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Rael
01-16-2009, 09:26 PM
Despite legal and security hurdles, president-elect Barack Obama says he has a plan to retain his beloved Blackberry once he moves into the White House next week.

Interviewed by CNN Friday, Obama said the smartphone was among the tools that he would use to stay in touch with real Americans and avoid becoming trapped inside the presidential "bubble."

"I think we're going to be able to hang on to one of these. My working assumption, and this is not new, is that anything I write on an email could end up being on CNN," he said.

"So I make sure to think before I press 'send'," he said of his Blackberry, which was an ever-present fixture on his belt or in his hand on the campaign trail.

Obama did not divulge just how he will overcome legal constraints, given the requirement of the post-Watergate Presidential Records Act of 1978 to keep a record of every White House communication.

Nor did he say how he would persuade his Secret Service protectors that the Blackberry does not pose a security risk, for instance if it is hacked over the air.

But Obama, who succeeds the unpopular George W. Bush on Tuesday, said the phone was a valuable part of a wider strategy to escape the White House fishbowl.

"It's just one tool among a number of tools that I'm trying to use, to break out of the bubble, to make sure that people can still reach me," he said.

"If I'm doing something stupid, somebody in Chicago can send me an email and say, 'What are you doing?'

"I want to be able to have voices, other than the people who are immediately working for me, be able to reach out and send me a message about what's happening in America."

The mobile device dilemma may have inadvertently been solved on Friday, as Obama's Blackberry tumbled from his belt as he got out of his limousine and onto his plane in Washington.

A Secret Service agent hurried to pick up the pieces, gathering the Blackberry and battery off the frigid tarmac.

liberteebell
01-16-2009, 09:36 PM
Interesting. He's mentioned several times about DC being an echo chamber so if he's sincere, I guess props are in order...we'll see, but somehow I doubt it.

Now, where can we get his number so we can give him some better ideas for economic recovery?

Rael
01-16-2009, 09:38 PM
Interesting. He's mentioned several times about DC being an echo chamber so if he's sincere, I guess props are in order...we'll see, but somehow I doubt it.

Now, where can we get his number so we can give him some better ideas for economic recovery?

More likely than not the dumb fool will end up leaking classified information to somebody.

liberteebell
01-16-2009, 09:41 PM
More likely than not the dumb fool will end up leaking classified information to somebody.

Works for me. I'm all for government transparency.

Rael
01-16-2009, 09:48 PM
Works for me. I'm all for government transparency.

Heh. Touche.

Fox McCloud
01-17-2009, 12:28 AM
on the downside...this could turn into "you have....1,234,236,934,435,996,334 new messages".

Cowlesy
01-17-2009, 12:42 AM
I am pretty sure the SS said "NO WAY" on the blackberry.

EDIT: Nope, I'm wrong.

RSLudlum
01-17-2009, 12:45 AM
So if he doesn't like getting tapped or his conversations being eaves dropped on or being combed over with a fine tooth comb then why not extend the same liberties to us by revoking the laws that allow the gov't to do so?

Brassmouth
01-17-2009, 02:30 AM
This is a great example of how seriously the State takes those security and transparency laws.

"But I wanna be able to talk to people!"

What a joke...

libertarian4321
01-19-2009, 05:05 PM
Interesting. He's mentioned several times about DC being an echo chamber so if he's sincere, I guess props are in order...we'll see, but somehow I doubt it.

Now, where can we get his number so we can give him some better ideas for economic recovery?

Bush had a lot of problems, but the way he surrounded himself with "yes" men was a big part of the problem. Anything that will get the President to consider other ideas is probably a good thing.

blocks
01-19-2009, 06:47 PM
So much for the hope of a new transparency.

Uriel999
01-19-2009, 06:50 PM
lol, he can't give up his crackberry. :D

Kludge
01-19-2009, 06:50 PM
This is fantastic press for Obama, BTW. Makes him look all the more fresh, rebellious, and unafraid.

liberteebell
01-19-2009, 06:53 PM
Bush had a lot of problems, but the way he surrounded himself with "yes" men was a big part of the problem. Anything that will get the President to consider other ideas is probably a good thing.

QFT! That's why I want obomba's number; I'll enlighten him on what I know about the economy (which isn't much) but I think my ideas are much better than what he's touting at the moment. :D

xd9fan
01-20-2009, 09:07 AM
I like his refusal..

SnappleLlama
01-20-2009, 09:09 AM
So if he doesn't like getting tapped or his conversations being eaves dropped on or being combed over with a fine tooth comb then why not extend the same liberties to us by revoking the laws that allow the gov't to do so?

Oh, you and your logic! ;)

zach
01-20-2009, 09:22 AM
I'm sure someone will call him up and say this:

"Yo Barry, you're in the wrong place!"