McCain Aide Calls For Fully Funded No Child Left Behind, Which McCain Voted Against

Appearing on Meet the Press Sunday, John McCain's senior adviser Carly Fiorina touted the Senator's bona fides on education by laying out the reforms he had envisioned for the No Child Left Behind act.

"He believes that No Child Left Behind was an imperfect piece of legislation," she said. "Nevertheless, there are things about it that have worked. We need to learn the lessons, fix the problems, fully fund it, and continue to focus on the education of our children as well as the education and training of our displaced workers."

But if full funding for NCLB is what Fiorina is looking for, she can start by lecturing her current boss. Despite hailing the legislation as a major milestone, McCain has consistently (though not always) voted against providing complete funding for the education legislation. According to the National Education Association, "Since 2003, McCain voted repeatedly against fully funding No Child Left Behind, resulting in an unfunded mandate that has continued to further tap local communities and states during an economic downturn."

The lost-in-the-news-cycle gaffe for Fiorina puts a exclamation point on what was, undoubtedly, a tough week. First she touted health insurance plans that covered birth control in addition to Viagra, leading to a completely awkward exchange for her boss with a reporter (not to mention the embarrassing revelation that in 2003, McCain had voted against an amendment requiring insurance coverage of prescription birth control).

Then she mentioned, in an interview with Bloomberg's Al Hunt, that McCain would be open to raising taxes on the wealthy, if in a creative enough fashion - a position sure to incur the wrath of anti-tax conservatives.

Comments

[Piatt]

In response to a question about Phil Gramm and whining Americans, she said that Americans don't really "pay attention to what surrogates say." If that's the case, why is she talking so much?

[ChiGuy]

Is this disgraced former CEO on 0's payroll?
If not, perhaps she should be.

Keep talking, Carly!

[IRepTheKing]

I hope he picks her because she seems to keep undermining everything he stands for/ votes for. This will make them both easy targets as we use their own words/statements, and voting records against them. Please choose her, MCCain.

[DEMTRUPATRIOTS]

guess this is why fiorina was pushed out as head of hewlett packard......she didn't know what the eff she was talking about

[keepemhonest]

Good point. Carly has a reputation of pushing her agenda and not her bosses agenda. Same at HP when she sank that ship with her outsourcing of jobs etc.

[desertdweller]

Dear Huffpost:

Can't you find a more flattering photo of McCorpse? This is a family show! You're scaring the children.

[larry278]

This is the web. There are much worse things on the web. Get over it. Besides, it's fun to see McCain do flip-flops.

[sherrzinpa]

they're fine.. i'd prefer to see the one of him cackling or slapping his forehead on every article.. but this one is good, he looks just a tad confused

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

They are just not on the same page or even in the same book....Maybe they are not even on the same planet. She says tomato, He says tomato. She say " he's for forcing insurance companies to pay for birth control', He say " he's for paying companies control insurance to force birth". Do they even know this man. One of these things are not like the other. Ya think

[LAB11]

McCain vs. McCain, AGAIN!

[bazokbros]

To completely misstate a position such as NCLB and getting it so wrong on how McCain voted is not a taken out of context or Carly's words being parsed. She knows exactly what she is saying. This is exactly what makes Fiorina the opportunist she is. She's not outlining McCain's policies, but setting an agenda for her own policies for a possible run for office.

Fiorina will turn out to be McCain's Brutus.

[shel3364]

She was probably correct about his stance on the issues at the moment. I can't keep up with his "evolving" positions; it sure looks like his surrogates can't either.

[loax]

this guy can't make up his mind from one second to the next. I love how his surrogates are going to sink him!

[mindlessmissy]

This woman is getting her talking points from a different party ... Probably McBusch's Maverick label is making her actually believe he is the liberal candidate ...

[keepemhonest]

MY GAWD - This is at least the 3rd. time Carly has spouted out things McCain believes in that McCain does NOT beleive in.

1. Carly said McCain was for equal pay for women. He voted AGAINST equal pay for women.
2. Carly said McCain wants to raise taxes on the wealthy - which would be in direct oposition to Bush's tax cuts. McCain is FOR Bush's tax cuts.
3. This here -- McCain is for funding NCLB. McCain is against no child left behind.

Carly either is lying for McCain or she has NO CLUE WHAT HIS POLICIES ARE!

[lincheryl]

Actually he is for NCLB, but just doesn't want to fund it. That will sabotage public education and pave the way for vouchers.

[bazokbros]

Carly is outlining her own policies and using his platform for a possible future run for office. She will say that they agree on these policies and was taken out of context.

[Grunty1]

How about we leave behind No Test-maker (Neil Bush was it?) Left Behind and try something that works?

[Welfred]

I think she is stumping for the wrong candidate...

[RatgurlSD]

Well, I can see now how Fiorina destroyed HP. Did she get fired along with the rest of the McCain staff?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-young/breaking-mccain-drops-ent_b_112467.html

[Chillinout]

That article you reference is satire, btw.