Carly Fiorina suspends presidential campaign

 

After a momentary surge wherein she cast herself as a corporate leader who could wrest America back from the “political class,” former California Senate candidate and HP CEO Carly Fiorina ended her bid for the White House.

The news came as a blow to supporters beguiled by Fiorina’s unusual mix of mainstream credibility and insurgent fervor, which she underscored in several prominent debate performances with ringing attacks on the country’s abortion laws and its established party leaders.

“We must fix our festering problems by holding our bloated, inept government bureaucracy accountable,” she said in a statement on Facebook suspending her campaign. “Republicans must stand for conservative principles that lift people up and recognize all Americans have the right to fulfill their God-given potential.”

But she also took a parting shot at Hillary Clinton, who has sought to make up a surprising deficit against Bernie Sanders among young women voters. “To young girls and women across the country, I say: do not let others define you. Do not listen to anyone who says you have to vote a certain way or for a certain candidate because you’re a woman,” Fiorina wrote. “That is not feminism. Feminism doesn’t shut down conversations or threaten women. It is not about ideology. It is not a weapon to wield against your political opponent. A feminist is a woman who lives the life she chooses and uses all her God-given gifts. And always remember that a leader is not born, but made. Choose leadership.”

Although Fiorina attracted her fair share of political foes on the campaign trail, as the only woman in this year’s Republican field, she has now also attracted curiosity over her next moves. She has already returned, for instance, to the lecture circuit, freshly available for booking through her speaker’s bureau. “Fiorina’s pitch to clients appears designed to feature both her business and political backgrounds,” as Michael Hiltzik noted at the Los Angeles Times. “She could do well occupying the niche of an articulate conservative with extensive experience in business. Beyond that, the lessons of Fiorina’s rapid return to the ranks of paid speakers are murky,” he added. “But they do point to a reality of modern presidential campaigning: It can be a path to a lucrative post-political business career.”

It has also proven to be a good way to recover from the costs of a campaign while maintaining a relatively public profile. Hillary and Bill Clinton were famously able to turn around their financial fortunes with the help of big paydays on a packed speakers’ schedule, although it seemed unlikely that Fiorina would follow Clinton in delivering six-figure speeches before Wall Street banks.

One lingering question facing California Republicans was whether Fiorina might eventually turn her sights back on the state. Some Golden State conservatives could welcome her as an anti-establishment woman offering an alternative to Donald Trump’s brand of insurgency, currently popular among a significant slice of the GOP electorate in California. Fiorina distinguished herself as one of the few candidates to deal Trump an early and significant blow, openly criticizing his treatment of women on the debate state in Simi Valley. “‘I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said,’ she pronounced, humbling Trump as no other candidate had to date,” as Bloomberg Politics recalled.

But that window may close depending on Ted Cruz’s performance this cycle. The Texas Senator has secured the endorsement of Rep. Tom McClintock and lined up former state party chair Ron Nehring as his California campaign chairman. Cruz also recently held a fundraiser in Beverly Hills hosted by former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, as Variety reported. Still, “Jerry Perenchio, one of the most prolific of all GOP donors, has invested heavily in a SuperPAC backing the candidacy of Carly Fiorina,” Variety noted, tallying Perenchio’s support at over $3.5 million.

12 comments

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  1. Dude
    Dude 12 February, 2016, 09:48

    Well, Fiorina was right at least about one thing; We have a lot of things to fix. Fortunately the first item on that list has been taken care of by her quitting. We’ve been suffering through Obama’s 8 years of an anti-American administration. If Fiorina had gotten into the White House she would have replaced all of us with H-1B Indian visa workers. Good riddance.

    Reply this comment
    • Brett
      Brett 12 February, 2016, 10:43

      I doubt the H1-B problem is going away with her departure. Until companies begin to realize the actual cost of importing a workforce that is anxious to return to India (at the earliest possible time with a bounty of cash that will allow them to live like kings in their native lands), works cheaply (relative to the local workforce), and speaks barely intelligible English in most cases, the local workforce will suffer. I have no idea what the catalyst will be to correct this imbalance, but the ultimate risk for American businesses is losing the native workforce because the opportunities aren’t there for college grads in the outsourced fields.

      Reply this comment
      • Dude
        Dude 12 February, 2016, 11:28

        Agree that H1-B isn’t going away, but it’s unbelievable how everyone in Congress turns away and pretends it isn’t happening. Why? Because of the money filling the war chests of sold-out politicians like Marco Rubio who is co-sponsoring S.153 – I-Squared Act of 2015.

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  2. Rex the Wonder Dog!
    Rex the Wonder Dog! 12 February, 2016, 13:42

    If Fiorina had gotten into the White House she would have replaced all of us with H-1B Indian visa workers. Good riddance.

    CANNOT stand her! Glad she saw the light.

    She is a Pretender, like Teddy Steals.

    Reply this comment
  3. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 12 February, 2016, 16:54

    Teddy is in your head constantly…..he is an intellect, the voice of reason, fair and balanced …..

    Now pay up for pensions, respect your rulers.

    Reply this comment
  4. desmond
    desmond 12 February, 2016, 17:51

    Hey Ahaul, Did the donkey get past the sniffing and consummate your relationship? Did you continue blogging bent keeping one hand free for typing while the other provides guidance?

    Reply this comment
  5. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 12 February, 2016, 21:47

    Uly is a beacon of light and clarity countering dank thoughts and demented word from those to be pitied!

    Teddy is the conscience of CWD, the Sage…..Teddy’s words even E F Hutton listens to…

    You are so fortunate to discourse with us.

    Reply this comment
    • T Ted Pickens
      T Ted Pickens 15 February, 2016, 07:32

      U Haul– well said—– the Doomera is not chock a block full of beautiful people— Adelanto is rough on the skin. I for one will miss Carly– I LOVED here. Her insights, metered scoldings, and school marmy cadence made each debate a clown fest ignorama-fest……I LOVE Republican conservat toolery!

      Reply this comment

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Carly FiorinaTed CruzRon NehringDonald Trump

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