by Rick Pearson
Carly Fiorina, the former computer executive who is now a top economic adviser to presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain, said she thinks any concerns over the Arizona senator’s knowledge about economics have been exaggerated—with help from the candidate, himself.
“It’s been overblown because, first of all, as you know, John is a humble unscripted guy and he’s a very accessible guy and that’s great. But when you happen to say something slightly wrong, or that’s interpreted in a certain way, you know, people can run off with that,” Fiorina told the Chicago Tribune in an interview today.
McCain has made a series of statements since last fall indicating he was not as well versed on economic matters as he’d like to be. He told The Wall Street Journal in November that he knows “a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” A month later, The Boston Globe reported him saying, “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.”
But Fiorina said while McCain’s theme of straight talk can cause problems, “he won the primaries because people see an authentic man who believes what he says and who walks the walk.” She said “while there may be some downsides to it, I think the upsides are far more important.”
In reality, Fiorina said, McCain “has, in my judgment a lot more economic experience than either one of his Democratic opponents.” And she discounted the management role of the presidency in the boom-and-bust cycle of the economy, attempting to offset concerns that a recession under the current GOP administration would translate to voter dissatisfaction with a Republican presidential contender at the ballot box in November.
“No president of the United States of whatever party caused the housing boom, the housing bust and the credit crunch. It’s just not how our economy works,” she said. “A president of the United States doesn’t sit and manage the economy like a CEO does. If you want that kind of economy, go to Russia or you go to China, but you don’t get it here.”
Fiorina contended leading Democrats, including Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who are blaming the Iraq War for the nation’s economic conditions, such a high gas prices, “may not have as firm a grasp on how the economy works as they would like to propose.”
“The Iraq war actually doesn’t have anything to do with current fuel prices. Investors’ speculating about where fuel prices are going to go has something to do with them. The demand that’s being created in China and India has a lot to do with them. But the Iraq War really doesn’t have anything to do with them,” she said.
Fiorina, who was president, CEO and chairman of Hewlett-Packard Co. until her ouster in 2005, has been the subject of some speculation as a potential McCain running mate. The Arizona senator indicated last fall that “somebody who’s really well grounded in economics” might be someone to compliment his own presidential candidacy.
But Fiorina said talk of a McCain running mate was “inside baseball” to most Americans, though she didn’t say she wasn’t interested.
“How can you realistically say you’re not interested, but on the other hand, that isn’t why I’m doing this,” Fiorina, who also is chairing the Republican National Committee’s “Victory ‘08” program in coordination with McCain.
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Comments
McCAIN'S ECONOMIC POLICIES STAY THE COURSE TO KEEP THE BUSH ECONOMIC MIRACLE ROLLING ALONG:
"McCain's breathtaking flip flops "have run that 'Straight Talk Express' into the ditch of hypocrisy. Just look at McCain's actions on two huge issues: energy and campaign-finance reform... Now, rushing to build a war chest, McCain is doing everything short of putting a For Sale sign on his forehead. During a nationwide fundraising tour, he was showered with big donations after defending the lobbyist-written trade policies that have driven down wages. He is sure to raise even more cash as he shows his Keating Five roots shilling for the financial industry. Last week, approaching the 21st anniversary of that scandal, McCain followed the advice of banking executive-turned-campaign-adviser Phil Gramm and demanded Congress oppose new Wall Street regulations in the wake of the credit crisis"
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2008/04/mccains-economic-policies-stay-course.html
McCain proves that Republicans aren't able to come up with new policy propoals that might be able to fix the problems that they themselves created ie Iraq.
No, it's more important for Republicans to try and win elections by blabbing on and on about what Obama's pastor may or may not have said.
Posted by: John E | April 9, 2008 7:54 PM
"MCCAIN SPEAKS"
AMERICA HAS THEIR "TIGER WOODS" HEE HEE, HEE HEE, BUT WE GOT OUR JOHN MCCAIN.
I DIDN'T SAY IT, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY.
I DIDN'T CONDON IT BUT I MIGHT LATER.
I DIDN'T WRITE THE SCRIPT, I LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT FOR ME. IT ISN'T A REFLECTION ON MY VIEWS TOWARDS THE "TIGER WOODS" OF AMERICA.
YA'LL KNEW WHAT HE MEANT. IT WAS ALL FUN AND GAMES. BUT JUST DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT LATE WITH THOSE "TIGER WOODS" OF AMERICA AFTER DARK!
WOW! AND CONDI FOR VP WELL WHAT DOES THAT MAKE HER. ANCHAMAMA WOODS OF AMERICA.
HOMELAND SECURITY "SECRETARY"
COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION.
ALL YOU "TIGER WOODS" AMERICANS OUT THERE.
SOMETHING TELLS ME JOHN MCCAIN WAS LAUGHING ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON THE "TIGER WOODS" IN AMERICA.
BLACK GOLFERS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
BLACK GOLFERS RUNNING FOR A CABINET POSITION.
BLACK GOLFERS OF AMERICA VOTING FOR OBAMA AND NOT HIM.
YEA!
