Kevin Cirilli writes:\u00a0 Carly Fiorina\u2019s political future depends on whether she can defend her record as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.<\/p>\n
Fiorina said members of her own board leaked confidential information to the media to undermine her decisions, though she stopped short of alleging outright sexism. She was the first female CEO of a Fortune 20 company.<\/p>\n
\u201cMen understand other men\u2019s need for respect, but they don\u2019t always understand women\u2019s need for respect,\u201d Fiorina said. \u201cThe situation that transpired in the boardroom was all about certain board members wanting to protect their position when they felt threatened, because their behavior was against the code of conduct, and they knew that I as a leader would not tolerate that conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked again if she thought underlying sexism contributed to her firing, she said, \u201cThere\u2019s no question that women in positions of authority are scrutinized differently, criticized differently and characterized different.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following her departure, she said HP officials monitored her phone calls to see if she had been the one leaking the negative information.<\/p>\n
\u201cSet aside the legality for a moment \u2014 that is a terrible practice for a board to engage in, and it\u2019s evidence of their dysfunction,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Both critics and supporters portray her as a determined leader. She was ousted, detractors say, partly because of declining stock price and a controversial merger with Compaq that butted heads with HP\u2019s founders\u2019 vision for the future.<\/p>\n
Still, she said President George W. Bush called to offer her a job in his administration the day after she was fired, though she declined to say which one.<\/p>\n
Another phone call she received was from the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs. She said he urged her to take her time and not do anything for at least six months. She said Jobs told her HP would \u201cregret\u201d firing her one day.<\/p>\n
Fiorina is hardly a presidential front-runner. But as the only likely female Republican presidential candidate, she has an important place in the field.<\/p>\n
She is often mentioned as a potential vice presidential pick to the eventual Republican nominee. And her supporters praise her fiery speeches that frequently take on Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner.<\/p>\n
But her business record has resurfaced as she\u2019s stepped back into the media limelight. Earlier this month, MSNBC\u2019s \u201cMorning Joe\u201d co-host Mika Brzezinski confronted Fiorina about her business record during a contentious appearance.\u00a0 Fiorina said she made tough choices that were best for the company.<\/p>\n
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