Carly Fiorina previewed how she’ll set herself apart at CNN’s upcoming GOP debate while in New Hampshire Sunday by reflecting on her time as CEO of Hewlett Packard.
Although Fiorina’s stewardship of the company has faced criticism, she is unequivocal in saying her accountability to shareholders as an executive made her uniquely qualified for the presidency.
“I will challenge Mrs. Clinton, any other politician, and the entertainer who’s running for office, to hold themselves to that same level of account because none of them are going to be able to stand up to that level of scrutiny,” Fiorina said to cheers from the 150 voters gathered in Alton, New Hampshire.
One voter at the event asked Fiorina how she would work with Congress, when she has no prior experience working with legislative bodies.
“I don’t have that on my resume,” Fiorina admitted. “It’s interesting how many politicians go to Washington promising change. Governors have done it, senators have done it. Not a one of them has actually changed a thing. I will respectfully say that being a politician doesn’t seem to work very well either with the legislature.”
As political outsiders like Fiorina, as well as Ben Carson and Donald Trump, have shot up in the polls, the former CEO says she’s not worried about navigating Washington.
“I think one of the dirty little secrets is professional politicians want everyone to think it’s so hard to do what we do, nobody else can do it. It’s hogwash. It isn’t so hard. Most of this stuff takes common sense and good judgment and people are frustrated because they don’t see commonsense or good judgment in D.C.,” Fiorina told reporters after the event.
New Hampshire voters were also quick to offer Fiorina their own commentary on the race, with one local voter mentioning “that entertainer” and the recent comments attributed to Trump disparaging Fiorina’s appearance.
“Look at that face!” Trump told Rolling Stone magazine as Fiorina appeared on TV. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?”
Trump later claimed he was talking about her “persona.”
Maria Cunningham of Gilford, New Hampshire, told Fiorina, “Not only do you have a great brain, you have a great face.”
Fiorina’s quick response was met with applause from the audience.
“This is the face of a 61-year-old woman. I am proud of every year and every single wrinkle,” she said.
The Republican candidates will face off Wednesday in a debate hosted by CNN in Simi Valley, California.