Fiorina sees business experience as a plus

JOHNSTON - In the 2012 presidential campaign, Democrats used the business experience of Republican candidate Mitt Romney against him, claiming Romney was out of touch with middle-class workers.

Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO and a Republican candidate for president, said Friday she has no concern the same would happen to her, should she earn the GOP nomination.

'There are a lot of politicians who run for office and lose, too. But we don't end up saying, ‘Gee, politics cuts against you,'” Fiorina said during a taping of 'Iowa Press.” 'But that's exactly what's going on this cycle. People are tired of politicians. That's why you see three outsiders at the top of the polls.”

The top candidates in recent polls on the Republican race have been businessman Donald Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Fiorina.

'People are looking for someone with a track record of leadership,” Fiorina said.

Fiorina said she is the best choice among the three because of her experience in business and world affairs.

'My track record is more relevant than either one of theirs,” Fiorina said.

'I think to be president we need someone now who actually understands how the economy works and who has been in it. I am. I am a self-made person,” she said. 'You need somebody who understands how the world works and who's in it. I have long experience - I know more world leaders on the stage today than anyone running with the possible exception of (Democratic front-runner) Hillary Clinton. I've chaired the advisory board of the Central Intelligence Agency.”

Fiorina also addressed the concerns of her fellow front-runners over the next Republican debate.

Trump and Carson this week threatened to boycott the debate unless it is shortened from three hours to two and includes time for opening and closing statements.

Fiorina said she is fine with a three-hour debate and defended a lack of opening and closing statements.

'When you have 10 or 11 people on stage, that's actually not a lot of time. So I hope that CNBC will have a three-hour debate,” Fiorina said.

'I also think that the more questions that get asked the better. Because actually, everyone has heard politicians give speeches, and everyone's heard politicians give prepared comments. I think what people like to see is how does someone think on their feet and how does someone answer an unexpected question.”

Fiorina on Friday responded to questions about paid family leave, an issue Democrats - Clinton in particular - have been pushing.

Fiorina told reporters she does not support requiring business to offer paid leave for parents of newborns.

She was asked what that means for a middle-class or low-income working parent who must decide between staying home with a newborn without pay or going back to work shortly after birth.

'It's a terrible choice, which is why as a chief executive, we had very generous paid maternity and paternity leave policies,” Fiorina said. 'It's why I think every enlightened business provides a set of benefits that encourage their female employees, who are half this nation's potential, to be able to balance the demands of their work lives and their family lives.

'What I object to is government mandating the policy,” she said. 'Because we know when government mandates a policy for every business, tells them exactly what they have to do and how they have to do it and how much money they have to pay for it, the consequences for women are worse.”

Iowa Democrats have been critical of Fiorina's stance - one she shares with many Republican candidates - during her campaign visit.

'Iowa Democrats believe that all of our working families, no matter where they work, should be able to take time off to recover from childbirth or an illness, or help take care of a loved one, without fear of retribution from their employers. We fight for paid family and sick leave policies because they make Iowa families stronger,” Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire said in a news release.

'Iowa Press” airs at 7 p.m. Friday and noon Sunday on Iowa Public Television, and 8:30 a.m. Saturday on IPTV World.