Obama’s BlackBerry Blues

Security issues and presidential record-keeping guidelines might soon have President-Elect Barack Obama singing the BlackBerry Blues. The Presidential Records Act requires his correspondence be officially on-the-record.  According to the National Archives website, the act, "Establishes a process for restriction and public access to these records." So e-mails can eventually be open to public view and scrutiny. Will the BlackBerry have to go?

To avoid the techno concerns of e-mail security, tech-savy Obama may have to rid himself of the gaget. I for one, feel really bad for him. I wonder how the self-described lover of the so-called "crackberry" will manage without it?  Mr. Obama has a void to fill. Our generation is one of wireless -everything, and he's just as attached to the BlackBerry as anyone else. There's plenty of video to prove it. We've watched him twiddling his fingers checking it on the campaign trail for the last two years.  

One would assume that he'll have a buddy or two in the secret service who can get an e-mail out if need be while out in the field. But it's ironic that the first President-Elect whose successful campaign embraced social media to raise funds and awareness, and intends to use You-Tube for his weekly presidential radio addresses, likely has to leave the BlackBerry at the door.

Lots of empathy in this camp. Mr. President Elect – I feel for you. But there is a flipside. Just one less gaget to think about, one less source of sensory overload, one less e-mail to read. Heck, you have an economy to straighten out and wars to end. Ridding yourself of the gaget might be the best thing that ever happened to you.