Posted on 05/14/2008 9:25:23 PM PDT by The_Republican
One of the most important figures in the presidential campaign this fall is a controversial, hypercompetent blonde. She has blazed new paths, is always on message, and has written a best-selling memoir. Friends and foes alike refer to her by her first name only. And she'll play a significant role shoring up the bona fides of her party's candidate among a core constituency that might be wavering.
No, I'm not talking about the Democrats sending out Hillary Clinton on behalf of Barack Obama to reassure white working-class voters. I'm talking about Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, being sent out to reassure business-class voters on behalf of John McCain. Fiorina has emerged as the most prominent surrogate on economics issues in any of the major campaigns, and her alliance with McCain suggests both his strength and his weakness on the subject.
In July 1999, when Fiorina was named chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, she became the first woman to run one of the companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Her rocky, five-and-a-half-year tenure was full of drama: a big, ill-timed merger with Compaq in September 2001, the dot-com/tech meltdown, difficulty managing the board and other executives. When she resigned in February 2005 there was much speculation that the charismatic executive would pursue a career in public life. In March the Republican National Committee named her victory chairman, and she pledged to stump for McCain.
At first Fiorina seemed likely to perform the role that then-Goldman Sachs co-head Robert Rubin played for Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign. Democrats frequently need business surrogates and market whisperers, rich, successful people who can reassure the CEO class that the candidate won't threaten them much and that he understands the needs of business and the markets.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
Oh, she did a real bang-up job at HP, that’s for sure.
Carly Fiorina is one of the most insipid and least inspiring executives in the nation. Famously, when she was fired, spontaneous parties broke out throughout the HP labs in Cupertino.
Before Carly HP was a world class instrument maker and their brand was associated with bulletproof products. Post Carly they were famous for cheap but crappy printers and computers.
McCain: global warming baloney, corrupt CEO’s financing his campaign, amnesty for illegals... but the we have to vote for him, right?
I mean we have to, right? Hugh Hewitt says so! Everyone here says so. I mean he might apoint conservative judges, like Ruth Ginsberg who he voted for .. oh, wait, Ruth’s not a Conservative??
Never mind. Maybe he’ll put Hillary on the top court as a final “bipartisan maverick compromise, reaching across the aisle.. “
Fiorina is also working as a McCain surrogate partly because she hasn't landed another executive job since she bounced from HP.
No need to rush into anything....
This article was a fairly typical pile of Newsweek garbage. He was bashing traditional conservative Republicans with his praise of Fiorina. But in the end he did let the cat out of the bag, and that is Fiorina is in it entirely for herself, and if she cannot get gainful employment, then she would rather spend her time unemployed time in the highest possible media profile which is bag girl for the RINO relic.
Oh, yeah. I have a co-worker who was at one of them. He has a mini-scrapbook of Carly’s faces on the covers of the trades. Big Ron Paul guy - when I told him Carly was on McCain’s team he laughed at me until I thought he wuz gonna hurt himself. He’s working now because she screwed up his retirement, or so he says.
Snicker!!!!
Just another nail in mcnutts campaign coffin.Pathetic.
She’s an economic adviser and has been stumping for him on the campaign trail for a year now. Google it.
If I hear her use the word “incent” one more time, I’ll throw up.
Newsweek calls Carly “hypercompetent.”
And, McCain hired her.
Three reasons to pray this woman does not end up as Secretary of the Treasury.
Obama will have William Jefferson (D), LA as Secretary of the Treasury. That man knows about "cold cash".
If McCain has actually enlisted her as an economic advisor, then he's even dumber than I imagined.
I find it kind of amusing that the woman who destroyed the company and was given $20+ million on her exit is on the stump for McCain while he rails on the outrageous pay of CEOs, LOL.
Fiorina’s name was being thrown around in GOP circles a year ago—as a potential gubernatorial contender. I think our local RINOs decided she could create a Republican resume by campaigning for McCain (despite no political experience or involvement prior to that). Our “purple party” leadership sure can pick ‘em! Arnie... then Carly? UGH!
“McCain’s Economic Brain - Why Carly Fiorina is so important to his campaign”
So who is his brain on illegal immigration?
They both use the “F” word freely and unashamedly, in business meetings and with mixed audiences, with nary a worry.
Hey! Dont you know we Conservatives are now supposed to “cool down”, and shut up, and get with the program??!! /sarc
Calderon, Evo Morales, Hugito...take your pick.
We don’t have to. We can run a third party candidate.
I had friends who worked at HP. They were not fans of this woman, whose biggest accomplishment was apparently destroying HP’s corporate culture.
Ok, is this person doing drugs or what?? It's quite clear this clown did not own HP stock when Carly Fiorina ditched the company.
For God's sake, please tell me she is not providing economic advice to any republican!
Hypercompetent; hypercompetent? Gotta be snorting coke by the truck load! Oh, I just noticed the article was in Newsweek - this explains everything.
The GOP is stupid enough to hoist Fiorina on us.
Here's what Michael S. Malone had to say about Carly :
Trust me, that reputation endures in Silicon Valley, where she now enjoys the title (not easy to get) of the worst CEO in Valley history.
Why is it such a plum to have her? She nearly ruined 3 of the U.S.’ foremost companies.
In July 1999, when Fiorina was named chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, she became the first woman to run one of the companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average INTO THE GROUND.....
If Newsweek is singing her praises, she can’t be good for conservatives or the Republican Party. Full marks to her PR person though.
I think he meant 'hypocompetent.'
I got an email from fiona. It was a survey on the issues that most concerned me. there was nothing in it on illegal immigration.
fiona botched hp. she’ll botch everything she touches in pubbie land.
her chief skill is sucking up to the powers that be.
she’s the kind that will show up at Davos and sing “we are with you” to the rulers of europe who have even more contempt for their people than american elites.
Fiorina? Ha!
On the positive side, McCain did recruit Don Luskin from Ron Paul’s campaign. IMHO, he is the best supply side economist in the world today. I’ve been following his work for around 10 years. I could not think of a better person to talk economic and fiscal policy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.