It has been reported that the city of Washington D.C. is Blackberry addicted. Well, at least the government. When the status of a government shutdown was looming last week, congressional staffers were freaking out at the proposition of having to give up their devices.
President Obama is no exception, reportedly refusing to give up his Blackberry when he first took office, despite security concerns from his staff. Apparently, the technology surrounding him ain’t so great.
Obama recently kicked off his re-election bid, and today he was in his home base of Chicago speaking to donors. In some off-the-cuff remarks the President spoke about the technology situation at the White House and other parts of the government. As the President of the United States of America, it looks like he expected the latest and greatest. CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller Tweeted about the President’s remarks at the fundraiser.
At a fundraiser in Chicago, Obama complained about the White House: ”When it comes to technology, we are like 30 years behind.”
Obama said he thought that as president, he’d have some “cool phones and stuff” in the Oval Office, but “we can’t get our phones to work!”
Pres Obama said the govt’s IT “is horrible.” He said that’s the case “across the board:” at the Pentagon, Homeland Security, the agencies.
Innovation has been a talking point for the Obama administration, outlining the need for greater broadband access in rural areas during his latest State of the Union as well as pushing for improved digital medical records data keeping across the country. Hopefully he can work out the situation at office.