by Mark Silva
Not everyone can run a major corporation.
Particularly not John McCain or Sarah Palin, Barack Obama or Joe Biden.
So says Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett Packard and a close adviser to McCain's presidential campaign who once was viewed as a private-sector prospect for a running mate.
It's not the same thing as running a country, the ex-CEO says. What ever happened to those days when the likes of Lee Iacocca were considered worthwhile candidates? Or H. Ross Perot? Or Michael Bloomberg, the media czar and mayor of New York. Or Vice President Dick Cheney, for that matter -- didn't he run Haliburton?
Fiorina was quoted today as saying that Palin, the first-term Alaska governor whom McCain tapped for his running mate, could not run a major corporation like HP.
This caused something of a stir, for sure.
So Fiorina amended her remark, in an interview with Andrea Mitchell of NBC News (see them above). "Well, I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation,'' McCain's advisor said.
Huh?
"I don't think Barack Obama could run a major corporation. I don't think Joe Biden could run a major corporation," she said. "But on the other hand a major corporation is not the same as being the president or vice president of the United States. It is a fallacy to suggest that the country is like a company, so of course, to run a business, you have to have a lifetime of experience in business, but that's not what Sarah Palin, John McCain, Joe Biden or Barack Obama are doing."
Fiorina had started the ball rolling in a talk with St. Louis KTRS Radio: "Do you think she has the experience to run a major company, like Hewlett Packard?" Fiorina was asked of Palin. ""No, I don't," Fiorina said. "But you know what? That's not what she's running for."
As for Fiorina, who left HP with a push and a "golden parachute," Democrat strategist Jennifer Palmieri suggested on MSNBC today: "She also proved that she can't run a major corporation.''
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Comments
But John McCain created the Blackberry! He'd be perfect as CEO of HP.
Certainly none of them could do worse than Fiorina, who drove the company into the ground and got canned as CEO as a result. Why exactly does anyone care what that failure thinks about anything?
Posted by: Mel | September 16, 2008 3:44 PM
Guess what? A whole bunch of Republicans believe that. But they don't care. All they want is a president who looks like them, thinks like them, talks like them, and acts like them. It's only a country we're talking about, not profit and loss statements, and getting goods off to market, and deciding who takes leave. Naw, put the mighty United States of America in the hands of a fast talking, slick, pit bull sans lipstick and all 300 million of us will be just fine.
Posted by: Geep | September 16, 2008 3:56 PM
She's nuts. A president does what a CEO does with dozens of additional responsibilities, not the least of which involves the lives and fates of millions if not billions of people.
It sounds more like she's trying to stroke her own ego. Or more likely, she made a terrible gaffe and is trying to maintain.
Posted by: Joe | September 16, 2008 4:02 PM
The same Carly Fiorina who took a nice Golden Parachute out of HP which has announced that it will be cutting 24,000 jobs by 2011. - That's one of McSame's ADVISORS- someone who made millions leaving a company that is now cutting everyday people. How does that relate to the "Average" guy? Wake up, McCain is a puppet of lobbyists and Giant Corporations.
Posted by: karl | September 16, 2008 4:08 PM
I must agree with Mel, but McCain needs someone to keep up with Obama's fundraising machine. If Republicans wanted a CEO, they would have nominated Mitt Romney. They wanted a leader of great character and courage to get us out of Iraq honorably and to walk the talk of our national values. McCain's campaign handlers have lost that point, but I'll bet Colin Powell could get it back.
Posted by: Character First | September 16, 2008 4:12 PM
Carly wasn't much of a CEO either. Gosh, I hope she doesn't call me sexist for that.
Posted by: Flo | September 16, 2008 4:13 PM
I still hear Obama at the Volunteerism Forum defining a Governor as someone who 'has to make sure pot holes are filled and the grass is cut' ha ha. That wasn't to bright...is he sure of what he's getting himself into with this PRESIDENTIAL bid ha ha....he might be underplaying that role in his head too.
Posted by: FILLIN POT HOLES AND CUTTIN GRASS | September 16, 2008 4:17 PM
Nice cover-up job, Ms Fiorina !! We already know what your initial statement was and it's too bad you had to make some corrections. Of course, we already knew that Governor Palin wasn't ready for prime time, but it was good to have it confirmed, by, none other than, a leading Republican. Even a blind pig, finds an acorn !! Sorry, pigs of the world, I didn't mean to offend any of you !! The Republicans' house of cards, credit cards, is falling apart and Senators Obama and Biden are ready to lead the nation out of this Republican morass !!! Vote Obama in '08 !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | September 16, 2008 4:18 PM
Ouch. Jennifer really landed one with that shot, eh Carly? So tell me...what does make a failed CEO who went out the door on a golden parachute such an expert on what it takes to be a CEO?
Judging by the recent performance of several Wall Street firms, It would seem to me that the set of criteria they use for choosing CEOs these days is seriously messed up.
Posted by: Tom O | September 16, 2008 5:07 PM
FILLIN POT HOLES....The quote you have mangled was about mayors, and was actually part of a paragraph in which Senator Obama spoke of how hard mayors worked and how important the job was.
If you are going to claim to quote someone, make a least a minimal attempt to get it right.
Posted by: desertjim | September 16, 2008 5:43 PM
desertjiin>yes, you are right it was about mayors, MY BAD. Here is his exact wording>
"The mayors have some of the toughest jobs in the country because that's where the rubber hits the road," he said. "We yikety yak in the Senate. They actually have to fill potholes and trim trees and make sure the garbage is taken away."
HOPE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, now you know he's clueless to the extent of the responsibilities of a MAYOR, they manage the employees whose rubber hit the road ha ha ha.
Here are a few of the items he failed to mention, I can hardly blame him he has no executive experience>
Serving as chief executive officer
Carrying out policies set by the City Council
Ensuring that local laws are enforced
Hiring and firing all appointed officers and employees, subject to laws regarding civil service
Presiding over council meetings
Calling special meetings of the council
Preparing a preliminary city-wide budget each year
Reporting to the council on the financial and other affairs and needs of the city
Approving or disapproving all official bonds and contractor's bonds
Posted by: CUTTIN GRASS, FILLIN POT HOLES, GARBAGE ha | September 16, 2008 7:21 PM
On MSNBC in a segment with the very large headed Andrea Mitchell, the clip was shown but MSNBC cut it off at McCain, they didn't bother to include the rest of the quote. Typical. Remember when Andrea Mitchell was a good reporter - I do.
Posted by: vla | September 16, 2008 7:40 PM
Cutting Grass...
If you check out what Palin did as mayor, she hired a deputy administrator to do the day-to-day management (while she oversaw things such as making sure the staff didn't talk to journalists and the librarian took offensive books off the shelf). She also did not have to deal with something most mayors do: the fire department and stormwater infrasturcture, both of which are handled by a regional authority.
Check it out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091302596.html
Posted by: JG | September 16, 2008 10:31 PM
What has that got to do with the accomplishments she's had as mayor. She took a pay cut from $64,000.00 to $60,000.00, where do you ever hear of that happening for a position like hers?!
She was popular for doing what she campaigned to do in her town.
Posted by: She gets credit for her executive decissions | September 17, 2008 1:33 PM