Carly's McCain Campaign

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McCain's economic program is very closely aligned with President Bush's economic policies, and it seems largely to consist of calls for continued tax cuts. Given the broader concerns about the health of the economy, the rising costs of health care, the housing and financial crisis, does he need to differentiate himself more from the President's programs and develop a broader economic message?

Having been on the campaign trail with him for quite some time, and having known him since 2000, I actually think what we need to do is make sure people understand his complete economic message and philosophy, as opposed to craft a new one. First, John McCain is focused on innovation. And in this regard—this is what originally attracted me in the year 2000—he truly understands how government policy can incent innovation, or can kill innovation.

So, for example, he has argued that we should make the R&D tax credit permanent, and he has argued that for quite a long time. He would ban taxation on the Internet and mobile technologies permanently. He is focused on climate change as a reality, and this is a clear difference with the Bush Administration in the past, but he sees climate change as an opportunity for innovation, to create a whole set of innovative industries around green technologies.

John McCain has been focused on fiscal discipline for many, many years, and that's not just a policy issue. John McCain has never asked for a single earmark in his 20-plus year career. Because he knows that putting that kind of money in the hands of government takes it away from families and businesses. He also has called for accountability and transparency. And that's particularly true in this current housing crisis. There hasn't been enough of either. There hasn't been enough accountability or transparency in terms of the financial instruments that were put in play by investors and bankers, in part to make money. I mean, a housing bubble was created that is very similar in many ways to the technology bubble of the late '90s. And unfortunately hardworking Americans get hurt in that.

Let's talk about immigration. Much of the Republican Party has a much harsher view on immigration than McCain has had, and certainly than many people within the tech sector and the business sector have. First, how much of an issue is that going to be, and does the anti-immigration sentiment within the party diminish support for McCain or the Republican Party among the business executives you talk to?

It is a hugely emotional issue. But John McCain showed great courage as well as great pragmatism in giving people straight talk in saying we need a comprehensive solution to the immigration problem. He also knows, however, that the American people have lost faith in their government's ability to follow through on its promises, in part because of Katrina and other issues.

So he has said we're going to have to convince the American people that we're serious about securing the borders—and secure them. He has asked that the border state governors certify that the borders are secure. And then, and only then, can we go on to tackle the subject of comprehensive immigration reform. He would immediately deport those illegal aliens who have broken our laws, but he would pull the rest of our illegal aliens out of the shadows by having a real temporary worker program that would require tamper-proof temporary IDs, he would prosecute employers who fail to follow the law on a temporary-worker program to the fullest extent of the law. He would return those temporary workers to their home countries on a regular basis, and if they wanted to become American citizens, they would go to the back of the line and they would have to learn English.

A lot of business executives I talk to feel that kind of program would take a very long time to put in place and that this approach wouldn't provide them, or the U.S. economy, the workforce they need.

First of all, I feel for them. Every business leader that I talk to recognizes that we must move forward from the situation we're in now. The situation we're in now is that people either collectively have their heads in the sand about the need to find a solution or people are put in the position where they are risking breaking the law. That's an untenable position for everybody.