Chicago (IL) - There is still great controversy whether Al Gore ever claimed to have invented the Internet and there is now a good chance that John McCain will be remembered as the politician who at least “helped” create the Blackberry.

Caution: Exaggerations ahead. CNN ran an astonishing headline earlier today, which is sure to have caught the attention of anyone who knows that a Blackberry is not only a fruit sold in square translucent plastic boxes in your local grocery store. The headline of teh article read: Adviser calls BlackBerry 'miracle' McCain 'helped create'.

The claim has not been made by John McCain himself, but by one of his advisers who pointed to the Blackberry as one of McCain’s achievements during the time he served on the Senate Commerce Committee. Asking for McCain’s accomplishments, the adviser apparently held up his Blackberry and said "He did this."

Now, we would not call McCain computer-illiterate, heck we don’t even know if or how he uses computing devices, but the Republican presidential nominee does not have the reputation to be especially on top of what is going on in the technology world. And now one of his advisers claims he created the Blackberry?

Well, not exactly. CNN goes on to explain that the adviser’s move to hold up the Blackberry was not especially smart. He rather claimed that the telecommunications landscape in the U.S. has been primarily been shaped by the Commerce Committee. McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin said that it was McCain who both “regulated and deregulated the industry,” which is a pretty bold claim by itself.

The McCain camp quickly reacted by saying that Holtz-Eakin's remark was an obvious joke. John McCain reportedly laughed when he heard about the claim and senior aide Matt McDonald said that Holtz-Eakin’s statement was a “bone-headed joke by a staffer”. He added that John McCain would never claim to be the inventor of anything, “much less the Blackberry.”

However, the campaign messages on both sides seem to be getting more aggressive by the day and the truth in some of those messages is already being stretched to rather uncomfortable levels. Let’s see what other claims will be made to convince us of the qualifications of either candidate. Being the inventor of the Blackberry, however, would have been pretty convincing to make the case for being a visionary business person, we have to admit.

It would be amusing if that the adviser note would stick and will brand McCain as having claimed to be the inventor of the Blackberry, much like Al Gore is being remembered as the person to have invented the Internet. However, while Gore reportedly said during an interview with CNN back in 2000

"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

it is generally believed that Gore did not claim to have ”invented” the Internet, but claimed to have created the political foundation that may have enabled a public Internet.

Indeed, politics is not a profession of modest claims.

taken out of context and exploited

Sep 16, 2008 22:38     

the same thing with barack's "muslim faith" comment is now being done with this blackberry. i really think both camps are stretching themselves thin with misinterpretation or misunderstandings. besies. we all know blackberrys were made in canada!!!!!!!!!!
jonas report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Yeah

Sep 17, 2008 02:18     

He is "computer-illiterate", he said he had to have, I believe his daughter and wife use the computer for him and check email, but he's old, my Grandpa can't use one either, no harm no foul on that. This wasn't a boneheaded joke, it was just foolish, if you met the people(which I have) who work on both sides, they think their candidates are descended from the loins of God, I expect we'll see a lot of foolish claims by both camps be quickly shut down by the men themselves. =)

Revrant report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

I think...

Sep 17, 2008 03:23     

I think just laughing about these claims shows exactly how little effect people think politicians have on their lives. Al Gore was the vice president of the United States and a political veteran long before that. He might very well have played a significant role in getting the internet where it is today. Same goes for McCain. No way has he not had a big finger in the American Pie for ages. I wish America and especially the media would start taking politics seriously. It would be so much better for the whole world. Presidential nominees do not just fall out of the sky...

The_Trutherizer report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

A Congressional Conceit

Sep 17, 2008 07:10     

Senators and Congressmen have a proprietary view of projects they support. There's a story about a budget committee marking up a science bill some decades ago. Someone said "What's a Very Large Array radiotelescope, anyway?" and drew a line through it. Someone else said, "That's Senator X's telescope," and the money went back in. Gore supported legislation that made the Internet possible. I presume the McCain aide was making the same kind of point, although I'm not aware of the legeslative details.

Eadwacer report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Re: Yeah

Sep 17, 2008 07:49     

>> He is "computer-illiterate", he said he had to >> have, I believe his daughter and wife use the >> computer for him and check email, but he's old, my >> Grandpa can't use one either, no harm no foul on >> that. There's also the fact that the injuries he sustained as a POW prevent him from even tying his own shoes. But yeah, this is a lot of hay out of nothing, just like the Al Gore dig.
Steve report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Gimme a break...

Sep 17, 2008 11:00     

"There's also the fact that the injuries he sustained as a POW prevent him from even tying his own shoes" What does that have to do with checking his email? Personally, I would prefer someone that knows how to check his own email and at least navigate his way through a computer... it is not that hard of a concept!
JackCrackerMan report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -2

Senators Helping A Small Manatoba Company I think not.

Sep 17, 2008 11:12     

I know This has Already Been Said. but when have you herd of any senator helping any company that originates in Canada. was started in Canada. and is a main Canadian product that the Americans are actuly using and love. and for that idiot saying that he invented the internet. that is bull. it was to my knowledge a military experiment that turn to universties beeing able to comunicate to each other. ya i could say he sighned some piece of paper giveing some funding to the project. but thats like me saying my great grandfather sighned a piece of paper that started the oil boom back in the early 90's. all there trying to do is get the votes of people that are not tech savy and don't really understand where things start or don't care. they just belive everything a senetor has to so or in canada there member of parliament. because there is alot more non tech people out there then there are techy people that actuly look in to things like and care about there investments not just purchuse things because of an ad or what a celebrity has to say.

MetzMan007 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -2

Cool

Sep 17, 2008 18:12     

Why does it have to be Mccain He'll die in office if he is elected He is waaaaaay to old
Bob Bob report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

mmhm...

Oct 10, 2008 06:49     

so yah...presidential nominees need to pay more attention to what they are saying...as well as their representatives...
poptart report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0