Grading Obama's Tech Initiatives

President Obama promised Americans he would harness the power of the internet to create a more transparent federal government and to bring the White House into the 21st century. Here’s candidate Obama answering questions from YouTube users in an online-only interview early in his campaign:

“Technology is not only posing enormous opportunities for America, but if we can apply technology to some of the big problems that we face like health care or energy or education, then we can leap over some of the problems that have been plaguing us for a very, very long time.”

In the seven weeks since his inauguration, we’ve seen some evidence that Obama is making good on his promises – but some critics say we haven’t seen enough. The recent flap over whether or not the president should be able to use a Blackberry illustrated how difficult it can be to bring even small change to the nation’s highest office. It also underscored the security concerns that accompany the digital age, concerns that cannot be overlooked in matters of national security.

Nicholas Thompson analyzed the administration’s tech initiatives to date for Wired Magazine, and he joins us now with his assessment.

Nicholas Thompson in Wired Magazine: "Too Early to Criticize Obama's Tech Policy?"

Washington Post: "Web-Savvy Obama Team Hits Unexpected Bumps"

The Obameter from the St. Petersburg Times

(Photo courtesy tsmall via Flickr/Creative Commons)