Michael Kinsley famously once defined a gaffe as a politician accidentally telling the truth.1 The basic notion is that the truth spoken reveals, on accident, what the politician really thinks but shouldn’t have told us (see, for example, Gramm, Phil2 ). The utterances in question tend to get the politician in trouble.
The latest example of this dictum is McCain adviser, Carly Fiorina.
Via CNN’s Political Ticker: Fiorina’s comment called ‘Biden-like’
Asked by a St. Louis radio station whether she thought Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin could run a company like Hewlett-Packard, Fiorina responded: “No, I don’t.“But that’s not what she’s running for. Running a corporation is a different set of things.”
Asked about that remark on MSNBC, she made the same unprompted assessment of the GOP presidential nominee. “I don’t think John McCain could run a major corporation.”
She also said she did not believe Democrats Barack Obama or Joe Biden had the right business background either.
Now, given the ongoing debate about experience, especially in re: Palin, this is isn’t the kind of thing one would want one’s adviser saying to the press (it is also a good example of what happens when political rookies (and often veterans as well) are around cameras and microphones too much, they will say something you wish they hadn’t (and why Palin’s media access is being closely controlled)–certainly in this case it was the kind of question that a more experienced pol likely would have dodged in some capacity. Fiorina’s rookie status was underscored by the fact that she kept digging the hole when she indicated that McCain couldn’t run a company either. The fact that she included the Dems as well is an insignificant afterthought.
Of course, the statements are true: none of the candidates have a resume that suggest that they are ready to run a major corporation, and certainly if any of them decided to drop out of the race tomorrow and pursue a CEO job for a Fortune 500 company, I suspect that they wouldn’t get a job. And it is also true that they aren’t running for such positions. They would make lousy head football coaches, chefs and/or Archbishops as well. Just because a position has leadership components doesn’t mean it is interchangeable for other leadership positions.
Still, given the economy and the events of this week in particular, this isn’t what McCain wanted to hear from one of his top adviser, especially the one whose job it is to help build his econ cred. Further, the GOP likes to cast themselves as the party who will run government like a business (a silly trope, to be honest, but it sounds good) and who frequently describes the President as a CEO of sorts.
The statement is especially stinging (in my mind, anyway) vis-à-vis Palin as makes the simple suggestion that it is possible for someone knowledgeable in a given field to look at a resume and determine if the possessor of that resume is qualified for a job. That type of action is what critics of the Palin selection have been saying since day one.
Meanwhile, it appears that Fiorina may now get the Gramm treatment:
A top McCain official contacted by CNN said, on condition on anonymity, “No big deal, but not how you get on the surrogate all-star team. Very Biden-like.”“This campaign source said Fiorina would be discouraged from additional media interviews.
Another top campaign adviser was far less diplomatic.
“Carly will now disappear,” this source said. “Senator McCain was furious.” Asked to define “disappear,” this source said, adding that she would be off TV for a while – but remain at the Republican National Committee and keep her role as head of the party’s joint fundraising committee with the McCain campaign.
Fiorina was booked for several TV interviews over the next few days, including one on CNN. Those interviews have been canceled.
The story notes that the “Siberia storyline” (i.e., banishment) is overstated. I guess we will see.
The fact that McCain’s two high profile economic advisers, Gramm and Fiorina, have put their foot it in makes McCain’s attempt to get a handle on the economy more difficult.
Sphere: Related Content- Indeed, the quote from 1992 has made it into Bartleby’s quotations. [↩]
- While one may or may not believe that Gramm told the truth when he said we are a “nation of whiners,” there is no doubt that he was telling the truth about his views. [↩]
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I guess what gets me the most about the incident is that it made me realize that it is perfectly acceptable to have higher standards for a CEO than it is for the presidency.
Comment by Sheri — Wednesday, September 17, 2024 @ 10:45 am
Well, different standards, at least.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, September 17, 2024 @ 12:38 pm
Rumsfeld was CEO of GD Searle & Company from 1977 to 1985 (and managed to get the FDA to approve Nutrasweet for sale). Perhaps he’d be a good Presidential candidate.
Comment by Max Lybbert — Wednesday, September 17, 2024 @ 2:51 pm
They would make lousy head football coaches, chefs and/or Archbishops as well.
If Charlie Weis can hold onto a job as a head coach, I would certainly think, say, Barack could coach Notre Dame.
Didn’t Palin fire the chef in the Alaskan governor’s mansion so she could cook herself? Moose stew!
Dude, anyone can be an archbishop! It’s like being an Associate Dean–I’m sure all they do is sit around and go to meetings.
Comment by Ratoe — Wednesday, September 17, 2024 @ 4:13 pm
Weis is a head football coach?
Really?
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Wednesday, September 17, 2024 @ 4:20 pm
Given how well Carly did as CEO, maybe HP should look to hire Palin.
Comment by Jay Webber — Thursday, September 18, 2024 @ 7:31 am