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Fiorina: ‘McCain Has Consistently Said’ He Will ‘Balance The Budget By 2013′

On CBS’ Face the Nation yesterday, host Bob Schieffer asked McCain economic adviser Carly Fiorina how the newly announced projection of “a $480 billion deficit” would affect Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) economic plans. “The deficit is a huge problem,” admitted Fiorina.

Fiorina then claimed that “McCain has consistently said that he will make sure that we balance the budget by 2013.” Watch it:

In reality, McCain and his campaign have been anything but consistent in his promise to balance the budget:

February 15, 2008: At a campaign rally in Wisconsin, McCain “promised he’d offer a balanced budget by the end of his first term.”

April 15, 2008: In a news conference, McCain said that because “economic conditions are reversed,” he “would have a balanced budget within eight years.”

April 20, 2008: In an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, McCain first claimed that he hadn’t abandoned his first term pledge, but when pressed, later said “we’re going to be on a path to a balanced budget” by the end of his first term.

July 7, 2008: Releasing his Jobs for America plan, McCain pledged “once again to balance the budget by the end of his first term in 2013.”

July 7, 2008: In a conference call with reporters, McCain’s top economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, said that “the senator has always pledged to balance the budget by the end of his second term.”

Apparently Fiorina considers a “consistently” muddled message to be the same as having a consistent message. But as former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said yesterday, the more McCain talks, “the less certain we are about any of the positions he’s taken.”



42 Responses to “Fiorina: ‘McCain Has Consistently Said’ He Will ‘Balance The Budget By 2013′”

  1. 00mpp00 says:

    Fiorina is just another McCain hack for Big Business. Look ate what she is, for crying out loud. Or at least what she used to be until she tanked on the job…

    http://www.political-buzz.com/


  2. Doc Rock says:

    The same, old, shopworn Republican lies–Bush PROMISED to halve the deficit bt this year–the opposite is the reality!


  3. Tired of being lied to says:

    McCain would appear to consistent only in his inconsistency.


  4. MCMetal says:

    Hewlett Packard is now the largest worldwide seller of personal computers , 3 + years after Carly Fiorina’s long sought-after departure ; there is nothing this broad says that is worth a wooden nickel……….


  5. upside99 says:

    Carly would say anything to anyone about any subject to back McDepends. She failed at H-P, she has failed as a consultant and now she is trying to be a player in Johnny Boy’s campaign. Just another failed Repug fiddling as Rome burns.


  6. Hussein McCain says:

    Johnny BomBombs consistently, every morning, looks at himself in the mirror and says, “You are an incredible hero. But are you sure about running for president?” And the mirror consistently winks and says “Yes, my friend, it is your time. Your mother will be so proud.”


  7. kasinca says:

    Republican tactics include making stuff up and telling lies.


  8. ralph the wonder llama says:

    I think that is important in a candidate: the willingness to consistently make unrealistic pledges and stick with them until he’s elected.

    Even if he has to fudge the numbers a bit here and there, as long as his claims are consistently unrealistic, you know you can trust ‘im.


  9. Robt says:

    Phil Graham (McCain’s top economics guru) says the deficit doesn’t really exist. Its all mental and hype.

    If McCain doesn’t pick Romney, Jeb or Newt. May there be a God and McJohn pick Carly as his V.P.. Although I think Newt would make things more fun and obnoxiously exciting and Jeb could prove to voters that McJohn is not tied to the Bush Adm what so ever.

    Remember, McCain said in a recent interview that he could fin a hundred millions dollars T’maro. But he doesn’t love America to get it now, for his party’s President. To even lower our beloved taxes. Mcjohn would borrow from Social Security to fund his presidency.

    Someone should speak with HP’s employees that were employed when Carly became CEO. The folks I’ve spoke with that worked for HP are unemplyed, or at another job. They don’t speak highly of her. Typical disgruntled employees I guess? But she walked away with some good money for the devaluing of HP..

