McCain Defends his Tech Smarts

Sen John McCain (R-AZ), fundraising in the San Francisco Bay Area, acknowledged that he isn't a "tech freak" or entirely comfortable with the Internet or e-mail. But he strongly disputed criticism that he is "out of the loop" as unfair. As the former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, he said, Sen McCain was a driving force to oversea legislation that helped the Internet flourish. "We passed the ban on Internet taxes, which was vital, I think, in the growth of the Internet. We had constant hearings ... about new technology that was being developed," including some of the more controversial aspects of "different and competing interests" in the field, such as broadband technology, said McCain. "So to somehow allege that I'm not up to date on it isn't in keeping with my record as chairman," he said. Sen McCain said he is well aware that technology "does drive the news. It is changing the shape of the news. ... It's changing the information age, and I've got to stay up with it." He added, "But I am forcing myself ... let me put it this way, I am using the computer more and more every day."