Google’s chief executive visited VCU this past Thursday to endorse Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign and discussed its use of technology to reach the college-age audience.
Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google Inc. and a member of the board of directors for Apple Inc., discussed several issues facing society and where he says the government is falling short. He referred to the current financial crisis and the war in Iraq, pointing out that many U.S. citizens are unhappy with the country’s current state.
Schmidt said the United States is in this condition because the government often fails to understand its citizens and has made decisions that have benefited some Americans and not others.
“Obama has a different model. He starts with an understanding of the middle class,” Schmidt said. “He also understands we’re better off together, building a society with scaled opportunity for everybody.”
Addressing the current economic crisis, Schmidt said the money being used to bail out companies should be put toward other matters.
“We have a choice in where that money goes,” Schmidt said. “Invest it in roads, bridges, schools, broadband and maybe even technology.”
J.D. Christopher Sprigman, an associate professor of law at the University of Virginia, joined Schmidt Thursday as a guest speaker. Sprigman discussed his views on technology and how it is affecting both the campaigns and the country. He said both have great influence on where the United States is moving.
“Technology and innovation of policy can play an enormous role in addressing some of the biggest problems we have now,” Sprigman said. “We have applied our cultural knack for innovation to big problems of the past and I think Barack Obama, as president, will show us a way to do that again.”
Schmidt said technology has helped Obama with his campaign.
“The arrival of the Internet and its clever use by the Obama campaign really helped propel them early to the fundraising, to get people involved and to build the social community that it’s gotten to the point of the greatest voter turnout ever,” Schmidt said.
Media art and technologies graduate student Sean Stewart said, “There was definitely an emphasis on Barack Obama’s connection to technology and how he sees that as a part of government.”
Schmidt touted the importance of everyone – especially students – voting in the election.
“Go vote . for whichever candidate you want,” Schmidt said. “I think political participation is more important than anything. A country that doesn’t have people voting is not a democracy.”