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The Spectacle Blog
Via Red State, I find disturbing audio of California Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina, speaking in glowing terms about Jesse Jackson, who she did work with while at Hewlett Packard. Here's what she had to say:
"And I thought about something that the Reverend Jesse Jackson said to me several years ago. He very graciously came to the offices of Hewlett Packard to visit me, because we were doing some work together for his Rainbow Coalition. And he said to me, 'You know, Carly, every game is better when everybody gets to play.' And I thought it was such a great way of describing why everything is better when all people, regardless of color or nationality or gender, get to play. Sports are better. Business is better. Politics are better. The world is better when everybody gets to play in things that matter."
This is problematic on several levels. Jackson is a shakedown artist who trumps up charges of racism and then rakes in millions of dollars from corporations who pay him to immunize themselves from such charges. The idea that a well-known Jew hater and racist like Jesse Jackson, who has long ties to Louis Farrakhan, would have any standing as an arbiter of racial tolerance reflects poorly on our society. To be absolutely clear, I'm not suggesting that these remarks make Fiorina herself an anti-semite. But I do think the only way to handle the likes of Jackson is to ostracize them from polite society so that they can no longer make a handsome living by engaging in racial incitement. The fact that Fiorina, as CEO, felt the need to play the game with Jackson is troubling enough. But it's still worse that she would boast about it years later, refer to him visiting her "very graciously," and then quote him in a way that perpetuates the myth of him as a judge of inclusiveness.
Asked to respond, the Fiorina campaign passed along the following statement, from Julie Soderlund, deputy campaign manager for communications:
"It goes without saying that as a mainstream conservative, unlike Barbara Boxer, Carly Fiorina strongly disagrees with Jesse Jackson’s political agenda. Her remarks Wednesday were focused on the importance of women recognizing and seizing opportunities to serve in public office where they have an interest in so doing, something we’d hope her opponents would seek to encourage rather than attack. It also isn’t surprising that Carly’s career politician opponents would take issue with the suggestion that they should be replaced with people who have real world experience because are continually failing to represent the interests of the people of this state and country – a fact their dismal approval ratings clearly confirm."
UPDATE: The Chuck DeVore campaign just passed along some more speeches Fiorina gave praising Jesse Jackson during her days as CEO at HP.
In a 2003 speech, Fiorina said, "in the past 40 years, there are very few people who have used their talent along lines of excellence to achieve more things for more people in more places than Reverend Jackson. And we are all better off for his leadership."
In the same speech, she recalls when Jackson called her on the phone to offer her encouragement, and to pray with her. She recounted: "I hung up the phone and said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve just been praying with the Reverend Jackson.’"
And in yet another speech in 2000, Fiorina praised Jackson's "passion" and "his courageous message and his wonderful convictions..."
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Flip Dixon| 1.22.10 @ 3:17PM
I doubt this means much. Didn't Jack Kemp have a pretty nice relationship with Jackson? Not to mention Newt G. hanging out with Al Sharpton.
Pete| 1.22.10 @ 3:23PM
Large companies routinely do such things as they are constantly be sued by "diverse" people who claim discrimination in order to get a big check.
Norm Thomas| 1.22.10 @ 3:46PM
Flip and Pete have this exactly right. If you're in corporate American, you must bow before the Reverend Jackson. I'm guessing Carly thinks he's a gasbag. I wouldn't hold this against her.
Tom Davis| 1.22.10 @ 4:04PM
All comments seem to get it. I really like Mr. Klein's work, but to find this disturbing shows a pretty shocking naivete.
Randy Walker| 1.22.10 @ 4:19PM
I love the righteousness of DC writers. Oh yes, it really is "shocking" and "disturbing" to "play the game" with the likes of Jackson. Have you ever run a company Mr. Klein? It's considerably more challenging than posting on a website, and you have to answer to a hell of a lot of people. Jackson and his ilk are race hustlers, but unfortunately we live in a time that requires CEOs to "play the game". You and I may like it, but shareholders aren't very interested in principled stands. It's a lot cheaper to pay lip service to idiots like Jackson and Sharpton.