    I know if I go to work and cost the company extremely, they fire me and I become disgruntled without the parachute.


  10. Comrade Rutherford says:

    And McCain has already announced he’ll cut the corporate tax rate from 38 to 25%, lower than the tax rate for human citizens. Cutting the corporate tax rate is a crucial part of his plan to balance the budget!


  11. oldtree says:

    I agree completely. This is their best possible advertisement for a McSame second term. It is pathetic, but it is the best they have going. I’d like to recommend the following;
    McSame; He won’t be that much older in 2013, or, McBush; His first term may be crap, but he will fix everything, after “2012″


  12. Hussein McCain says:

    McCain consistently twirls his lucky charms bracelet when he’s extra nervous.


  13. tokin librul says:

    OT: HuffPost just reported that Obama’s gonna pick Bayh…

    So is it O, Bayh! Obama!
    or “Bayh-bayh, Barack?

    Bayh’s a certifiable Bush-dawg. I still think the Dims should have at least one REAL Deim on the ticket, donchew?


  14. Crusty Old Bastard says:

    Has anybody ever asked the senile (as opposed to Crusty) old bastard if he even knows what a budget is, much less how to balance one?


  15. rastaman says:

    OF COURSE HE’S SAID IT……..BUT DOES HE KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT? HE’S SAID ALOT OF THINGS.

    MKKKAIN IS PROVING THAT HE IS A REAGAN REPUGLICAN ALRIGHT….INCLUDING HAVING THE EARLY ONSET OF ALZHEIMERS.


  16. SP Biloxi says:

    “Fiorina: ‘McCain Has Consistently Said’ He Will ‘Balance The Budget By 2013? ”

    McSame’s words = Program wih empty promises. Balance the budget by 2013? I’ll believe that when mice bark. As long as McCain keeps Bush’s United Snakes of Moronica strategy, land of the thieves and home of the slaves, the only promise that McCain will keep by 2013 is a much bigger purse for Cindy.


  17. pete says:

    Floppy McSpun hasn’t “consistently” said anything in his entire career. He even regularly votes, when he still bothered voting, against legislation he’s sponsored. He speaks to the center and votes for the Reich. 95% of the time!

    That’s why he’s been mislabeled as a maverick. He’s a master of the bait and switch.


  18. Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre says:

    Fiorina helped trash the previously well-run Hewlett Packard Company. Now she’s trying to help Senator McTireGauge help finish the Bush regime’s trashing of America. Heck of of job, Carly…


  19. Gregor Samsa says:

    Right, McCain has consistently said he will balance the budget by 2013, just as much as he has consistently been against the invasion of Iraq.

    Meaning, it depends on the time of the day and whether or not he can remember his Senate voting record on the subject…


  20. paleolib says:

    You begin to get the idea that these people neither speak to one another nor listen to what the others say. Their only common goal is perpetuating wingnut rule. Scary.


  21. leftcoast says:

    McCain has so many people talking for his “plans” (and apparently, he agrees with all of them despite their differences) that it is a wonder he knows what the plan is for anything. We do know this though, for sure; McCain does not speak for the campaign.


  22. Gregor Samsa says:

    The only thing both Fiorina and McCain have been consistent about is being wrong.


  23. Zooey says:

    The only consistent thing about a McCain position on any given issue, is that his position will change. Again…again…and again…


  24. MapleStreet says:

    because “economic conditions are reversed,”

    Is this a glancing reference to McSame saying that the economy is just chugging along, honkey dorey ?


  25. tarazan says:

    Fiorina is not telling us how she and McCain can wipe out a deficit of 480 billion dollars in few years when:

    -She and McCain want to continue sending more checks back from the Treasury as tax refunds.
    -Reduce tax rates.
    -Staying in Iraq for a long time.
    -Start another war with Iran,and create world economic recession,if not depression.
    -Fighting inflation and rise of ‘cost of living’.

    Are they ’she and McCain’ rubbing Aladdin Lamp for answers.


