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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Fiorina: Women still face challenges
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s not easy being a woman in today’s business or political world.
So says Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, who was in Atlanta today as the keynote speaker at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Georgia 100 breakfast at the Cobb Energy Center for the Performing Arts.
Fiorina, who is backing presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign, cited the challenges that Sen. Hillary Clinton has faced during her run for presidency.
“Women in positions of power are either too soft or too hard. You see that happen with Hillary,” Fiorina said. “I was frequently called either a ‘bimbo’ or that other ‘b’ word.”
Fiorina also told AJC Editor Julia Wallace, in an “unplugged” interview after her speech, that she is “appalled” by the way Hillary Clinton has been treated during this campaign.
Despite her strong arguments for greater diversity in business and politics, she defended her support of McCain by saying the country is at a “fork,” and that both she and McCain believe that the role of government should be to unlock the potential of its people.
Fiorina, however, welcomed the diversity in this year’s campaign with the Democratic candidates still in the race: Sen. Barack Obama, an African-American; and Sen. Clinton.
By the way, Fiorina is serving as an economic advisor for McCain, an area where he is perceived as being weak.
Wallace asked whether Fiorina would be willing to accept being on the ticket with McCain as his vice presidential nominee. Fiorina did not answer directly, so Wallace followed up by asking: “Is that a no or a yes?”
Fiorina answered: “It is neither.”
My colleague, Matt Kempner, helped me with this item.
