Fiorina touts tech-savvy plans for White House

by Tim Devaney - 10/03/15 1:17 PM ET

Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina is making a case for herself as a tech-savvy candidate who can usher Washington into the 21st century.

Speaking to a crowd of conservatives at the Practical Federalism Forum in Hooksett, N.H., the former Silicon Valley CEO said that as president, she would hold weekly national polls through a smartphone app.

{mosads}”On a weekly radio address, I’m going to say, ‘Fellow citizens, please take out your smartphones. I’d like to ask you a question. Do you think it’s important that we know where every dollar of your money is being spent? Press 1 for yes, 2 for no,’ ” Fiorina said, suggesting the polls would put pressure on Congress.

The GOP candidate proceeded to poke fun at voters who still use outdated “flip phones.”

“By the way, if you have a flip phone, please upgrade,” Fiorina said. “Seriously, it won’t work on a flip phone. You have 15 months to do this. I know there are a lot of flip phones here in New Hampshire. I’ve seen them.”

Fiorina has surged in the GOP primaries after strong performances in the first two presidential debates.

Along with real estate mogul Donald Trump and neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Fiorina is part of a charge of “Washington outsiders” who are looking to replace elected officials.

Speaking about the Founding Fathers, Fiorina noted, “There was this other idea that ours was intended to be a citizen government. When did we get to the point where we thought that, ‘Gee, only politicians can run for office.’ It is not how our nation was founded.

“Our nation was founded by men who did other things in their lives and then stepped forward for a period of time and served and then went back home,” she added.

The three outsiders currently sit at the top of the GOP primary field, according to a RealClearPolitics national polling average.

Trump leads with 23.3 percent support, followed by Carson with 16.3 percent and Fiorina with 11.8 percent.

Fiorina also suggested she would play hardball with Iran, threatening to tear up the controversial nuclear agreement the Obama administration struck with the Iranian government.

“The message is this: New deal. I don’t care what deal you signed with President Obama. New deal,” Fiorina said.

“Until you open every military and nuclear facility to real — anytime, anywhere — inspections by our people, not yours, we, the United States of America, will make it as difficult as possible for you to move money around the global financial system. We can do that, we don’t need anyone’s permission.”

Tags Carly Fiorina