Carly Fiorina on California Senate Race, Breast Cancer Screening, and Healthcare Reform

As California faces a daunting $21 billion deficit, one of the most contentious Senate races of next year is shaping up between Republican candidate Carly Fiorina and Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer. Fiorina, a former HP CEO and economic adviser to John McCain's presidential campaign, has made headlines recently for her battle with breast cancer and her vocal opposition to the Obama administration's healthcare reform proposals.

Fiorina emphasizes that her business experience has prepared her to tackle the fiscal crises facing California, and she argues that her Senate seat will be won by focusing on creating jobs and controlling federal government spending. However, her track record as CEO of HP has been questioned by Democrats, who point to the loss of 28,000 jobs during her tenure. Fiorina counters that she was a net-net job creator, and her company's stock outperformed the technology peer index by 22 percent.

Fiorina is also a vocal advocate for breast cancer screening, having found her own lump despite undergoing regular mammograms. She argues that early detection saved her life, and she urges women to perform self-exams and get regular mammograms. This stance puts her at odds with the Obama administration's task force recommendation that women over 40 undergo fewer mammograms, a move Fiorina sees as a threat to the lives of countless women.

Key Takeaways:

• Carly Fiorina, a former HP CEO and Republican Senate candidate, has pitched her business experience as a key asset in tackling California's fiscal crises.
• Fiorina argues that her track record as CEO of HP, during which the company lost 28,000 jobs, was a result of the tough times in the technology industry, and she points to the company's stock performance as evidence of her success.
• Fiorina is a vocal advocate for breast cancer screening and has found her own lump despite undergoing regular mammograms.
• Fibonacci argues that the Obama administration's task force recommendation for fewer mammograms constitutes a threat to the lives of countless women.
• Fiorina is critical of the Obama administration's healthcare reform proposals, arguing that they will lead to rationing of care and an increase in costs.

Statistics:

• $21 billion: California's current deficit
• 28,000: Jobs lost at HP during Carly Fiorina's tenure as CEO
• 22 percent: HP's stock outperformance compared to the technology peer index under Fiorina's leadership
• 50 plus: The age category for women, Fiorina included, who have been instructed to undergo fewer mammograms under the Obama administration's task force recommendation
• 95 percent: The current cure rate for breast cancer, thanks to early detection and increased knowledge about the disease
• $500 billion: The projected savings from Medicare under the Obama administration's healthcare reform proposals

Sources:

• CNN "American Morning" Interview with Carly Fiorina, November 20, 2009
• Copyright 2009 by Federal News Service, Inc.