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In W.H., Obama staff will say cu l8r 2 im ["It sucks. It's really going to slow us down,".....]
The Politico ^

Posted on 01/17/2009 6:04:23 PM PST by Sub-Driver

n W.H., Obama staff will say cu l8r 2 im By: Ben Smith January 17, 2009 08:24 PM EST

Barack Obama may get to keep his Blackberry, but David Axelrod is losing his IM.

The lawyers broke the bad news to Obama aides at a briefing Friday morning convened by incoming Deputy White House Counsel Cassandra Butts: Not only are they leaving the modern world to enter a White House where some of the clunky desktop computers still run Windows 2000 but—worst of all—they'll be forced to surrender form of communication staffers have relied on for the last two years to communicate with each other, outside allies, and the press.

From Axelrod, the chief campaign strategist, down to junior staffers in the press office, Obama's campaign relied heavily on software many of them began using in high school—AOL Instant Message and Google Chat. Instant messaging, though little mentioned, is—perhaps as much as email—deeply woven into contemporary politics and media, whose fabric is the constant, quick, gossipy transmission of spin and information. But a calculus that's perhaps one part security, one part law, and two parts politics, has long barred instant messaging from the White House.

"They just told us flat out we couldn't IM in the White House," groused one senior staffer Friday.

"It sucks. It's really going to slow us down," complained another, saying that lawyers had warned that, along with Instant Messaging, White House software will restrict users to a range of sites roughly "like your average grade school."

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aol; axelrod; bho2008; bhowhitehouse; blackberry; nationalsecurity; obama; obamatransitionfile; pampers; technology
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To: jaz.357

(Yep, I'm old.)

21 posted on 01/17/2009 6:35:31 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but he will give us the shaft.)
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To: Sub-Driver
The net effect is that the president and all of his top staff are going to be put into a bubble," said Tom Blanton, the director of the National Security Archvie. "There should be ways for the President's staff to take advantage of the latest IM technology—otherwise they're living in the hothouse, and strange plants grow in hothouses."

now that's about the dumbest thing I've heard today.
these guys knew of the tight security and public records responsibilities of the positions they aspired to - if in doubt they only had to ask their senators, oh, wait, Obama was a senator. Of course, there is still time to back out for anyone who has a problem with the security requirements of any public office, especially anyone who feels they might become 'strange' in 'a bubble'. Good Grief!

Best regards, blu

22 posted on 01/17/2009 6:46:29 PM PST by blueplum
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To: Question_Assumptions

They don’t want their stuff recorded and archived. they’ll then have to pay for someone to come in and totally destroy the thing to make it unrecoverable.


23 posted on 01/17/2009 6:59:20 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Aw, poor widdie wee singies...

...NOT!


24 posted on 01/17/2009 7:11:47 PM PST by Old Sarge (For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American)
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To: Sub-Driver

Welcome to reality DelanObama and Company!

There’s a reason why the White House is still running Windows 2000, and that’s because the Congress didn’t appropriate the money to upgrade either the hardware or the software after Bush took office the first time. In W’s first Administration I’m sure they had state of the art...but it’s 8 years later and all of it is antique. Now this Administration can figure out what they are going to need, and how they intend to get Congress to pay for it.

I love the comment about restricting what websites these staffers will be allowed to haunt...that means an immediate and dramatic drop in the site traffic at DU, Kos, and Huffington right off the bat...


25 posted on 01/17/2009 7:24:16 PM PST by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts.....)
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To: Sub-Driver
where are the grown ups?

Moving out of the cities and stocking up on food and ammo.

Things r goin 2 go 2 hell lol

26 posted on 01/17/2009 7:29:33 PM PST by Starfleet Command
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To: jaz.357
Which version do you want, jaz?

Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco

or

Lord Save Me From Truman

(Do I win anything?)

27 posted on 01/17/2009 7:30:38 PM PST by Pegita ('Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word ...)
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To: Sub-Driver

I have FYYFF on my scooter license plate.


28 posted on 01/17/2009 7:55:12 PM PST by Poser (Sexual Chunky Monkey and willing to fight for oil)
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To: jaz.357

The “tobacco NAZIs” are on their way to your house to arrest you for saying that!


29 posted on 01/17/2009 8:15:31 PM PST by reg45
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To: Sub-Driver
incoming Deputy White House Counsel Cassandra Butts

One of the Butts sisters.

30 posted on 01/17/2009 8:50:11 PM PST by Ken H
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To: Sub-Driver

You know George Washington, John Adams, T.J., etc. got quite a bit accomplished via “snail mail” (couriers on horse back, couriers WALKING)... I’m sure “O” and his minions will adapt.


31 posted on 01/17/2009 9:36:15 PM PST by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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