Face to face with some of her party’s wealthiest donors, Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina made clear Saturday night she won’t shy away from attacking Democrats and their record of governance.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signaled he has no problem going straight at GOP front-runner Donald Trump, whom he’ll likely face at next week’s first presidential nomination debate in Cleveland.
Mrs. Fiorina and Mr. Walker were the first of five Republican presidential contenders to address the Freedom Partners’ donor conference at Dana Point resort in Southern California organized by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.
Sens. Mario Rubio, 44, and Ted Cruz, 44, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, 62, will appear on the same stage for 25 minutes each on Sunday.
With Politico’s Mike Allen asking questions, Mr. Walker hit the applause-meter bull’s-eye a bit more often Saturday night than Mrs. Fiorina. But both candidates drew brief spells of clapping and an occasional ripple of laughter from some in the audience of 450 persons. They included some of America’s richest Republicans donors as well as GOP Senate and House members.
At one point Mr. Allen said that of all the 17 or so GOP presidential wannabes, Mrs. Fiorina has emitted the most unrelenting criticism of former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic presidential nomination front runner.
Asked if it was really in her interest to be known as the “attack dog,” Mrs. Fiorina said calmly that she didn’t everyone knows her as an attack dog. But no matter who the Democratic nominee is, she added, “I will attack him or her for their record.”
Mr. Walker fielded a question about how he, though claiming to be a paradigm of fiscal restraint, would approve spending $500 million in taxpayer money on a basketball arena in Milwaukee.
Unfazed, Mr. Walker, in an open-collared button-down shirt and slacks, explained that the money each basketball game brings to the state in revenue from that arena makes the taxpayer investment tiny by comparison and a move any smart businessman running a state would make.
Mrs. Fiorina during her segment kept her eye on the prize – relentlessly attacking Mrs. Clinton and the Democrats.
“In the end,” she said, “the Democratic party is the one we have to go after instead of beating up on each other.”
When Mr. Allen the moderator-interviewer asked of she thought Mr. Trumpcould be the nominee, Mrs. Fiorina said, “It’s up to Republican voters. You can’t run for president unless have faith in the common sense of Republican voters.”
When it was his turn, Mr. Walker took the Trump bait, saying he took issue with the billionaire developer and reality TV star “when he went after Sen. John McCain” who, Mr. Walker reasserted “was undoubtedly a hero.”
The Wisconsin governor then complained that Mr. Trump went after Mr. Walker this week because of something a campaign volunteer had said to offend Mr. Trump.
Mr. Walker complained that Mr. Trump retaliated by using the same talking points Democrats had used against Mr. Walker in past elections. Then he pivoted to his record on education in Wisconsin.
• Ralph Z. Hallow can be reached at rhallow@gmail.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.