1.) She’s a survivor.
Just like Destiny’s Child hit song “Survivor” says, Carly won’t give up and won’t stop. She has battled life’s greatest hardships time and time again. She battled breast cancer and won. She watched a child die before her. She rose from a medieval history and philosophy degree to the CEO of a Fortune 100 company to a presidential candidate. If there is a presidential candidate who has proven to be bravely resilient, it’s Carly.
2.) She’s unabashedly pro-life.
When Carly stepped on stage for the CNN GOP Debate on September 26th, she made it very clear that she was making the pro-life cause her own. While other candidates have definitely been champions for pro-lifers, it has been especially inspiring to watch a strong, conservative feminist prove that you can be both pro-life and pro-woman. The best part of her call-to-action was her rawness. She called attention to what the media has been avoiding and hiding: “As regards Planned Parenthood, anyone who has watched this videotape — I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes… Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.”
3.) She proves that there is nothing wrong with failing.
In our current economy, college graduates are finding fewer and fewer job prospects post-graduation. This is especially true for those who graduate with degrees in the liberal arts. It’s believed almost universally that you cannot be marketable and have a philosophy degree at the same time. Luckily enough, raw talent and initiative can do just the trick. While visiting with the Network of Enlightened Women last year, Carly proved that the worst résumé can still lead you anywhere you dream: “Hated law school. Quit law school after one semester. And now my resume reads, ‘Medieval history and philosophy. Law school dropout.” She then became a secretary and worked her way up to CEO of Hewlett-Packard and future presidential candidate. She knows how to put herself in a winning situation.
4.) Despite her incredible success, she remains humble.
Carly has made many a commencement address. She is one of the most successful women in the United States; that’s no secret. One quote from Ms. Fiorina’s commencement address to the graduating class of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2008 exhibits her humility rooted in faith:
The truth is, I’m proud of the life I’ve lived so far, and though I’ve made my share of mistakes, I have no regrets. The worst thing I could have imagined happened. I lost my job in the most public way possible, and the press had a field day with it all over the world. And guess what? I’m still here. I am at peace and my soul is intact. I could have given it away and the story would be different. But I heard the word of Scripture in my head: ‘What benefit will it be to you if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul?’
Carly Fiorina is inching her way to the top, following behind Donald Trump and Ben Carson. She proved herself to be a worthy contender from her first debate and keeps getting better. We look forward to hearing more from her.
Carolina Baker works for American Principles in Action.
