theo|digital

Two things. One, I liked McCain’s speech to the NAACP last week. I caught some of it on TV, and not only did he graciously commend Barack Obama’s acheivement of being the first African American nominated as a major party candidate, but kept a humble tone throughout. Not that he lacked courage: I was surprised to hear him choose the platform to champion school choice in the form of government vouchers.  This is a “conservative” issue which I tend to agree with.  And his additional education points were detailed and well-founded:  making sure school principals hold primary spending authority, and investing federal money in virtual classrooms to expand the availability of AP classes in under-funded schools.

On the other hand, I smiled and agreed with the following news commentary posted via Google News:

Comment by Leonard Steinhorn, Prof, School of Communication, American University
Getting Old Versus Keeping Current - 24 July 08

Concerns about Senator John McCain’s age may be less important than how he keeps himself current and young, and on that account we must ask some relevant questions. Senator McCain seems physically vigorous, and his medical reports all point to a generally healthy man who gets regular check-ups. And despite his occasional gaffes and verbal slip-ups, which some suggest may be a sign of a tired mind, he appears to remain sharp and mentally focused. But general health isn’t really the issue. When Senator McCain admits that he really doesn’t get the Internet and describes on-line searching as “a Google,” it suggests that he doesn’t have even a rudimentary appreciation of the new economy and the next generation he hopes to lead. Arguably, our economic vitality these last two decades has been built on an information and knowledge society structured around high technology, social networks, and the Internet.  More.