Callie Crossley: Confronting the Fiorina conundrum

Strike one for the sisterhood.

There she was, the only woman in CNN’s Republican debate, standing strong among the ten male candidates. Carly Fiorina’s two debate performances catapulted her from near the bottom in the national polls to very near the top. It’s enough to make American women everywhere burst with pride. Right?

Not so much. Fiorina’s increasing prominence has reenergized an ongoing off stage debate — the conversation among women about how to support women with whom you fundamentally disagree.

I admit I’m stumped to think of an issue about which Carly Fiorina and I agree. And I should add I have been appalled by her many factual misstatements including her dramatic story about Planned Parenthood, and the embellishments to her career history. Cynically, it’s what I expect from a lot of politicians, but still…

But, I admit I whooped with glee when Fiorina looked into the camera during the CNN forum and shut down frontrunner Donald Trump saying, “I think women all over this country heard, very clearly, what Mr. Trump said.” Fiorina was, of course, referring to Trump’s now infamous comments about her face. I enjoyed watching her skillfully grab precious minutes of airtime. And I have also appreciated how she’s comported herself on the late night talk shows, and in town halls, and TV news interviews.

So, at the risk of being banished to the bad feminist tent, I’m working hard to maintain a “both/ and” response to her. I can celebrate Carly Fiorina as a smart, talented, confident woman, but I can also vigorously disagree with her politically.

That means I speak up publicly to point out sexism whoever the women are. It’s why I’ve long noted that Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was the only candidate asked how she would take care of her children if she won. Fiorina has already fended off comments and questions about her appearance. And let’s not forget the disgusting merchandise, and nasty comments targeted against Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential campaign. Certainly a lot of women cried foul at the time, but it’s safe to say most of the protestors were women who supported her political views.

I take seriously progressive writer Elizabeth Bruenig’s warning that it is a dangerous move “to substitute identity affinities for political analysis.” She says “ridiculously dangerous.” But I also hear Young Voices Advocate Anne Butcher acknowledging the “complicated reality” that people can disagree, “while still believing that men and women are equal and deserving of the same opportunities.”

Intellectually both points make sense to me, but emotionally I’ll admit it’s often hard to get to the green patch of common ground, when the rest of the yard is choked with weeds.

A version of this commentary first appeared on WGBHNews.org.