Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The ultimate stealth candidate (Fiorina)
Powerline ^ | 5/27/10 | Paul Mirengoff

Posted on 05/27/2010 9:38:56 PM PDT by pissant

It looks like Carly Fiorina has moved into the lead in the race to be the Republican nominee for the Senate in California. What's less clear is whether, from a conservative point of view, her nomination would be desirable.

Fiorina would be the ultimate stealth nominee. Not only has she never held public office, but until fairly recently, she failed even to vote in most elections.

These days, when it's in her interest to do so, she talks like a conservative. However, her past provides little reason to believe that she deeply holds conservative convictions. And if she doesn't, but instead adopts positions based on her political interests, then she's unlikely to represent a blue state like California as a reliable conservative.

Aspects of Fiornia's campaigning also leave me cold. During a debate earlier this week, she responded to a substantive attack from conservative Chuck DeVore by saying, "I'm sure it's very frustrating for Chuck DeVore to have so many conservatives supporting me; maybe it makes Chuck DeVore, who is dog-paddling at 14 percent in the polls ... feel better to belittle other people's conservative credentials."

The standards for conduct during candidates' debates are pretty low these days, but taunting an opponent for low poll numbers strikes me as quite unappealing. DeVore has every reason to question Fiorina's conservative credentials, such as they are. Her campaign certainly hasn't been shy about questioning those of her other opponent, Tom Campbell.

Republican voters in California don't have an easy choice to make. DeVore is a strong conservative, but seems like a long-shot against Sen. Barbara Boxer in a "blue" California. Unlike Fiorina, Campbell has a long track record from which to discern his principles and beliefs. Many of them are conservative, but some are not. The National Taxpayers Union, an anti-tax group, gave Campbell "A" and "B" grades during his time in Congress; the American Conservative Union, which takes into account social issues, gave Campbell, who has a substantial libertarian streak, a lifetime rating of 54 during his final year in office on a scale where 80 is considered conservative. There are also concerns about Campbell's level of support for Israel.

To be sure, all three candidates are vastly preferable to Boxer. But the past decade should have taught conservatives to worry not just about electing Republicans, but also about which Republicans we elect.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: California
KEYWORDS: chuckdevore; fiorina
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last
Chuck DeVore is the man!
1 posted on 05/27/2010 9:38:57 PM PDT by pissant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jimrob; CounterCounterCulture

DeVore PING


2 posted on 05/27/2010 9:39:24 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Who knows, maybe Fiorina had a conservative epiphany when Obamacare passed. There’s nothing like a life-threatening illness to make one appreciate the U. S. health care system.


3 posted on 05/27/2010 9:43:07 PM PDT by chickadee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chickadee

She was well passed the life threatening stage when she called the new Arizona immigration law “tinged with racism”.


4 posted on 05/27/2010 9:44:49 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: pissant

“It looks like Carly Fiorina has moved into the lead in the race to be the Republican nominee for the Senate in California.”

Sounds like they are running at Santa Anita. I’ve heard Carly is a Mudder ...


5 posted on 05/27/2010 9:45:53 PM PDT by jessduntno (If someone calls me a racist I tell them, "you're just saying that because I'm white.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Chuck Devore already has my vote. Brown is tied to the SEIU. Campbell is a known full fledged RINO. Fiorina is a crap-shoot. We just don’t know how much of a RINO she is. If it comes to it I would take Carly over Brown.


6 posted on 05/27/2010 9:46:10 PM PDT by Parley Baer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Man, I am tired of the race baiting machine. Perhaps it is not possible to elect a true conservative in CA anymore.


7 posted on 05/27/2010 9:46:57 PM PDT by chickadee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Parley Baer

Who is brown?


8 posted on 05/27/2010 9:47:06 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jessduntno

Let’s make sure she pulls up limp in the last turn.


9 posted on 05/27/2010 9:49:47 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Can some one explain how any candidate, no matter how desirable, who loses to Boxer does any good to anybody?

Oh may be by losing the desirable candidate does benefit the
liberals by giving Boxer 6 more years.


10 posted on 05/27/2010 9:49:55 PM PDT by Undocumented_capitalist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Undocumented_capitalist

Can someone tell me why shills for RINOs would come on and spout nonsense, when the polls have consistently shown that DeVore matches up against Babs at least as well as Gnarly.


11 posted on 05/27/2010 9:51:43 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: pissant

She was an affirmative action CEO but she was hired for a mission and she did her job. They knew why she was there even if I hated it personally.

She went on though to use the political capital to further push the Compaq Merger which will be an albatross around her neck for the rest of her life. The merger where 2+2=2.

No Wonder there is doubts to her political proclivities.

Within her job at HP she took on entrenched interests within the company and won. We will need that tenacity in a Governor to cut taxes and spending.

The only question is, is this time she won’t be answerable to a Board of Directors. She will do what she wants and we aren’t sure what that is, is she Conservative enough or is she just a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

I look forward to seeing what happens.


12 posted on 05/27/2010 9:52:38 PM PDT by dila813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

“Let’s make sure she pulls up limp in the last turn.”

I know I would if I took a turn with her...


13 posted on 05/27/2010 9:53:32 PM PDT by jessduntno (If someone calls me a racist I tell them, "you're just saying that because I'm white.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: jessduntno

*groan*


14 posted on 05/27/2010 9:55:26 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: pissant

*groan*

I know...sorry...


15 posted on 05/27/2010 9:55:56 PM PDT by jessduntno (If someone calls me a racist I tell them, "you're just saying that because I'm white.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: chickadee

No she realized that becoming a congress puke is the only guarantee to her healthcare vs Obamacare and to hell with the rest of the people; mainly the ones that are dumb enough to vote for her.

Most likely, if elected she will fall down on her knees and worship Obama style politics.

Get real and smart. Vote Chuck DeVore if you want a real breath of fresh air change.


16 posted on 05/27/2010 9:57:26 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: freekitty

BUMP


17 posted on 05/27/2010 9:58:54 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Parley Baer
We DO, however, know that she proved herself thoroughly incompetent as the CEO of HP. Is there any reason at all to think she will be any LESS incompetent as a Senator?

Haven't heard of one. Have you?

18 posted on 05/27/2010 9:59:26 PM PDT by SAJ (Zerobama? A phony and a prick, ergo a dildo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: pissant

If you are right, I would favor DeVore to be the nominee.
I will take even Campbell or Fiorina over Boxer any day.
I would be mad as hell if Boxer wins 6 more years.


19 posted on 05/27/2010 10:00:09 PM PDT by Undocumented_capitalist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: pissant
ABB

Anybody but Boxer. Whoever makes it to the final against Boxer is fine with me.A solid conservative like DeVore can't get elected statewide in California anymore. Too many Reagan conservatives have left or died out, leaving the social leeches.

20 posted on 05/27/2010 10:10:00 PM PDT by muleskinner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson