americas-cto

Eric Schmidt rejects Obama's lame CTO job

Paul Boutin · 11/10/08 01:00PM

"I love working at Google and I'm very happy to stay at Google, so the answer is no," Google baldfaced-liar-in-chief Eric Schmidt told Jim Cramer on CNBC Friday, when asked if he'd take a job with the incoming administration. "Google is its own exciting opportunity." I know what you're thinking: Obama turned him down already, how cold is that? More likely, Schmidt truly doesn't want the job. He just wanted Obama to ask.Because, come on, why manage a bunch of government IT when you already run Google and park your jets next door at Nasa? The city of Washington, D.C. uses Google Docs. Schmidt doesn't need to become America's CTO, because he already is America's CTO. (Photo by Reuters/Carlos Barria)

Obama confuses Harvard lawyer for tech guy

Paul Boutin · 11/06/08 05:00PM

I'm from MIT, so I'm hardwired to hate on Harvard Law grad Julius Genachowski, the so-called technology guy newly named to our Internet President's transition team. His company, LaunchBox, helps Web and mobile entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to get seed funding. That makes him a Paul Graham wannabe to me. He spent eight years working for Barry Diller at IAC as general counsel. Is that a plus or a minus?To be fair, Genachowski is said to be a clear thinker, and he hasn't yet locked up Barry O's slot for America's CTO. Insider gossip says he's eyeing the FCC instead, where he previously served under Reed Hundt. Fine with me — Genachowski is a lawyer who I'm sure can grasp net neutrality. But if this turns out to be Obama's idea of a technologist, I'm going home to cling bitterly to my guns and religion.