Despite legal and security hurdles, president-elect Barack Obama says he has a plan to retain his beloved Blackberry once he moves into the White House next week.

Interviewed by CNN Friday, Obama said the smartphone was among the tools that he would use to stay in touch with real Americans and avoid becoming trapped inside the presidential "bubble."

"I think we're going to be able to hang on to one of these. My working assumption, and this is not new, is that anything I write on an email could end up being on CNN," he said.

Obama did not divulge just how he will overcome legal constraints, given the requirement of the post-Watergate Presidential Records Act of 1978 to keep a record of every White House communication.

Nor did he say how he would persuade his Secret Service protectors that the Blackberry does not pose a security risk, for instance if it is hacked over the air.

The mobile device dilemma may have inadvertently been solved on Friday, as Obama's Blackberry tumbled from his belt as he got out of his limousine and onto his plane in Washington.

A Secret Service agent hurried to pick up the pieces, gathering the Blackberry and battery off the frigid tarmac.

Times are tough aren't they Mr. Messiah?  I think you should be ashamed of yourself already thinking you are above the LAW.  Wait I thought you were a lawyer already...so you know that maintaining a blackberry while in the Oval Office could and can be a serious violation of the Presidential Records ACT.  Who cares if you are the Messiah and have duped America into voting for you...doesn't mean we will let you do whatever you want.  - mndapa1

ref:  http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1978-act.html

http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/appendix/13233.html