A while back, we watched Rand Paul turn the standard media "gotcha" questions about abortion into a deft attack against the left. It was smart, tough, and something you'd hope to see more of. If you've been watching Carly Fiorina's nascent campaign, you have. In fact, she's turned the idea of making opponents into their own worst enemies into something of an art form.
If Hillary refuses to answer a question, Fiorina points that out in her own response. If Hillary dodges the press for one of her supporter-only "closed-door meetings," Fiorina sets up out front and invites the press to grill her. It's been a pleasure to watch and, yesterday, she used the strategy to turn a gotcha into a sharp attack against Obama and Clinton.
As you're probably aware, the left is trying to make "equal pay for women" into a major 2016 issue. It seems several, always unnamed, Republicans want to make sure women don't make as much money as their male counterparts. This, of course, is idiotic. ...But it's the kind of identity politics that serves as the foundation of all Democrat campaigning and fundraising.
So, when Andrea Mitchell asked Fiorina about the equal pay "issue," she decided to remind everyone that Hillary Clinton is the last person who should be discussing it. After all, females made 72 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts - while working on Mrs. Clinton's Senate staff:
"What about the issue of Hillary Clinton saying she represents everyday Americans," Mitchell asked. "Here she is talking about equal pay. Do you support equal pay for women?"
"Of course I support equal pay for equal work," Fiorina replied. "That’s why - in 1963 - when a law was passed guaranteeing that if a woman is discriminated against in the workforce purely because of her gender, she should take every advantage of the law."
"But I also know this," she continued. "A seniority centered system which exists in the federal government that allows a man to watch pornography all day long in the federal government and earn the same pay, pension, and benefits as a woman sitting next to him trying to do a good job, that is not equal pay for equal work. And the seniority system, and the federal government that promotes that seniority system - and the unions as well - they’re not willing to talk about that. So before a federal government or Hillary Clinton - who by her own measures is not paying women equally in her own office, nor is President Obama - before they lecture others, maybe they ought to look into their own offices or look into the seniority system and the federal government."
And that's how it's done.
What was supposed to serve as a trap becomes a weapon and challenge to the press. Fiorina answers the question while simultaneously drawing attention to Hillary's failure in the same area. If she keeps it up, the Dems "inevitable" candidate will be forced to defend her hypocrisy.
Don't fear the press. Use them as a tool.
A while back, we watched Rand Paul turn the standard media "gotcha" questions about abortion into a deft attack against the left. It was smart, tough, and something you'd hope to see more of. If you've been watching Carly Fiorina's nascent campaign, you have. In fact, she's turned the idea of making opponents into their own worst enemies into something of an art form.
If Hillary refuses to answer a question, Fiorina points that out in her own response. If Hillary dodges the press for one of her supporter-only "closed-door meetings," Fiorina sets up out front and invites the press to grill her. It's been a pleasure to watch and, yesterday, she used the strategy to turn a gotcha into a sharp attack against Obama and Clinton.
