Posted on 11/07/2009 10:30:10 AM PST by SmithL
Tough-as-nails former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina kicked off her U.S. Senate campaign this week with defiant words for a ruthless opponent - her cancer.
"Let me start with the most obvious question: What's with the hair?" she asked a crowd in Orange County, motioning to the graying buzz cut that replaced her auburn wigs of recent months.
"I'm happy to tell you that having been through surgery and chemotherapy and radiation, breast cancer is officially behind me. I feel absolutely great and I am raring to go."
In California, where politics and drama are wedded, the Republican candidate's public embrace of a disease that has ravaged millions of American women could resonate with women, who comprise the majority of the state's 17 million voters and traditionally have been willing to cross party lines for candidates they like, experts said.
But experts also suggest that Fiorina's recent challenges, however moving, will not distract incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat, nor Fiorina's GOP opponent in the June primary, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, from raising tough issues, including Fiorina's spotty voting record and her controversial history as Hewlett-Packard CEO.
Male and female politicians have openly discussed their battles with cancer before - most recently, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who publicly described her breast cancer battle this year.
But it is a political turning point for a first-time candidate for major office who recently went through cancer treatments to so boldly go public, said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for the American Woman and Politics at Rutgers University.
"I think we're in new territory here," Walsh said. Fiorina "addressed it head-on, which is what you should do. She put it out there. She's owning it. Doing that gives people the chance to hear it, then move on."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
McCain’s surrogate for sure!
Big RINO. Just like her governor.
I pray that you beat cancer, Ms Fiorina.
That said, I don’t want her exploiting her condition for sympathy votes or as cover when people attack her platform and record (or lack thereof).
She is grossly unqualified to serve as U.S. Senate when we already have a great candidate to back in Chuck DeVore.
Except she is willing to hit back. A rare thing for a pubbie .
Carly: DUMP CANCER! (or keep it dumped, in this case. Best of luck, truly.)
California: DUMP CARLY! (and go vote for Chuck DeVore!)
Yup, same here.
and that she move on..
No Conservatives in CA? She is a disaster waiting to happen.
PRay for America and Ft Troops
Lefty lesbian look.
Sure we saw her in action with Mccain. Sorry for her health problems, but she is 150% Rino.
Exactly
...but she’s STILL a damn RINO.
I'd like to see that list also. We don't need another vacuous sympathy candidate like Wasserman from FL.
Oh, yeah. We all know Carly ran several corporations -- into the ground -- so she is well on board for the Free Traitor, communist-Lite programs. She knows all about enhancing executive pay and bonuses, and creating more jobs overseas, diminishing the quality of consumer products, while diminishing the income of working consumers.
People will vote for conservatives, if and when they get a chance. Free Traitors are not conservatives, and most of them are stuck on their one-track policy of destroying the middle class.
Despite her RINO tendencies, just watch the RNC pour money into her primary campaign aganst DeVore. What a bunch of rats!
I like DeVore, and hope he gets the nomination. But what will conservatives do if Fiorina is the Republican candidate?
Now I hope she comes out swinging against California's cancer.
All this woman has done is wreck every company she has ever ran. Lookout now she is running for Senate. God help us.
She looks GREAT! God bless her in her worthwhile journey. She has more courage than anyone there.
Carly is a triumph of hope over reality! She actively worked to destroy HP and in large measure succeeded. She surrounded herself with unqualified and incompetent staff to present a PC management team. It’s great that she is ‘successfully’ fighting cancer but let’s not confuse that with any leadership or managerial ability. She should just fight her battle in private. As a non-voter and posturing RINO, she has no right to anyone’s vote.
clothes pins make pretty good noseplugs. :-)
some will just say
No.
It’s their right.
No one is clean in politics these days..
but the number of blind and ignorant is hugh..
and that’s just in the media..
and we won’t discuss the quality of the party leadership.
No, don’t want to go there.
btw, to anyone who thinks I enjoy dissing Rinos and those who would run as same.. let them win the primary first.. it didn’t help in 2008’s case ..
Voting for McCain inspired no joy, believe me, Sarah or no Sarah..
allrighteee then.
Just slit our wrists and cry in our conservative beer and then pray!!!
Seriously, we must start early, work hard spreading the reasons our candidate is far superior, then stay with it till the end and hope for the best!!!
Persistence and determination is a conservative's best, most dependable political tool!!!
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