In what was reported to be a play to become McCain’s running mate, Carly Fiorina sat down for a roundtable with reporters in Washington on Monday morning.
Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief who is now the Republican National Committee’s “Victory Chairman,” was discussing consumer-driven health insurance at a breakfast with reporters when she proposed “a real, live example which I’ve been hearing a lot about from women: There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won’t cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice.”
Fiorina’s statement opened up this can of worms for McCain today:
When McCain was asked for his position on the issue, he said-with a nervous laugh-“I certainly do not want to discuss that issue.” The reporter pressed. “But apparently you’ve voted against-” “I don’t know what I voted,” McCain said. The reporter explained that McCain voted against a bill in 2003 that would have required health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control. “Is that still your position?” she persisted. During the awkward exchange, with several lengthy pauses, McCain said he had no immediate knowledge of the vote. “I’ve cast thousands of votes in the Senate,” McCain said, then continued: “I will respond to-it’s a, it’s a…” “Delicate issue,” the reporter offered, to a relieved laugh from McCain. “I don’t usually duck an issue, but I’m-I’ll try to get back to you,” he explained.
Let’s leave aside the stupidity of Fiorina’s original argument that the government coercion of private insurance companies has anything to do with choice. Did she not know how McCain voted on the issue?
