Obama says he’s going to introduce a cabinet-level CTO who will make decisions on how the U.S. uses technology in government, building out broadband in rural areas, and creating hi-tech jobs. Who will that person be? Will that person come from a commercial or academic background?
According to this article in Business Week the shortlist includes the following people.
Vint Cerf
He works for Google. People call him the father of the Internet. He has a cool beard.
Ed Felton
From Princeton University, apparently a smart guy. In 2006 he hacked a Diebold voting machine to prove it could be done.
Jeff Bezos
He started Amazon. He knows technology and he knows business.
Steve Balmer
He is responsible for Windows Vista. And he’s a Dick.
Obama has so far shown that he’s an intelligent person with sound judgement. Therefore I think that it’s safe to say that Steve Balmer’s job is safe at Microsoft. I’d like to see Vint Cerf in the Whitehouse. I like that beard.