John McCain's critics have seized on his admission to the Wall Street Journal editorial board that he "doesn't really understand economics," suggesting it means McCain is the wrong candidate to deal with a struggling economy.
McCain economic advisor Carly Fiorina attempted to dispel those concerns in an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe. Fiorina, who served as CEO of Hewlett-Packard until her dismissal in 2005 over issues relating to the direction of the company, has been suggested as a possible McCain running mate. However, she may not have done her candidate any favor when she stated that skyrocketing gas prices "have nothing to do with the Iraq war."
"John McCain impressed me as somebody who understood how the economy worked," Fiorina began, speaking of her first meeting with McCain in 2000. "I think that comment [about not understanding economics], which was made one time and blown totally out of proportion, is frankly more a reflection of John McCain's innate humility than anything else."
Mika Brzezinski then brought up McCain's remarks about remaining in Iraq for 100 years. "When you think about how much this war has cost this country," she asked, "how does the Iraq War play into his economic goals?"
"There's no question that the Iraq War is costing us a lot of money," Fiorina replied. "But it's also the case that the housing crisis has nothing to do with the Iraq War. High fuel prices have nothing to do with the Iraq War, per se. And high food prices, in particular, have nothing to do with the Iraq War. ... It's not fair ... to try and make the Iraq War the cause of our our current economic difficulties."
Democratic candidate Barack Obama has recently argued, "When you're spending over $50 to fill up your car because the price of oil is four times what it was before Iraq, you're paying a price for this war. When Iraq is costing each household about $100 a month, you're paying a price for this war."
Joe Scarborough further reminded Fiorina that in 2004 she had offered a controversial defense of outsourcing, saying, "There is no job that is America's god-given right any more."
"Where do we go from here?" Scarborough asked
"A year ago, John McCain started calling for a substantial reform of unemployment insurance," Fiorina replied. "He said we need to train people so they can compete. ... We help them get back in the game by giving them the skills they need to compete for 21st century jobs."
This video is from MSNBC's Morning Joe, broadcast April 7, 2008.
John McCain's critics have seized on his