Carly Fiorina touts McCain's tech credentials

UPDATED 3:35 P.M.: The Christian Science Monitor, which hosted today's press breakfast with Carly Fiorina, just posted some edited video of the event. Here's the link.

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When it comes to presidential politics, Barack Obama has all the buzz on the Internet. He has raised record amounts of money online. He hired a Facebook co-founder to help leverage social networking for his White House push. And just today, Nielsen Online declared that the Illinois Democrat had an online "head start" (PDF download) on his Republican opponent, John McCain. Obama drew nearly twice as many blog mentions in June, and his website attracted 2.3 million unique visitors in May, compared with 563,000 for McCain's.

But although McCain admitted to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington that he was computer illiterate, the Arizona senator has a big name making the case that he's the right choice for the high-tech industry: former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina.

McCain knows the importance of technology to the economy and has an economic plan to encourage the type of innovation the industry thrives on, Fiorina said this morning in Washington, D.C. "That's why I think he has been so consistently on the side of issues that impact our innovative capability," she said. "He has consistently said we should make the R&D tax credit permanent.... He has consistently said we should ban permanently Internet taxation."

Fiorina was touting McCain's new economic program during a breakfast with journalists sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. She has become such an ardent and visible supporter of McCain that her name has appeared frequently on the list of McCain's possible vice presidential choices. While that may be a long shot given her lack of government experience, others have talked up Fiorina as a potential Commerce secretary should McCain win the presidency.

Reporters couldn't let Fiorina go without pressing her on the veep question ...

... asking her if a business person who has never held elective office or a government post would be an appropriate choice to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. 

Fiorina showed that she's getting the hang of the politics game. She artfully sidestepped the question of any future role for herself at the top of the Republican ticket ("John McCain's going to have a lot of highly qualified people to choose from," she said.) while at the same time making a subtle case for herself. Fiorina cited the governmental experience she has gained since leaving HP in 2005, including co-chairing a women's initiative (PDF download) at the State Department and serving on the external advisory board for the Central Intelligence Agency.

As for the relationship between business and government, Fiorina said they're closer than people think. She said:

I would certainly not consider myself an expert on government, but what I can tell you is that all aspects of the federal government reach out to business people.... Because there are some common elements in organizational challenges, there are some common elements in how you bring people together to make them more efficient and effective. And, yes, I think there are things that government can learn and borrow from business.

I asked her about McCain's opposition to so-called network neutrality, proposed government rules that would prohibit Internet service providers from charging websites for faster delivery of their content. McCain is on the side of the cable and phone companies, which argue that the rules would squelch investment in new broadband networks. Obama has been a big supporter of net neutrality, a huge issue among online activists that adds to his Internet buzz factor, leading some (OK, it was us) to ask if Obama is a Mac and McCain a PC.

Fiorina said McCain understands the importance of the Internet and sees government-mandated net neutrality as a hindrance.

There's no question that it is to our economy's benefit to have more Internet access, more broadband capability, to have this country more wired, so to speak, as we move forward.... I think John McCain understands the way to get that done effectively is by principally allowing business to get it done as opposed to a big government-mandated program. And business won't get it done unless they see sufficient return on their investment.

Arrington endorsed McCain in January as the best Republican tech candidate (Obama got the Democratic nod). Arrington, whose political clout in Silicon Valley we recently profiled, said McCain had the right views on many technology issues, and "has surrounded himself with enough technically savvy individuals" to avoid mistakes.

Fiorina is clearly one of them. And she may remain at his side, in one way or another, if he wins the White House.

-- Jim Puzzanghera

Puzzanghera, a Times staff writer, covers tech and media policy from Washington, D.C.

Photo: John McCain and Carly Fiorina at a campaign event in Michigan in January.

Credit: Charles Dharapak / Associated Press

Comments

[TWstroud]

She illegally spys on her employees. Should fit right in with the GOP crew. She and McC can form a political Compaq.