  26. AngryOne says:

    “I would like the next president not to talk about deficit reduction.”
    - Douglas Holtz-Eakin, May 14, 2008.


  27. jb says:

    Wasn’t Fiorina busted for spying into personal stuff of HP employees? Now she is working for Magoo. If this is what Americans want, then God or some other almighty fanciful being help us. So sad, shallow, lame, ignorant….some folks should hang it up while they still have a few shreds of dignity.


  28. Keith says:

    When W took over from Bill, the problem was what to do with the massive deficits. Then W had a trickle-down economic policy which gave us the Great Depression in the 20’s and exploding deficits in the 80’s. Guess What, it didn’t work in the 00’s, either. New record deficits even larger than Ronnie’s or Daddy’s.

    Now McCain says he will balance the budget by more tax breaks and staying in Iraq for 100 years. And apparently 40% are buying it. When will people ever learn? Maybe if the MainStreamMedia would explain what happened in history instead of this false balance of allowing any kind of crap to be said.


  29. Paul W says:

    Fiorina is even more confused and integrity challanged than McCain is.

    http://progressiveworldreview.com


  30. Wayne A. Schneider says:

    Gregor Samsa Says:

    Right, McCain has consistently said he will balance the budget by 2013, just as much as he has consistently been against the invasion of Iraq.

    Meaning, it depends on the time of the day and whether or not he can remember his Senate voting record on the subject…

    August 4th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    Well, right now I’d be happy to see him remember that he is a United States Senator, and should be showing up to vote now and then.

    Okay, maybe not “happy”, but you get the idea.


  31. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Actually, Wayne, if he’s not showing up to vote, that’s just one less GOOPer vote to deal w/…


  32. ljm says:

    It has to be relaxing for the old man to know that he can say anything, anytime, and be pretty certain that the media and Dems will hardly challenge you.
    Must be the same arrangement given to Bush in 2000 and 2004?


  33. christopher wiwi says:

    Ah, the maverick mcflipper has got himself a real winner in Carly,spying on her employees is a real plus for the straight talker or is it Mcwars or is it Mcflipper I get confused…..


  34. dasm says:

    consistency: noun, Republican. Changing your mind, “flip-flopping” if you will, misspeaking, etc. in order to best pander to audience. Lies, distortions can be included, as consistency is a fluid concept.


  35. barfly says:

    Sorry to go OT, but:

    Just one week after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak has announced his immediate retirement:

    Robert Novak has announced his immediate retirement following the diagnosis of a brain tumor, a prognosis the Sun-Times’ political columnist describes as “dire.”

    “The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy,” Novak said.

    While no one deserves to get a tumor, the news that he’ll no longer be a republican media mouthpiece is good news indeed.


  36. Keith says:

    @28, I meant “the problem was what to do with the massive surplus”.


  37. Gregor Samsa says:

    Wasn’t Fiorina busted for spying into personal stuff of HP employees?
    ~jb

    That wasn’t Fiorina, but Patricia Dunn. She hired private investigators to obtain private information on other board members. Stupid move. She was charged with at least one felony.


  38. had enough says:

    I have a nagging fear the goppers will find some way to make McCain spend more time with his family and find another candidate to run against Obama. McCain has got to be an embarrassment to the goppers as well as the aged.


  39. RUCerious says:

    Yeah, just like HP balanced their…Oh, right, never mind…


  40. Game of Life says:

    he ran his campaign in the red
    he wrote and backed backdoor laws for his benefit
    he and his administration can’t catch up with the 21st century

    was mcchimpy studying AAP during his “capture?” Remember he has admitted he doesn’t want to know about economics. there isn’t a reason to be proud of not knowing how to run our country.

    mcchimpy flops like a fish out of water.


  41. tarazan says:

    Fiorina insists that McBookkeeper will balance the budget for us in no time.!


  42. Marie says:

    It’s easy to see why HP people disliked their CEO.

    BTW – is anyone going to ask why McCain has not been seen in the Senate since April?



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