[Jared]

One of users Kerry just informed me of a petition site to allow Barack Obama to keep his BlackBerry.

Check it out @ Carry The Berry

[kjjb0204]

Just wondering what device our government wants Obama to carry, if not a BB because of security concerns? What's more secure than a bb?

[rachamphetamine]

I didn't think the issue was security but rather that anything he sends from the BB could potentially be subpoenaed. Or at least I remember reading that in an article that also talked about how Bush had to abandon his personal email address, but I could be mistaken - I haven't followed it very closely..

[monkeypaw]

Originally Posted by rachamphetamine

I didn't think the issue was security but rather that anything he sends from the BB could potentially be subpoenaed. Or at least I remember reading that in an article that also talked about how Bush had to abandon his personal email address, but I could be mistaken - I haven't followed it very closely..

Yes, this is it. It is not any regulation, but a self impossed restriction. Self imposed in the sense his staff doesn't want him to carry one.

This became an issue after congress started trying to subpoena every email coming out of the White House starting about 3 years ago. Condi Rice was a big BB user but her staff wouldn't let her keep it after all that. It's a political isssue, not a security issue.

[Helmdawg]

Originally Posted by rachamphetamine

I didn't think the issue was security but rather that anything he sends from the BB could potentially be subpoenaed. Or at least I remember reading that in an article that also talked about how Bush had to abandon his personal email address, but I could be mistaken - I haven't followed it very closely..

That's correct and its not going to happen. Everything will be discoverable, incoming and outgoing comunications..

@kjj - My agency uses the 8700 and I think most agencies, including Obama, uses(d) the 8700 as well..

[jsconyers]

8830 devices here

[Cory Scheuer]

this is kinda off topic but related at the same time...

can someone explain to me why he is president-elect obama? and not president obama? is it because he hasnt taken office yet? how does all that work? sorry canadian here just curious... cuz i know when a new prime minister gets elected hes in office within days if not a week, and hes referred to as prime minister, but PM-elect or anything like that....

[betterlate1]

Cory, yes he is President-Elect until he officially takes the oath of office.

[kjjb0204]

Originally Posted by Cory Scheuer

this is kinda off topic but related at the same time...

can someone explain to me why he is president-elect obama? and not president obama? is it because he hasnt taken office yet? how does all that work? sorry canadian here just curious... cuz i know when a new prime minister gets elected hes in office within days if not a week, and hes referred to as prime minister, but PM-elect or anything like that....

There's a two month transition between the election and inauguration to allow the incoming pres to get ramped up. They start getting briefed on top secret information that they had no access to before the election. And allows outgoing and incoming administrations to share information. I know if I'm GB, I'm going on permanent vaca the day after Obama is sworn in.

[kjjb0204]

Originally Posted by monkeypaw

Yes, this is it. It is not any regulation, but a self impossed restriction. Self imposed in the sense his staff doesn't want him to carry one.

This became an issue after congress started trying to subpoena every email coming out of the White House starting about 3 years ago. Condi Rice was a big BB user but her staff wouldn't let her keep it after all that. It's a political isssue, not a security issue.

What other method of communication would they use besides email? Paper leaves a trail same as email. Verbal works, but can't possibly remember everything that's discussed.

[Cory Scheuer]

paper can be shredded and burnt tho, email can remain forever on servers, hard drives etc etc so there is a way to recover that stuff versus a pile of ash paper

[monkeypaw]

There's also the more mundane issues of:

People are way more casual about what they put into emails or text messages versus written communications. It's way easier to take things out of context or pull stuff out just for embarassment purposes. This would be the biggest reason to force a President to phone his wife and close friends rather than email or text. Or have someone else relay the message.

It's much easier to search electronic data than physical data. Someone has to read through paper, but electronic info can be searched for keywords, names, etc. Dates are also not vague, but precise. "What did you know and when did you know it?"

When things have to be produced for discovery, there's such a volume of emails that people routinely just include extra information instead of going through every email. With government officials there's now the ridiculous expectation that everything be produced.

[rambo47]

I believe the President is issued a secure Motorola flip phone of some kind, operating on the Sprint network. All calls to and from the device are monitored and recorded, including calls with cabinet members. It's up to the President to decide if he wishes to use it or have his aides handle his communications for him. Most choose to delegate communications duties.

[monkeypaw]

Originally Posted by rambo47

I believe the President is issued a secure Motorola flip phone of some kind, operating on the Sprint network. All calls to and from the device are monitored and recorded, including calls with cabinet members. It's up to the President to decide if he wishes to use it or have his aides handle his communications for him. Most choose to delegate communications duties.

I wonder if they have the same customer service complaints as other Sprint users.

[niik000]

But what kind of phone dose Jack Bower use?

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by kjjb0204

Just wondering what device our government wants Obama to carry, if not a BB because of security concerns? What's more secure than a bb?

Apparently Win Mobile.

NSA-approved smartphones give Obama some ugly choices - Engadget Mobile

So much for BB being the security gorilla every fanboy keeps spouting whenever any other device for business is mentioned.