Comments on: Election 2008: Campaign coverage for the digerati

Here's what the 2008 presidential candidates have to say on all things technology. Also: the latest from the road to the White House.

[Citizen Smith]

Draft Mike Bloomberg for President

http://www.uniteformike.com - I noticed that all of the other candidates are weak on technology issues. Help us draft a real tech candidate that understands the importance of information in the 21st century!

[libertyforall1776]

If Bloomberg was for liberty he'd Support Ron Paul

If Bloomberg was for liberty he'd Support Ron Paul -- it doesn't get
much better than Paul in American politics -- he is truly a man of
the people's liberty.

Show me how Bloomberg's record is better than Paul's? Hint: it's
not happening...

[SkinnerAZ]

There's NO biased agenda here... Move along!

Notwithstanding the weak and convenient Editor's Note regarding the people they solicited, all I see (in order) is a liberal, liberal, populist liberal, Shamnesty RINO, liberal, and last but not least, our favorite Birchesque Crank, Ron Paul.

Real nice, rounded coverage there cNet!

[Blito]

San Francisco liberals CNET

Well you can't expect total coverage from a highly liberal city I guess.
It's expected from the wimpy city.
Democrat attack ADS on Republicans?

[grtgrfx]

Respondents in alphabetical order...not a conspiracy!

Duh, they're as fair as can be without arbitrarily assigning places
(which would look biased as well). Clinton goes first because of
her name, not her stands.

Too bad most of the stupid "I'm a conservative so I'll run things
my way" Republican candidates didn't take the opportunity to
engage with readers who are among the most educated and
intelligent of any Americans, the C|Net readers. But maybe that's
expected of them. Republicans prefer sheep to informed voters.

[veggiedude--2008]

then tell us something

Then why not educate us with some substantial content then? What
are the views that are missing? Or is this just hyperbole? Give us
some facts please.

[libertyforall1776]

If other candidates cared, they would have replied

If the other candidates cared, they would have replied -- reflects
poorly on them for not doing so.

I am happy w/Ron Paul's responses -- in line with the way the Fed.
Gov. is supposed to run under the USA Constitution.

[jack1260]

Elections and Technology

I'm voting for Fred Thompson and I didn't see him on the list. Whether or not a person uses an IPOD doesn't necessarily make them a good candidate for becoming the president of the United States and leader of the free world. Next time include Fred on the front page as a candidate. That way you won't get taken by surprise, either way the election turns out.

[nedmorlef]

what free world

if you don't vote freedom... and the only candidate speaking constitutional freedom is ron paul, there will be no freedom. the internet will not die because they can come right into your home and brainwash you upfront and in person.

no one seems to care that at least one or more americans dies everyday because of unconstitutional laws. there's no statistics that i'm aware of on how much property is confiscated between the local state and federal gov'ts. then we have 40,000 swat raids a year.

the fed is printing funny money in hopes that interest will back it up not gold. and of course we all know that every president that has tried to do something about that has endured a assasination attempt. most of them successful.
our country is falling apart and the only thing that riles people is harry potter and lack of free nfl football.
this country is going down and down hard if we don't wake the hell up. put down the remote and the ipod, park the suv and start to give a damn. cause when america falls the whole world falls as far as freedom is concerned.

[EggsOregano]

News

If cnet actually wants to be perceived as a legitimate broker of news and opinion, then cnet must include a full spectrum of views. To exclude republican candidate appraisals is to render your coverage non-serious. Believe it or not, not all techies are left-wing fanboys.

[fafafooey]

This should be called DNCnet.com

Not even a pretense of objectivity - all Democrats listed except for McCain (who is almost a Democrat) and Ron Paul (who fits in nicely with the kooks in the Democrat party).

CNet = Democrat shills

[virtdave]

what part of rtfa don't you understand?

The article clearly states that all the candidates were asked for their opinions on technology, some repeatedly. Some of them chose not to respond. How does this imply that CNet is not objective? Your bias is showing.

[Some Techie]

Agreed RTFA and write your candidate

I am one of those not so left wing techies. Who did read the articles. When I saw the candidates from the republican party in general did not respond I sent each of them an email letting them know my disappointment for their lack of participation in a tech survey by one of the largest providers of technical news.

Why did you immediately assume that it was CNets fault, I guess you did not see the name you wanted to see and so you did not read? Having read some of what the Republicans have to say about tech issues I think they were rightly afraid to respond and assumed this the reason they did not. But wanting to know more detail sent them all email asking them to reconsider responding.

The viewpoints republicans like McCain and Hatch take on tech subjects clearly show a misunderstanding of technical issues and frankly scare me. For crying out loud, McCains favorite tech gadget is his cell phone, now maybe that would be ok if it was an iPhone, but a RAZR?

[kenny-J]

The real point for me is.......

that there is a difference in the "internet" and the service providers. The infrastructure is the internet; some has been paid for with private money much with government dollars (Universities, etc.), and as much as it is co-mingled separating it out to decide who gets to charge what to recoup an investment is impossible and idiotic.