[ohyeah]

LOL! Oh yes thats why you wouldnt vote for McCain - I see the seed doesnt fall far from the tree - what a lie
temperment - lets see how long it takes the 20 years of ranting and raving in that God forsaken place he called a church to come out
what a laugh you all are
Issues? yeah - check out Obama's 845B Global UN Bill he's trying to pass right now - most of you wont be able to afford it - and probably not your parents either
raising taxes on anyone making over $250K - well dont sell your parents home to put them up in a posh assisted living place - sell your home - you just made over $250K - Tap into your 401K to retire - oops you just made over $250K doesnt matter that you worked hard all your life to make that money - he'll take it in a heartbeat to do socialistic governement and doesnt care about your family as long as the UN gets a chunk - the list goes on, but then you'd have to read

[Matt]

"Could it be more obvious that McCain does not have his finger on the pulse of America?"

I'm not even sure he can find his own pulse !!

[lee303]

Is this the same Gal that stepped down after she was caught Snooping on her employees? I'm sure she'll fit in with the Republicans. Maybe she should be nominated for the Vice Precident position, she can follow her predicessor, Cheney's lead !

If you drink the koolaid then vote for 4 more years of B I mean McCain.

[irax]

This is about as lame as McCain bringing on his mother to prove that he is young. But looks like Carly is off to bigger and better things - sinking presidential campaigns after sinking Lucent and HP...

[Frank]

Having her as an adviser tells me I shouldn't be voting for him.

After he HP disaster we know she doesn't understand what is good for high tech companies.

She admits "I would certainly not consider myself an expert on government".

And yet, "she may remain at his side, in one way or another, if he wins the White House." OY gevalt!

[Gary]

read my first comment, here is backup from wiki

After her departure from Hewlett-Packard in 2005, the company quickly prospered, overtaking Dell as the top-selling computer maker in the world. Her defenders, as well as some critics, credit her with laying the foundations for that prosperity.

PC's are the future, she say that. The board didn't want to go to pc's as a main business, but it worked---- go figure

[D. Grant Haynes]

Carly Fiorina is a stinking rich Republican--a representative of that brand of arrogant and elitist American corporatism that is destroying our nation and poisoning the economic watering trough of the entire world. One could hardly expect her to support a Democrat.

The lines are drawn clearly in 2008.

The question is, do Americans have enough sense, collectively speaking, to vote for their own best self interests in November rather than the interests of the Carly Fiorinas of the nation.

[ex-HP]

If Carly Fiorina is an example of the kind of idiots that McCain has advising him, then McCain won't get my vote. Fiorina led HP into a worthless merger in a similar way as Bush led the US into a worthless war. Fiorina relied on lies, deception, and illegal back deals to get her merger. Fiorina is out to help herself first, and is hoping to get a government appointment job since she isn't fit to work in private industry and Republicans choose loyalty over competence. Fiorina has a degree in Mideivel Philosophy, and knows squat about technology. McCain should dump Fiorina.

[brux]

McCain must be scrambling to have to get Carly Fiorina on his team. Obama's technology article this week was how he has Chris Hughes, an ex-Facebooker, help him create a political networking site no one has seen before. All you have to do is compare Facebook's rise to HP's decline (under Carly) to see who is leading in the technology game.

[vivifiant]

.
For what exactly does McCain need the internet? Can't he return the country to the "good old times" with his typewriter and/or fountain pen? If some old religious guy wants to become a president, he can show his medals, his devotion to war, his memories, his pro-gun record, his America ueber-alles-in-der- Welt-feeling, his voting record against tolerance, his record on shuffling the riches of this country into the pockets of the top 5%and the defense industry...

This Anti-Robin-Hood, this candidate of the past, is virtually against all social progress made since the enlightenment period (i.e. gay marriage, pro choice, pro euthanasia, universal health care, diplomacy etc.) so why all at a sudden he wants the internet?

Vivifiant, Ohio

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[Bill]

During his entire campaign, all John McCain has been able to show us is how adept he is at making mistakes. His idea of using technology was moving from the fountain pen to the ballpoint. As for this endorsement it's pretty much a corrupt destroyer endorsing the same. How can republicans look at this guy and seriously think he'd be worthy of the office. Right wing radio hates him, which is a telling sign. They'll talk smack all day long about Obama, but can never find ANYTHING decent to say about their own candidate.

