Carly Fiorina Plans to Excoriate Hillary Clinton, and Her Competition is Grateful for It

At National Journal, "Playing the Heavy":

Hundreds of conservative and evangelical activists had been listening politely and applauding on cue as Carly Fiorina talked about God, and opportunity, and work ethic. For many of those attending the Iowa Freedom Summit, it was the first time they'd heard her speak. For some, it was the first time they'd heard of her at all.

Then, more than 10 minutes into the speech, she mentioned Hillary Clinton.

"Like Hillary Clinton, I too have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles around the globe," said Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett Packard. "But unlike her, I've actually accomplished something. You see, Mrs. Clinton, flying is not an accomplishment; it is an activity."

The audience roared and was suddenly engaged, hanging on her words as she criticized Clinton on one issue after another. And when she landed on Benghazi—"Unlike Hillary Clinton, I know what difference it makes that our American ambassador and three other brave Americans were killed in a deliberate terrorist attack"—the crowd surged to its feet with a standing ovation.

"That's the first time I've ever seen her in person, and, frankly, I was moved by the speech. That takes a lot," says Sam Clovis, a former conservative radio host and tea-party favorite in Iowa. "It was the perfect speech on the perfect topic at the perfect place at the perfect time given in the perfect manner."

Fiorina, the only Republican woman actively considering a run for the White House, is taking on Clinton more forcefully and directly than any other GOP contender. It's a deliberate strategy meant to make headlines, differentiate her from the pack, and elevate her position on the national stage. And in the process, it's winning her friends, as Fiorina assumes an attack role that many Republican strategists think male GOP candidates need to avoid...

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This sounds pretty packaged and slickly marketed, and it's apparently working for her. But what's her game? Recall that Ms. Fiorina ran for U.S. Senate in 2010, and was defeated handily by Barbara Boxer. She's never held elective office. I imagine she's got even less of a chance to win the 2016 GOP nomination than Michele Bachmann had in 2012. Perhaps she's looking to do well in a primary or two to position herself as a legitimate running mate for the eventual nominee. A woman would certainly be a nice touch, and Fiorina's smart. She wouldn't generate the kind of attacks that hit Sarah Palin in 2008, although leftists are so evil I can imagine the most horrific smears on the former CEO even now. (Health issues? Say vicious attacks on her as a cancer survivor? Put nothing past the diabolical left.)

In any case, we'll see.