NRB: Dick Cheney and Laura Bush support gay marriage. How do you feel about gay rights?
Fiorina: I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I also believe in domestic partnership and that same-sex couples should have the same benefits and legal rights as heterosexual couples.
NRB: I have received a lot of emails about Boxer’s statements that as head of HP you violated the US sanctions on Iran. What is your response?
Fiorina: This is a phony charge manufactured by the Democratic Party in 2008. These attacks are completely false and are not supported by the facts. Under my leadership, Hewlett-Packard complied with the law and did not violate U.S. sanctions regarding trade with Iran.
NRB: Boxer has been accused of being anti-military by you. Would you be specific about your accusation?
Fiorina: What threatens our security are the terrorists in Iran and in other countries around the world who wish the United States and our allies harm. Yet Barbara Boxer has consistently refused to support our men and women in uniform who have laid their lives on the lines to defend our country from these national security threats and who protect our freedoms daily. Instead, she has repeatedly voted against funding for our troops in times of war, including against body armor for our soldiers on the front lines.
NRB: After visiting Israel what impressions did you get about US foreign policy towards our ally?
Fiorina: While I was in Israel, I met with a number of government officials, business community members and other leaders, and many expressed to me their grave concerns about Iran’s march toward a nuclear weapon. They also expressed both the perception that the United States is weaker than it used to be, as well as the hope that the U.S. would take this threat from Iran seriously. My conversations reaffirmed to me just how important it is that the United States consistently protect and uphold Israel’s right to self-defense. Israel is our most important Democratic ally in a crucial region of the world. We must also continue pursuing crippling sanctions against Iran to prevent it from aiding terrorists and to help ensure it is not making nuclear weapons.
NRB: If elected what will be your top priority?
Fiorina: Job creation and economic growth is priority number one. With unemployment at a sky-high 12.4 percent here in California and with more than 2 million Californians out of work, there’s no doubt that the most urgent issue for our state, and the one that should be at the top of every lawmaker’s priority list, is to put Californians back to work and to get our economy moving again. Job creators need tax and regulatory certainty, which is why I support lowering taxes, minimizing the regulatory burden and providing companies incentives to locate and hire in the U.S.
Thank you very much for this interview.
