McCain Defends Fiorina's Golden Parachute

This weekend, John McCain defended unhelpful surrogate Carly Fiorina's generous severance package from Hewlett Packard:

"I think she did a good job as CEO in many respects," McCain told "The Today Show's" Meredith Vieira when she pressed him on the matter in light of McCain's recent accusations of greed on Wall Street.

"I know that she was a very successful businesswoman. Started out as a part-time secretary and made her way to the top of the corporate ladder as one of the biggest CEOs in the United States of America," McCain said after noting that he was unaware of the specifics of her compensation package.

Fiorina received $21 million in severance pay when she was fired as CEO of Hewlett Packard in 2005. She received an additional $21 million when Hewlett Packard's board bought out her company stock options and pension benefits. Her compensation package sparked a lawsuit from shareholders.

McCain admitted, however, that he was not familiar with the details of Fiorina's payout:

McCAIN: I don't think so. ... Because I think she did a good job as CEO in many respects. I don't know the details of her compensation package. But she's one of many advisers that I have.

Q: But she did get a $45 million dollar golden parachute after being fired while 20,000 of her employees were laid off.

McCAIN: I have many of the people, but I do not know the details of what happened.

McCain has vowed to end "multimillion dollar payouts to CEO's who have broken the public trust."

Watch:

Comments

[Tobiasism]

Yes, Johnny.
She did such a good job that she was booted out.

[KahneO]

McCain - here is a hint. If you don't know what her package was -- it more than intelligent to state -- you don't know.

I will trust and honest person by telling me the truth than a liar that knows the true and won't state it.

[4TJefferson]

Today he will defend her golden parachute, tomorrow he will denounce it, then the next day he will be ok with it, then the day after that he will reject it ... flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop etc etc etc. Get the picture? Vote Obama/Binden 08.

[Mando78]

My 49 year old mom who lives in a town of 15000 people in the midwest, doesn't use a computer, didn't work outside of the home, and is not politically inclined knew about Fiorina's golden parachute. It isn't possible that he didn't know.

And even if he missed it, what kind of judgement does McCain have if he would hire someone to represent him in his final presidential bid without knowing that Fiorina, his advisor, was paid over $40 million dollars to leave a job?

Maybe if he'd known that he could have avoided the embarrassment of her telling the world that neither he or Palin was qualified to run a corporation...

[liberation4life]

Can you imagine the he considered her as a V P candidate. ugh!

[SHOPARAZZI]

she's alive? whew! that was a close one. after last week's diguised "gaffe" i thought she would be held for ransom by the same ppl who are holding levi johnston.

[kdublya]

The media is so in the tank for Obama.

Look, they no longer edit out Mcbush/Nerfette's gaffes a la Couric / Gibson.

[Grunty1]

It just means that they finally evacuated the McCain tank and started doing their damn jobs.

[Mike169]

Not time for punitive measures! This is a guy who executed more prisoners in Texas than all the other states combined. Surely he can fin a little punitive measure in his heart for the Wall Street bums!

[Tommygun264]

There you go again, clouding McSame's message with pesky facts.

[debrouillard]

You know some of us wld have been considerate to McCain ,had he maintain his first and honest response that "I dont know much about the economy. I need to be educated". But after he retreated from that comment,even denying he ever said it,then moved on a new ground of "I have an extensive knowledge and understanding about the economy". That means we can only evaluate him now as an expert on the economy.

That makes it worst because,even as a novice,he still score below reasonable Fail grade.

[RobinSeattle]

GAFFE ALERT! GAFFE ALERT!

HP's boards couldn't get Fiorina out of there fast enough she was such a negative force for the company. If she was such an astute businesswoman, she would still be there.

This is yet more proof that McCain does not have the judgment to be president.

[oldmilitant]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here at Huffpost, but how any sane american can even still be considering voting for Sen McCain is just beyond belief.

[Earl]

Ain't that the truth!

[Pammy1151]

AMAZING AIN'T IT!!!! YES I AM SCREAMING ABOUT THIS. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WITH EVEN A SMALL BRAIN COULD POSSIBLY EVEN CONSIDER VOTING FOR THESE TWO. YEST SARAH GOT 18,000 PEOPLE HERE IN FLORIDA YESTERDAY!!!!!

[phylliscooper1]

Would love to know how many of those 18,000, rode to the venue on mass transit church buses, encouraged by their religious leaders to participate in this mission for god?

[StateofTaxes]

Pammy, I feel you're frustration; I go thru this on a daily basis; and that's just with my own family members...; I think a lot of it is: These people just don't want to take the responsibility for the last eight years they have gotton us all into, and "maybe" three is a charm?, or, they are putting something in the water system in this state.(I drink bottled water...)

[Tobiasism]

Look, it's FLorida.
DOn't get upset.
Just read Lawrence Shames or Carl Hiassen and remember why Florida is so friggin weird.

[Manchurian]

As McCain himself said, "I have many of the people, but I do not know the details of what happened."

[Chillinout]

I think most of the people that are going to pull the lever for McCain in November are voting AGAINST Obama and not voting FOR McCain.

[TGCNY]

This guys isnt loosing his bearing More like He lost them long time ago

[blood1]

Yet another example of supporting anything GOP, whether he knows the details or not?

This is an example of him saying whatever he thinks (and I am starting to think he isn't doing much thinking) will be a good soundbite. He is good at giving these "quick" answers, and has received good marks for sounding decisive, but after the kleig lights go off, the response is checked by we Americans, the flaws/errors/gaff of the response are irresponsible / wrong...and funny if he wasn't campaigning for the presidency of USA.

On Sunday, he threw out the name of Andrew Cuomo for next SEC head...Cuomo( under Clinton) headed the HUD that started the downward spiral of Fannie/Freddie and the sub-prime mess...so let's put him in charge of overseeing Wall Street? and the reason that he said for suggesting him...he seems like a nice guy. McCain is so busy trying to garner votes that he is just reading off of cue cards and either doesn't know or care what the implications of what he is saying? NOTE to the GOP, tell him that if isn't on a cue card...don't say it, as it only perpetuates his "foot in mouth disease". And then he gets mad when someone nails him on it.

What is a country to do but not vote for him Nov 4,2008.

[wagthedog1001]

Isn't it his JOB to know the details?

He doesn't bother to get the details on any of his subordinates.

Bet he'd rather have Mitt than whats-her-name now!