My gripe is with the providers---specifically my provider Comcast. We have a lot of down time in spurts, no adjustment in rate for downtime, lousy customer service, and lousy in-home technician call time. For me, that is what needs to be regulated.

I have always railed against government regulation, but in my advanced and wiser years I've come to recognize that American business can't be trusted to do the right thing, but then they want to whine when someone makes them (unless you have more money than the government, like MS). Self policing---horse pucky; clean up your act and there won't be need for government regulation.

[kladner13]

Where is Kucinich?

While it is a good idea to probe candidates' positions on technology, your efforts fall short. How is it that Ron Paul is included in the survey while Dennis Kucinich is not? Both are considered lesser candidates. Why the slant to the Republican/Libertarian side of the spectrum?

[Guepard]

The Peoples Candidates

What is amazing is they at least have got every Socialist Candidate. Let's see, China the largest socialist country has OPEN Tech? So why wouldn't we want a Socialist Gov. protecting us?

You may find better coverage at: http://www.thepeoplescube.com/

Privet Comrade!

[mchinsky]

typical

You must not read cnet or enought or listen to them and their nearby buddies on shows like dl.tv and cranky geeks.

Every other article is how Al Gore is a genius and Bush is ruining the world with global warming. Than crap like this. Cnet is the exact same audience as Digg (which was founded by an ex cnet guy I think). Nothing but moveon.org and dailykos propaganda...

[ittesi259]

Hypocritical

CNET wastes an article discussing the possible ramification of ABC intentionally leaving out candidates for their debates...and then fails to include everyone here...

Did you just go off Congressional Voting records? Where is Bill Richardson, Mitt Romney, Dennis Kucinich, and all the other active candidates that are out there?

Incomplete reporting is just as bad or worse as intentional misinformation

[lnardozi]

Save your HOUSE

Quotes from Bloomberg Economic News

``Since 1949 the unemployment rate has never risen by this magnitude without the economy being in recession,'' John Ryding, chief U.S. economist at Bear Stearns Cos. in New York, said in a note to clients. ``We now put ourselves on recession watch.''

Factories have already slowed. ISM's manufacturing index for last month fell to 47.7, the lowest since April 2003, the purchasers group said this week.

Factory payrolls decreased by 31,000 after falling 13,000 a month earlier. Economists had forecast a drop of 15,000 in manufacturing employment. Builders reduced payrolls by 49,000 after cutting 37,000 jobs in November.

Government payrolls increased by 31,000 during the month, indicating private payrolls declined by 13,000.

Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve will increase the size of two scheduled auctions of emergency loans by 50 percent to $30 billion as part of a global attempt by central bankers to restore faith in the money markets.

NYT

Of 1,000 owners surveyed nationwide, only 28 percent said they felt economic conditions for their businesses were improving, while 65 percent said conditions were getting worse.

After inching down in recent weeks, average gas prices across the nation rose by 7.3 cents last week to $3.053 per gallon, 71.9 cents higher than the same period last year, the Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday.

Business Week

"Staying at [the $100] level will mean inflation and economic hardship," says Fadel Gheit, senior energy analyst for Oppenheimer Holdings (OPY). "The price has nothing to do with fundamentals, but it has a broad impact."


Here's a question for you. How many books on economics has your candidate read? How many has he WRITTEN? The best economist in the world can't convince someone to whom he can't explain the problem. It looks very like we are headed for a recession or a depression. Before you cast your all-important primary vote, shouldn't you find out who has the most education on economics? This is not one of those times when you basically get bragging rights. This time, it may make the difference between you keeping your job and house or living on the streets. Remember, if we ALL sink there will be no one to give you welfare. Even people who OWN their house could be dispossessed by incredibly high real estate taxes. I know everyone says he is a long shot, but PLEASE do yourself (and me) a favor and research Dr. Ron Paul. The house you save may be your own.

[Guepard]

Democracy!

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.

Alexander Tyler, 1787

[JohnFree]

I'm Voting for FRED!!!

The bias here at CNET stinks.

Not all Techies are liberals folks.

[isaacm30]

i'm voting for+

Besides he's that D.A.

[trlkly]

Too bad:

FRED's out of the race. Not that he had much of a chance, anyways.

And I see no liberal bias on CNET. I do know, however, that quite a few Republicans refused to give CNET any information. It's a little harder to cover people when they won't give you information.

[jack1260]

BLAMING OURSELVES

The candidates can't believe, or they are in denial, about the fact that the United States is running out of people as the post WW2 baby boomers are entering their convalescent years. NO CANDIDATE IS TO BLAME FOR THE EFFECT WE ARE ENCOUNTERING. It's a new day! Let's go do it all over again!

[dateline1]

Sissy Nation

Anybody hear of the new book ?Sissy Nation?? I would highly recommend it to any political junkie. It?s written by a NY Times guy (that could be a pro or con in some people?s minds, I know, but this guy -- John Strausbaugh ? is really good. And really funny). Anyway, the book is about how Americans, at least in his mind, have become total wusses. He is an equal-opportunity diss-er, complaining about Dems and Republicans, gays and straights alike. But all?s not completely lost; he actually has a few ideas how Americans can restore our national balls. Great read!