Carly Fiorina explained, “I look forward to having a substantive conversation about the issues that face our nation with the other front-runners.”
Fiorina, appearing on the Hugh Hewitt Show Tuesday fresh off the news of a rule change for the September 16 CNN debate, said that she looks “forward to discussing and debating with” Donald Trump.
In a statement made to The Daily Caller, Fiorina said, “Thank you to Daily Caller readers for helping us challenge the status quo and take on the political establishment.”
Hugh Hewitt: So pleased to bring you breaking news. CNN has amended its rules for the debate in which I will participating as a panelist on September 16th, and the person most likely to benefit from that amendment is joining me now live on the line, Carly Fiorina. Hello Carly. Welcome. It’s good to have you back.
Carly Fiorina: Well, thank you so much, Hugh. And really, I’m calling to say thank you. Thank you to you. Thank you to all your listeners. Your listeners put a lot of pressure on CNN and CNN responded. Good for them. It’s good for the RNC. Thank you so much.
Hewitt: I think CNN made a very solid news decision. I have Mark Preston coming on after the break to discuss it. What’s your reaction on how does it change – if anything – what Carly Fiorina is doing to prepare for the Reagan Library debate?
Fiorina: Well obviously, now we know who we’re going to be on the stage with. That’s helpful (laughs). And I really look forward to the debate. I look forward to having a substantive conversation that I know that’s what we will have because you, Hugh, are one of the moderators. I look forward to having a substantive conversation about the issues that face our nation with the other front-runners. Which we would have more of, not less of.
Hewitt: Does this instantly become a Trump-Fiorina showdown?
Fiorina: I don’t know about that, but certainly Trump is the front-runner. He is someone that I look forward to discussing and debating with.
Hewitt: Now since the announcement was made by CNN about an hour ago. I’m sure you’ve been deluged with calls from all the national news media. Did their amendment explanation make as much sense to you as it did to me?
Fiorina: Well it does make sense because what they basically acknowledged is that in this particular cycle unlike, apparently, other cycles, there was just too few polls after the August 6th debate as compared to the number of polls before the August 6th debate. We can argue about whether national polls are the right polls. I happen to think state polls are more relevant because – after all – we have a state primary system, not a national primary system. On the other hand, a poll came out today – PPP – I’m number four. It’s pretty clear that I’m in the top five. And so, I think they made the right decision based on the data which clearly has shifted – in my case – dramatically, from prior to August 6th to post-August 6th.
Hewitt: Now Carly Fiorina, are you doing debate prep in the classic style of the murder boards they’re called, where you have eleven people on the stage and three people playing the panelists. Are you doing that?
Fiorina: No. Not in that sense. That’s a lot to try and simulate. I think I would probably use a very similar practice as the one I used last time which is that there a whole set of issues that I will want to become more educated about. There’re a series of questions that I will have think through my answers to. The truth is, you don’t exactly what exactly you’re going to be asked. The truth is, you need to be able to respond in an authentic and straightforward manner no matter what you’re asked. And the truth is, you have to able to roll with the punches and go where the conversation goes.
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