President Obama announced that Vivek Kundra, chief technology officer for the District, will be the federal chief information officer.

It’s a job that did not exist in previous administrations; Obama, who leveraged social networks, text messages and other Internet tools on the campaign trail, promised to create a technology czar with the aim of helping the government operate more efficiently.

Kundra, 34, is expected to oversee how government agencies purchase and use information technology and will be in charge of all federal technology spending. He also will be responsible for making sure agencies’ networks and systems work together and share information while maintaining security and privacy standards.

Obama also plans to appoint a chief technology officer who will work closely with Kundra, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcements are not yet official. The exact job description for that position has not yet been announced, but the chief technology officer might focus more on overall technology policy while the chief information officer will handle day-to-day spending and operations within agency projects…

Phew! I don’t know if I can stand geeks running our government?

Here is the conference call Kundra did immediately after the announcement of his appointment.




  1. Sea Lawyer says:

    This guy going to be given the strings to direct the classified military and intelligence networks also?

  2. wbskeet37 says:

    Wow. 34 and he gets to… “be in charge of all federal technology spending”. I can hear my mother now, “see what you can do when you apply yourself!”

  3. Mark Derail says:

    Became a fan on Facebook, and following on Twitter.

    You just know he’ll write (have to?) an interesting book in a few years from now.

    Imagine doing :
    sudo cp /usr/bin/diff /usr/bin/obama
    sudo chmod 777 /usr/bin/obama

    So that Everyone can use Obama to display changes.

  4. David says:

    That’s why people work and campaign for candidates; so they could get jobs if the candidate winds. Duh….It’s been going on for a long time.

  5. a says:

    @5 I really think ..

    Do you, really?

  6. Dallas says:

    #5 To think I was willing to give this guy a chance.

    Oh, please. You’re just a tired, lying blow hard like the rest. Pres Obama has hardly received his 2nd payroll check and you say “.. I WAS willing to give hime chance..”.

    You Repubs are absolutely rudderless. Eating yourselves from within yet rallying around the beached whale, Rush.

    It’s pathetic to watch such ‘party first’ loyalists diss the president. When Bush was around, you hid behind the “support our troops’ bullshit only because you knew Bush was a disaster. It’s all about the GOP party. Sickening.

  7. TreeBeard says:

    Dallas-‘bamboy cheerleader. Ha! I’m not a republicrat you douchetool. If you look back at my posts I was, and still am against the stupidity of the Iraq follies. Nor do I listen to the intellectually dishonest, Limbaugh. I love when people like you spout off as if you know anything. Go outside and live your life. Kiss a girl. Get out of your parents basement. I think she’s making some Hot Pockets for you.

  8. Dallas says:

    #8 Your full of shit. Your post on 5 is all anyone needs to see. You blew it.

    You’re on the penalty box. Anything else you say is bullshit for seven days.

  9. Gaolbird says:

    Does he work for Infosys? H1B guy replacing American CIO’s now?

  10. TreeBeard says:

    Is that all you got, #9? You’re so much like the Hannity’s and Limbaugh’s that you rail against. You can take an argument exactly one layer deep, then you start spitting and cursing when someone counters you. You’re done.

    No Soup For You!

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Now for the rest of you: I think ‘Bam’s in over his head. Let’s hope he’s just stumbling out of the gate and it’s not something more insidious! Don’t make me break out the tinfoil hat!

  11. David says:

    Republican vs. Democrats — what a waste.

    I hate how quickly people are willing to turn a discussion about something — how our IP technology will develop — into a meaningless emotional argument about whichever side you’re on.

    Personally, I’m scared about our technology infrastructure and its weaknesses to terrorists. Of course, democrats don’t care about terrorists. I also think America’s future competitiveness has a lot to do with how we will use technology in the future. Of course, republicans don’t like technology (or science, for that matter).

    I guess blaming the other party is easier than talking about how to sustain and improve this country.

  12. LinusVP says:

    #9 wants to turn this political. The way I read it, #5 wasn’t being partisan at all. We really don’t know what he is. #9 got served.

  13. DCGov says:

    Well, if they plan to run the feds like they do DC, you can kiss any open source stuff good-bye. DC has been a Microsoft shop for years, and will not even consider anything else.

  14. Norman Speight says:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4950518/Three-more-Obama-nominees-withdraw-from-running.html

    I’m beginning to wonder if Obama isn’t just another political empty drum. All big statements, speeches of quotable quotes (few of which are REALLY original, having been made by others – use your search engines)and now – as this ariticle indicates, only 70 out of over a thousand posts filled. Not that we in the UK are any better. Our (Scottish NOT English remember)rulers flounder about clearly and obviously frantically searching for the next move, or policy, or initiative (they really are fond of that particular word). Meanwhile, remember, NO rules operating against banks have yet been passed! Banks here are NOT approving loans for small businesses – despite bogus claims by their heads and directors, just read what ‘measures’ have actually been taken – none. But. As I said, lots of big statements, lots of announcements of intentions.
    All mouth and no trousers as we say here.
    So. When will Obama bring the bankers to account? If it’s when the appointments have finally been approved then that will obviously be far too late. Truth is. None of our leaders are actually up to the job – whatever the hype.

  15. MikeN says:

    DC tech chief, doesn’t that mean speed cameras and red light cameras, plus any tech involved in their towing kickbacks?


0

Bad Behavior has blocked 4458 access attempts in the last 7 days.