Mitt Romney Calls the ODF Coin Toss Right

Mitt Romney is betting that supporting ODF will prove to be a smart political move, as he grooms himself for a run for the presidency. On Monday he announced a new State CIO and his commitment to hold firm on ODF, sending a message that he won't kowtow to special interests (like Microsoft) or political opponents (like "Dark Prince" Secretary William Francis Galvin). That bet is already paying off, with the Forbes Magazine Website featuring Romney in its "Faces in the News" section and congratulating him for his tough stand. For the first time, government policy on IT standards is becoming a factor in presidential politics, as Romney equates ODF implementation with The American Way. An added benefit – State CIOs will feel more confident now recommending ODF than they did after the resignation of Peter Quinn.

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