Carly Fiorina: When the Man Among Boys is a Woman
In the world of presidential politics, debates are like the matches leading up to a title fight, and Carly Fiorina has a mean right hook. Due to a change in the poll numbers after the August Republican primary debate, she requested to be included in the prime time debate held by CNN in mid-September. After much deliberation she claimed her spot, and the buzz surrounding her inclusion began. Did she deserve to be on the main stage? Could she handle debating the top 10 contenders? Facing the pressure, Fiorina rose to the occasion.
Despite the controversy surrounding her place on the prime time stage, I think we can all agree Fiorina had a spectacular debate performance. Top political analysts everywhere acknowledged that she stood out among the GOP candidates. The CNN/ORC results show that 52 percent of viewers agree, identifying her as the clear winner.
According to a CBS/NYT poll the week prior to the CNN debate, Fiorina’s poll numbers were only at 4 percent. However, after her stellar showing Fiorina is now at 15 percent in the polls, just second behind frontrunner Donald Trump. In addition to this significant victory, in week four of the USA Today Power Ranking, she is now No. 1. After two strong debate performances, it’s time to consider Fiorina as a serious contender for the GOP presidential nomination.
Some political analysts attribute her success to the fact that she didn’t back down when Trump, in typical fashion, acted like a bully. Remember her mic-drop moment? When asked to address Trump on his, “Look at that face,” comment in a recent Rolling Stone article, she responded, “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.” With class, Fiorina didn’t attack Trump like her fellow adversaries, rather she let his petty comment speak for itself. This solicited a roaring cheer from the crowd, and the closest thing we will ever see to an apology from The Donald, “I think she’s got a beautiful face, and I think she’s a beautiful woman.” Well played Carly, well played.
As noted in a tweet by New York Times Political Correspondent Alex Burns, “[The] CNN poll shows how you don't compete with Trump by nuking Trump; you compete with Trump by being more compelling than Trump.” Fiorina wasn’t just more compelling than Trump--she was more compelling than everyone else on the debate stage. Her performance demonstrated her in-depth knowledge across a spectrum of issues, ranging from foreign policy to the economy. When answering questions from moderator Jake Tapper, she didn’t hesitate or dodge. She was strong, intelligent, and dare I say it? Presidential.
My personal favorite Fiorina moment? Her response when asked what woman should be selected for the $10 bill:
“I wouldn't change the $10 bill, or the $20 bill. I think, honestly, it's a gesture. I don't think it helps to change our history. What I would think is that we ought to recognize that women are not a special interest group. Women are the majority of this nation. We are half the potential of this nation, and this nation will be better off when every woman has the opportunity to live the life she chooses.”
It’s refreshing to see a candidate who doesn’t pander to the “War on Women” that has been exhausted in the mainstream media. As a successful businesswoman herself, Fiorina knows that economic opportunity can do far more for women than a discussion about the face on a $10 bill ever could.
(Photo: The Washington Times)
In response to her overnight success, Fiorina said she believes the more people hear what she has to say, the more they support her. As she climbs slowly and steadily in the polls, this is proving to be more and more true. However, six months can be a lifetime in presidential politics, with the first votes cast for the primary elections in February. I’m excited to see what the future holds for the GOP primary race, but for now, I think it's safe to say that Fiorina won this round.
If you missed the show, you can watch her best moments here.
