McCain campaign refuses to let Carly Fiorina debate tech policy.

Last week after it published a Technology Policy Scorecard, Wired contacted the Obama and McCain campaigns for a debate on tech policy. After the Obama campaign offered former FCC chair Reed Hundt, Wired requested former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina for the McCain campaign. Fiorina’s people said she’d be happy to participate, but the McCain campaign “vetoed her.” Wired’s Nicholas Thompson writes:

I was told she’d [Fiorina] be happy to participate and her people were extremely accomodating and helpful. But she is controversial and the McCain people vetoed her — claiming that they wanted someone with policy expertise, not just general wisdom about technology. [...]

Finally, after some begging, approval appeared to come in for Ms. Fiorina to participate. It looked like the debate would happen: 12:30pm, on Thursday October 30th: Fiorina v. Hundt. But then: kaboom. Word comes again this morning that the McCain camp must, must have someone with policy expertise. And, since there’s no one else, the debate’s off.

Thompson notes that Fiorina “does know about policy issues.” It appears that the McCain campaign is still trying to keep Fiorina in hiding after she said that neither McCain nor Sarah Palin could run a major business.