McCain Wants Ballmer For His Cabinet

While many people jumped all over presidential hopeful John McCain's wrong-headed view on network neutrality, few noticed his infuriating love for Microsoft. "[T]he 70 year old presidential hopeful also said that he would ask Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to serve on his cabinet to deal with technology issues if elected. He did not however say what position Ballmer might be hired in, but did joke that he might consider him for a diplomatic position, such as ambassador to China."

Comments

Oh God

[Ethelred Unraed]

But the comedy almost writes itself.

Imagine Ballmer jumping around and screaming at cabinet meetings.

Cheers,

Ethelred

Re:Oh God

[__aaclcg7560]

No wonder Dick Cheney kept Ballmer out of the current Administration. A shotgun weilding Vice President versus a chair throwing Ambassador would make for an interesting Sunday morning talk show routine.

Not Bad

[Raindance]

Well. Better the devil you know than the usual political hack that doesn't know anything about tech. :)

Seriously, it's got to be mostly a symbolic move to lure some business/tech folks. I think McCain is probably just throwing a name out there, and that Ballmer would be a poor choice due to his personality and the small fact that he already has, you know, a pretty full-time job. But if McCain's announcement gets voters and candidates thinking that yes, tech policy actually does matter, that's a very good thing.

But a sad Joke

[Anonymous Coward]

McCain was once a Republican I could vote for: His own man. But a few years ago he became little more than a lapdog for the RNC. Makes you wonder what kind of dirt they have on him. He's not White House material. Once maybe, but not anymore. Not because I think he's become crooked, but because I think he's become weak.

Re:But a sad Joke

[Man On Pink Corner]

Not because I think he's become crooked,

Oh, he was crooked a long time ago. Google the "Keating Five" to see the sorts of people McCain has chosen to associate with over the years.

I do not understand the appeal of this simpering asstard to voters with otherwise-enlightened sensibilities.

clueless infatuation, convicted monopolist

[Erris]

So a presidential hopeful wants somebody who at least knows how technology works to be a technology adviser? Say it ain't so!

If "knifing the baby", "cutting off oxygen" and "fucking killing" is how technology works, McCain has his man. Ballmer knows NOTHING about technology and needs the kind of business ethics class that comes with steel bars on the door.

I hope the whole thing was a bad joke, but there is no mistaking McCain's stance on network neutrality. Love of M$ goes hand in hand with approval of ATT's tactics.

Re:clueless infatuation, convicted monopolist

[Anonymous Coward]

and needs the kind of business ethics class that comes with steel bars on the door.

Ballmer needs to be in a Zoo? But won't he scare the (other) monkeys?

I think you missed it...

[ushering05401]

A presidential hopeful wants someone who actively opposes fair competition/cooperation in the industry to advise him on tech policy.

This is not trollish conjecture, the anti-trust lawsuits didn't come out of thin air, and the anti-cooperation charge should require no explanation.

Allow me to also note the increasing movement among U.S. State governments to pursue open standards technology. You want to talk friction? What sort of leverage would MS have on this issue? They already threatened contract-infringement legal action against the state of California just because the state considered having an official conversation about open standards.

Regards.

Ballmer was overheard saying...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Fucking Hu Jintau is a fucking pussy. I'm going to fucking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to fucking kill China."

Re:I hate them both

[cashman73]

I also see no value in voting for the lesser of two evils

Why vote for the lesser of two evils. Write-in Cthulhu in 2008!

The new McCain cabinet:

[Alsee]

Department of Health & Human Services: Josef Mengele
Department of Defense: André Maginot
Department of Energy: Kenneth Lay
Department of Homeland Security: Osama bin Laden
Department of Education: Terri Schiavo
Department of Labor: Beevis
Department of State: Butthead
Department of Commerce: Karl Marx
Department of State: Groucho Marx
Department of the Treasury: Jesse James
Department of Agriculture: William R. Simonson
Department of the Interior: George Custer
Office of National Drug Control Policy: Timothy Leary
Environmental Protection Agency: Joseph Hazelwood
Department of Transportation: Joseph Hazelwood
Office of Management and Budget: Paris Hilton
Department of Housing & Urban Development: John Spartan
United States Trade Representative: John Rambo

Oh yeah, and...
Department of Justice: Alberto Gonzales

-

Re:Lies, not Truth, Appeal to the American Voter

[ClosedSource]

"Increasing the number of Western occupying soldiers to 400,000, .... will transform Iraq into a prosperous, liberal Western nation.

Wow, it only takes 400,000 soldiers to move Iraq West? How many dump trucks does it take?

Re:Lies, not Truth, Appeal to the American Voter

[revengebomber]

Wow, it only takes 400,000 soldiers to move Iraq West? How many dump trucks does it take?
I think you could get it done faster with a series of tubes.