Schmidt not interested in tech czar job

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has taken himself out of the running to be the United States' first chief technology officer.

"I love working at Google, and I'm very happy to stay at Google, so the answer is no," Schmidt said Friday when queried on the subject by CNBC host Jim Cramer during an appearance on his television show. (In a New York Times interview published Saturday, he also said, "I am extremely happy serving the shareholders of Google as the CEO, so I have no interest in serving as a government employee.") Schmidt then quickly changed the subject by steering the conversation toward reports that Microsoft was trying to steal Verizon's search deal from Google.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt says he likes running his company too much to serve as President-elect Barack Obama's chief technology officer.

Schmidt, who campaigned on behalf of President-elect Barack Obama, has been advising the Obama campaign on technology and energy matters, and is part of Obama's 17-member Transition Economic Advisory Board.

As my colleague Declan McCullagh notes, it's not an easy job to assume:

Obama wants the CTO to "ensure that our government and all its agencies have the right infrastructure, policies, and services for the 21st century," plus protecting the security of .gov computer networks. That's a pretty tall task for one person.

So, if Schmidt has excused himself, who else is up to the challenge? Internet pioneer Vint Cerf has been suggested as a candidate. Google's chief Internet evangelist publicly supported Obama, primarily because of his position on Net neutrality. But if Cerf's boss at Google took a pass, will Cerf be comfortable accepting the position?

Ex-regulator Reed Hundt has also been suggested as a candidate for the position.

[The_Decider]

Good, but he needs to move away from the idea of offering any advice. The last thing we need is more corporate rule, especially from a company that thinks it owns everything and everyone.

What we don't need is a corporate tech person who will look out for corporate interests.

What we don't need is a privacy violating ass clown like Schmidt anywhere near the white house.

Obama has a chance to prove that he is not beholden to corporate interests by hiring someone with a lot of tech know-how but isn't part of the mainstream corporate world. Someone who believes in the intent of copyright and patents, yet doesn't believe in the twisted abomination that corporations have turned it into.

[Lemiz]

I guess his claims about "better good", "public service", "do no evil", etc. are just a part of their PR campaign. When it comes to a real opportunity to "do good" it is all about Google stock.

[JohnBarbagallo]

He's the man...

Good for you Mr. Schmidt..

[watsor]

Schmidt is an ideal candidate for this job in my opinion. but *** would he take that job when he is at the top of one of the greatest company's in the world.

[slaingod]

Why should/would he take the job? Because his President asked him to. Not saying Obama did, but when your President calls on you for duty, you had better answer. You don't just turn it down because you can, or because you like your current job, or whatever. You had better only turn it down because you have severe philosophical/idealogical differences, are sick or some other major issue.

[bobgrande]

schmidt is not qualified for a public policy job. he has no public policy experience. google's approach to DC in general is infantile. he would be a disaster in a government job.

[ltunes53]

I vote for Molly Wood! CTO 2008!

[mikeburek]

I 2nd that!

[RobertinOhio]

Let's just hope Marc Andreessen is not hired for that tech czar job. Last thing we need is more IT outsourcing.