Martin| 1.22.10 @ 4:37PM
The problem with that thesis is that Fiorina demonstrated pretty conclusively that she can't run a hot dog stand; her only success was in ripping off HP shareholders for her excessive compensation. I'll put up with Meg Whitman, another dodgy late 90s CEO, if I have to but Fiorina is a sleaze too far. She's an extreme liberal and corporatist who makes Dede Scozzafava look like Calvin Coolidge. She's also probably the best hope the Dems have of holding the seat.
SoCon| 1.22.10 @ 4:37PM
Carly's a RINO and we all know it--but what would YOU do and who would YOU vote for if Barbie (call me senator, General) Boxer were YOUR senator?
I don't think Carly's more liberal than Scott Brown, right? I'll have to research it.
Greg Cole| 1.22.10 @ 4:40PM
Flip, Norm and Pete have this exactly right. Phil I am surprised at your carrying water for the DeVore campaign.
This "revelation" does not mean squat.
SoCon| 1.22.10 @ 4:40PM
Geez, Martin, I didn't think Carly was that bad. Whitman turns me off, too, though.
We're going to have to fight for DeVore.
SoCon| 1.22.10 @ 4:44PM
Forget Campbell, too--can't stand that RINO. Unctuous as hell.
What's wrong with DeVore? At least he's a Conservative.
Joshua Trevino| 1.22.10 @ 4:55PM
Hang on here, folks. First things first: I work for the DeVore campaign, so full disclosure there. But let me just posit one thing:
This wouldn't be a campaign issue .... if Carly Fiorina hadn't made a campaign speech about it.
Greg Cole| 1.22.10 @ 5:02PM
Trevino's comment is a joke. Josh, you and the DeVore Campaign Team have been pushing her innocuous comments all morning and now afternoon.
Playing the racial association card because you are at 6% in the polls is pretty pathetic - but understandable.
SoCon| 1.22.10 @ 5:52PM
You work for Carly, Greg? And if so why not admit it?
And you know damn straight that 6% could skyrocket quickly.
Joshua Trevino| 1.22.10 @ 5:15PM
Very good to have it on record that criticizing Jesse Jackson, and affiliation with Jesse Jackson, is "[p]laying the racial association card" in the eyes of the Fiorina shills.
Which goes back to what we've been saying from day one: Carly Fiorina and her supporters may be a movement of Republicans, but they are not a movement of conservatives. QED.
Greg Cole| 1.22.10 @ 5:24PM
Just love the hubris from the DeVore spokesman on who and who is not a conservative.
QED indeed.
SoCon| 1.22.10 @ 5:50PM
Well, I have no problem with the right of free speech, Greg--and I don't think it's arrogant to exercise it, do you?
What's your definition of a conservative? And, full disclosure; do you work for a candidate?
Yosemeti Sam| 1.22.10 @ 11:04PM
And did Ms. Fiorina have a tingle running down
her leg while being spiritually/philosophically/morally guided during business talk or otherwise by the ever rev Jackson?
That same rascally barnacle on society whose HR son - no doubt sermonized during his formative years - voted against stopping partial birth abortions.
darcy| 1.23.10 @ 2:44AM
Here is the money quote:
'"In a 2003 speech, Fiorina said, "in the past 40 years, there are very few people who have used their talent along lines of excellence to achieve more things for more people in more places than Reverend Jackson. And we are all better off for his leadership."'
My take: If she really believes this then her ability to judge character and motive are sadly lacking -- sufficient to disqualify her for the office she seeks; and if she doesn't believe it and feels compelled to spout such utter rubbish to acheive some end, then she is most certainly NOT TO BE TRUSTED about anything.
Manolo Blahnik Pumps| 1.25.10 @ 1:28AM
Here is the money quote:
'"In a 2003 speech, Fiorina said, "in the past 40 years, there are very few people who have used their talent along lines of excellence to achieve more things for more people in more places than Reverend Jackson. And we are all better off for his leadership."'
randyinrocklin| 1.25.10 @ 11:40AM
Fiorina is nothing but a RINO. McCain is endorsing her along with the other Establishment Republicans. Mr. Trevino, Chuck needs to start getting on FOX News, talk radio (Rush, KSFO,KFI) Glenn Beck and promote his conservative credentials.
Fiorina is a flaming femenazi and playing the gender card. She is unfit to represent the conservatives in the race for Senate. I hope Palin stays away from her and endorse the real conservative Chuck Devore.