesty and genuine Republican values back to America.

[Ken]

This is a lie. McCain himself said he was learning to get online. This includes e-mail.

It's just more phony outrage and more lies that detracts from the issues, which no one on the right wants to discuss.

Oh and to the moron who says Obama hasn't sponsored any legislation. Obama has sponsored over 130 bills.

How will McCain reform lobbyists when he has over 100 on staff?

McCain is a liar and a sad shell of what he was in 2000.

[Joe]

"Like many of his generation he does not like to talk about his war experiences..."

What a load of garbage for weeks now McCain has done nothing but talk about his POW experience to deflect any criticism. He is even joked about using three words in a sentence, A NOUN, A VERB, AND POW!

[John Ryan]

more lies it has gotten so that they just can not tell the truth it's pathetic

[Above My Pay Grade]

Wow! Either Obama and his staff are the most dishonest, most cruel group of people on Earth, or they are not all that computer savvy, themselves (or perhaps BOTH).

Hey Obama: Got Google?

[ashton]

Steven Hawking can use a computer and send an email...So can most people who can't even walk.

This is Trash

[Shawn Fassett]

I guess those pictures of McCain texting on a cel phone are a big inconvenient right about now. Or McCain's own words saying that he likes to go online to read Drudge, etc...

Facts are scary things for some people.

[sfernando]

dems obama biden
believe,
1/ increasing taxes -will not destroy businesses and jobs
2/ being a community organizer and law professor (with nothing to show even there ) is a better qualification than being mayer and governor ( very popular reforming one at that ).
3/ banning drilling and reducing oil supply will lower gas prices
4/ taxing oil will increase oil exploration
5/ taxing hard work and giving to do nothings will improve economy
6/ closing markets will improve supply
7/ enjoying fruits of success like suvs etc is bad and melts ice caps
8/ in saving the lives of trees, caribou, and the frozen tundra, in ANWR - and killing human babies
etc...

so much for their education and intelligence!

[no]

*and why again did mcCain vote against the GI bill? *

Uh, probably because he sponsored a competing, better bill?