Pirate's Cove

To follow up on the whole “Barry is taking his Isotoner’s off” issue from yesterday, wouldn’t it have been wise for Camp Barry to understand why McCain is not much of a computer and email person? Via The Corner

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by “extraordinary.” The reason he doesn’t send email is that he can’t use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):

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.

In a similar vein I guess it’s an outrage that the blind governor of New York David Paterson doesn’t know how to drive a car. After all, transportation issues are pretty important. How dare he serve as governor while being ignorant of what it’s like to navigate New York’s highways.

Ah, a disability. One which McCain does not make a deal out of. But, hey, I’m sure email is really important to Barry, especially ones sent to his campaign staff that read “WTF is going on, re: fuckin’ State and national polls? We’re losing!” and “why are our donations drying up?”

But, via Patterico

“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.”

Seems as if Barry has a problem being able to use an Internet search engine. He should stay away from cats

more animals

Speaking of monumental stupidity, Obsidian Wings: epic fail

This won’t work. For one thing, a variety of press reports claim that McCain uses a Blackberry, so he can’t be wholly incapable of using a keyboard. (John Cole has pictures.) For another, Jonah Goldberg might not realize this, but there are a lot of products out there that are designed to allow people with disabilities to use computers. For people with motor disabilities, or just a desire to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, speech recognition software can be a godsend. It’s not hard, it doesn’t involve using your hands, and we know that McCain can speak perfectly well.

While hilzoy has a point about about products to allow people with disabilities to use a keyboard (heck, there ways built in to Windows), using a Blackberry is completely different then a keyboard, since you use your thumbs primarily. Let me grab mine……yup, thumbs. So, Obsidian Wings has destroyed the Barry meme that McCain doesn’t use email. Thanks!

BTW, many people who are at the top of the food chain actually have people who do things like email for them. That is why they are in charge.

Michelle Malkin asks which disable veteran JObama will insult next.

Bob’s Bites asks how low Obama can go. I say world class limbo

Above My Pay Grade answers the question “Why doesn’t McCain use a computer?” with “Ask the Viet Cong”

Webloggin: change America cannot afford, Obama mocks disabled veterans and the elderly

Riggworld:  Obama, you are what’s wrong with America