[Mr. White]

Uh....the woman that ruined Lucent and nearly ruined HP (kudos to the board for getting her out the door in time) is plugging for McCain?

You have to give Carly credit, despite repeated and spectacular demonstrations of ineptitude she keeps getting paying gigs.

[jim barton]

I worked for HP under Fiorina. She got a total compensation in excess of $60M while she was firing people left and right. HP lost a massive amount of talent under her. HP stock droped like a rock under her tenure compared to that of HP's competitors. It was one disaster after another. By associating herself with McCain she gets a tremendous amount of coverage at the expense of McCain's credibility.

For all her B*S about R&D and in spite of having been the CEO of a printer company she would be hard pressed to change the toner of ther printer. When it comes to technology she is as CLUELESS as McCain. At least he is honest about it.

John, don't let Fiorina do to your campaign what she did to HP ! Keep her away from technology and finances, the two areas she knows the least about. She's a great B*S'er. She could foold the entire country as she fooled HP's board and the Republican Party. Beyond that she's useless.

[tommygolstch]

wasn't this woman fired from HP for unethical behavior?
And McClone is having her as a tech adviser?
Am I missing something?

[RJinchi]

He just lost my vote. She ruined several companies and now she works for McCain? Doesnt take a genious to figure that path out.......appears to be more failure.

[Techman]

Carly Fiorina nearly ran two companies into the ground. And both are still trying to recover from her bad decisions. Seriously, she understands the Internet and "technology" no more than McCain. And do we really need a president who admits he knows nothing about the Internet?

[Bob]

Is Gary the name of Mr. Fiorina? Seems to be the only one defending this waste of protoplasm.

Remember, Czarly said: "There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore" while she rapidly let go qualified US workers so she could hire people from India would would work for a box of Ramen and a Coke.

Could you imagine Czarly with her hand on the trigger? "Make fun of my hair, well take that Vladimir."

No thanks. The fact that McCain would use someone as polarzing as Czarly in his campaign shows how little he knows about the tech world. We can't afford someone like that as president.

[Wm P. Martin]

Take it from a 20+ year Mac user, Obama is to McCain as an Edsel is to a Freightliner. I didn't realize Carly had such a fan club. How many of you were on even the short list to run H-P? Dummies all...!

[Cosmo]

For those who consistently rail on Carly for "destroying HP" you may want to look at what HP has become post-Compaq: #1 in desktops. #1 in blades. #1 in imaging and printing. She set the table--whether or not Packard family liked it--for future success. Just like a manager who's fired for not winning a championship while stockpiling young talent in a rebuilding year, Carly deserves some credit for creating the Wall Street darling that is HP today. At least she didn't spin off the laptops for production in China. (IBM did that...) She's not Veep, but she's not devil, either--even though she axed my sister after 14 years. Business owes no one anything. HP is stronger today than pre-Carly. Leadership means making the tough decisions regardless of what's "popular." That's why I like McCain--and evidently why Fiorina does, too.

[peabody3000]

hilarious..... is mccain being sabotaged by his own people or is this really the best he can do????

[ReignForrest]

Carly's recommendation of McCain as a tech savvy candidate makes little sense. You shoul've heard her as CEO of H-P! She was full of fluff! And why would she not be? She has no technical background. Other than coming on board at HP and assuring herself a multi-year tenure at HP by choosing to acquire another big company in strategic doldrums (Compaq) -- an acquisition which made no sense -- and thus ensuring herself a fat golden parachute, she known diddly squat about computers, communications and the internet.

You might call theirs an axis of cluelessness!

[USA, Inc.]

Carly still works for HP ---- Hamstrung Politicos. I am no longer voting for Big Business's new Golden Boy that is ever poised to do their bidding at the expense of every other American.

Campaign Strategy #1: He admits he is computer illiterate, but if I have a failed CEO of a computer corporation tout something that already admits he does not have as if he has it then the stupid average American will buy it!

[John Joda]

Has the time come that computer illiteracy is just illiteracy?

The significance of technology is something that a President should be aware of.

How can a president reform education without technology?

Would we elect a President who could not read?