McCain surrogate Fiorina's campaign gaffes drawing criticism

SFGate.com ^ | 7/9/08 | Carla Marinucci

[NormsRevenge]

Carly Fiorina has headed a major Silicon Valley corporation, ascended to the rank of America's top female business icon, authored a book - and now is on the short list of possible GOP vice presidential candidates.

But now the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard has a new challenge: As a leader of Republican National Committee's 2008 "Victory" drive and a chief adviser to presidential candidate John McCain, she's being buffeted by intense criticism that, as a star campaign surrogate, she is playing fast and loose with the facts.

--snip--

It wasn't the first such slip-up, Keenan said. Fiorina's public reassurance to a group of former Hillary Clinton supporters in Columbus, Ohio, raised hackles after she said the Arizona senator "has never signed on to efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade."

But McCain has repeatedly underscored his opposition to abortion and has said on the campaign trail that the landmark law that protects a woman's right to abortion procedures "should be overturned."

--snip--

With the campaigns of both McCain and Obama in high gear, the critiques underscore how Fiorina's high-profile role could get increasing attention - and raise more questions about her business history.

... At HP, she oversaw the controversial merger of HP and Compaq that resulted in thousands of layoffs, stagnant earnings and the flight of leading HP talent. She was fired and walked out with a $21 million severance package.

--snip--

"Carly Fiorina has talked about outsourcing and defined it as 'rightsourcing,' " he said. And Fiorina, who laid off 18,000 HP workers during the company "restructuring," once noted that her big mistake was that she didn't lay some off fast enough, he said.

[what's up]

Looks like Fiorina is high on the list of VP possibles.

Thus SF Gate's virulent attack.

They don't want another woman to ascend to high office where Hitlery failed.

[fish hawk]

Refresh my memory but is this not the woman that screwed up Hewlett Packard and was let go??? My daughter worked for them for 15 years and doesn’t talk very well about this person.

[Norman Bates]

This is not about gaffes. It is simply about smearing someone high in the McCain campaign in hopes it will hurt McCain.

[Norman Bates]

Well that seems to be their line of attack. Others have disputed it.

[NittanyLion]

Fiorina is far from the most capable person out there. McCain made a poor choice in letting her articulate his policy.

[ari-freedom]

I do but not her. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear “Carly” is “the person who screwed up HP”

[what's up]

She sure did well in talking about tax cuts with Wolf Blitzer a couple of weeks ago.

Didn't let him get away with a thing.

[NormsRevenge]

Everybody is entitled to their opinion.

[what's up]

I keep hearing that she screwed up. However, the merger seems to have done wonders for the stock.

[NormsRevenge]

This is not about gaffes. It is simply about smearing someone high in the McCain campaign in hopes it will hurt McCain.

—

I think the ‘Anointed Juan’ does a fine job by himself.

[Pinetop]

She did not screw up HP. The crazy board forced her out because they did not like the Compaq deal. The Compaq deal eventually saved HP.

[denydenydeny]

she is playing fast and loose with the facts.

This in a freaking NEWS STORY? This is written like an Obama campaign press release.

The Old Media can't die soon enough. Die, die, die.

[Republican Party Reptile]

check the HPQ stock chart, it didn’t begin to move up until “AFTER” Carly was fired. In fact, news of Carly’s firing moved the stock up that very same day.

[xDGx]

and Lucent!!!

If McCain picks her I would work for Obama. (Not really, but I would sit out the election in protest)

[what's up]

If the merger she headed hadn't taken place HP would most likely be a dead company and would have no stock today.

[Norman Bates]

What’s that supposed to mean? My comment wasn’t directed at you but at SF Gate.

[NormsRevenge]

Looks like Fiorina is high on the list of VP possibles.

—

Oh yeah, right up there with Lieberman... and hUckabee. :-}

[threeoeight]

I love my HP/Compaq Proliant Server. Milspec quality and great support.

[Cicero]

Yes, this is a smear job. A bunch of nonsense.

But it’s also true that Carly Fiorina screwed up royally at Hewlett Packard and had to be fired. She is a lousy choice as a financial adviser. It’s just that SFGate is too stupid to know what the problem is.