Democrats Criticize McCain's 'Dial-up Campaign'

PCMag.com

Leading Democrats on Tuesday attacked the Bush administration's broadband policy and the technology track record of GOP presidential hopeful John McCain, while leading tech companies pushed for a more tech-savvy and innovative federal government.

"The Obama campaign is the broadband campaign and the McCain campaign is the dial-up campaign," said Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on telecom and the Internet.

Markey and other members of Congress were on hand at the Democratic National Convention in Denver for several technology panels hosted by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and the Silicon Flatirons Center at the University of Colorado.

"On McCain's watch, the U.S. fell from third to fifteenth in broadband penetration," said Julius Genachowski, technology advisor to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. That is "shocking."

Genachowski attacked McCain's record as chairman of the Commerce Committee, a position McCain held from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005. McCain did nothing to spur growth in the technology industry, create jobs, help create an open Internet, or ensure competition, Genachowski said.

"You know in your hearts that in eight years, there was never one conversation in the Oval Office between Dick Cheney and George Bush on broadband policy," Markey said. "That … should frighten you."