Posted by: Roger Morris | April 9, 2008 7:55 PM
Why is McCain still being taken seriously as a Presidential candidate?
This is disgusting..
McCain has no business being a US Senator let alone a Presidential candidate, he knows next to nothing about the economy, healthcare, Iraq etc....and now this?
"Report: McCain's Profane Tirade At His Wife"
John McCain's temper is well documented. He's called opponents and colleagues "s-heads," "a-holes" and in at least one case "a f-ing jerk."...
Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt."
McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/07/report-mccains-profane-ti_n_95429.html
Posted by: John E | April 9, 2008 9:31 PM
Carly - I think you're the one who doesn't understand.
Precisely what is our strategic interest in the Persian Gulf of which Iraq is a part, if not oil?
Goat's meat?
Posted by: Seeker | April 9, 2008 10:34 PM
Carly - I think you're the one who doesn't understand.
Precisely what is our strategic interest in the Persian Gulf of which Iraq is a part, if not oil?
Goat's meat?
Posted by: Seeker | April 9, 2008 10:34 PM
Reagan left us with 70000nuclear weapons and 4 trillion dollar deficit.
McCain is going to repeat that?
Posted by: ali | April 9, 2008 10:39 PM
Speaking of knowing nothing about economics, I see John E, the Catholic SchoolGirl, has chimed in.
If Senator Boy Wonder raises the highest incremental payroll/income tax rate from 38% to 54%, please explain how that will help create jobs and help the economy. VEry similar to what Hoover did in 1930 and raised the highest income tax rate from 25% to 63%.
Also, the Catholic School Girl economic wizrad could wonder how restricting free trade will help the economy. He once again can use President Hoover and Smoot-Harley Act as an example.
Good luck Joan.
A
Posted by: Terry | April 9, 2008 11:19 PM
Carly Fiorina????? As the McCain economic adviser???
The woman who not only ran HP into the ground, but also Lucent Technologies BEFORE she went to HP??
As a LT retiree, this makes me even MORE of a fan of the Democratic nominee!!!!!
Posted by: BobHusseininAtlanta | April 10, 2008 12:32 AM
Trickledown Terri,
Staying the course with BushCo's economic policy is not going to work nor is it going to happen.
The rich Republican doughy white guys (you) are going to have to start paying your fair share of taxes. It has to be that way because we have to pay off the $11 Trillion dollar deficit that the "conservative" Republicans have run up since 2001.
Pull up your skirt and put down you pom poms, Terri, it's time to pay off all the bills that the Republic Party has run up!
PS - is there someone out there other than you that considers you an economic expert? I'd like to meet that dope...Pfffft
Posted by: John E | April 10, 2008 12:56 AM
Oh by the way Terri, if Obama is "Senator Boy Wonder" what does that make McCain?
McCain:
"Senator Old and Ready to go...to the Bathroom"?
Posted by: John E | April 10, 2008 1:14 AM
mccain would be over 80 years old at the end of his second term.
Posted by: maz hess | April 10, 2008 2:51 AM
Again, what are the economic qualifications of Hillary Clintoon and Barack Obamamania? Has either ever run anything? No. A business? No. A city? No. A county? A state? No (this helps explain why Illinois is in such dire straits as this state elects incompetents like Stroger and Blago to run things.) Do either have a degree in economics?
What exactly are the qualifications and knowledge or either Hillary or Barack in regard to economics?
Posted by: John D | April 10, 2008 9:34 AM
I see the Chicag Joke-une, which continues its plunge to being more embarrassing than any checkout newsstand rag, is now resorting to publishing lies about people. This from Mark Silva's and Frank James' favorite demented blogger:
Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt."
McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/07/report-mccains-profane-ti_n_95429.html
Posted by: John E | April 9, 2008 9:31 PM
Hmmm, I wonder if I was to post that Barack Obama called his wife a "c*nt" if Mark and the gang would allow that through. Let's try it:
According to unnamed journalists, after a fight between Barack and Michelle Obama, Barack said this to his wife, "Shut up or I'm gonna beat you silly, you lazy, good-for-nothing c*nt."
Posted by: John D | April 10, 2008 11:44 AM
Math Whiz,
$11 Trillion - quote the source on that.
Once aging Joan E, you have added nothing but your immature comments.
And that is how you will reduce the debt of this country is by reducing the spending. I will not defend George Bush and the GOP Congress of 2001-2006, but I have not seen any improvement from the dem Congress. BTW, what happen to the "pay-go" rules?
Also, getting rid of the entitlements would be the best way to get rid of the debt, but since that will never happen, look at reaising the retirment age of Soc Security into the mid 70's. When this generational ponzi scheme was concocted it had the payout age of 65 and the avg life-expectancy of the avg American was under 60.
Posted by: Terry | April 10, 2008 8:58 PM
At least McCain has time to find a running mate who balances his age, ideology, etc. Meanwhile, Obama has to fight every day for a nominatin he's already won. Here's how the VP process should work:
http://digits.hrblock.com/ssDigits/digits.php?rType=1&sPath=1140&sNode=1140&uId=198
Posted by: GHarri | April 13, 2008 3:16 PM