Fiorina: Veep Talk is ‘Sexist’

Carly Fiorina blasted suggestions she is in the 2016 GOP race for the running mate nod, declaring such talk is “sexist.”

“I am as qualified a candidate as anyone running,” she said during an appearance on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” “No one talks about the men being in it to be veep. I’m not in it to be veep. I’m in this to win this job and to do this job.”

Fiorina is on something of a victory lap after CNN announced this week it would give in to pressure from her campaign and create a path for the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard to be included in the CNN September 16 primetime debate.

“I’ve earned this place,” Fiorina said, dismissing suggestions by critics, including Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, that her inclusion was a form of affirmative action by the Republican National Committee and CNN.

“I earned this place, by virtue of my position in the polls,” Fiorina continued. “No one else in the race has gone from the bottom 17 to the top 10. I have.”

She added, “I think the reason CNN changed their minds is because the facts changed, as they said in their statement.”

Over the past several weeks, Fiorina has furiously protested debate guidelines originally set by the RNC and CNN to only include the top 10 candidates based on national polling going back to early summer. Fiorina, the largest beneficiary in the polls from the first set of debates Aug. 6 hosted by Fox, argued the polls following that debate were more significant and representative of the will of the Republican base.

“We had literally thousands and thousands and thousands of people across the country who thought the game was rigged, the deck was stacked,” Fiorina told Ingraham. “This is a Republican primary, not a media primary.”

In a separate appearance on Ingraham’s shows, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called out Fiorina for trying to change the debate rules.

“I don’t think you ever win a game by complaining with the umpires,” Christie said. “If it turns out that Carly’s upon the stage … all it will mean is that there’s a little less time for everybody.”

Asked if he was worried about missing the primetime stage, Christie was firm.

“No, I’ll make the stage,” Christie said, citing his understanding of CNN’s rules modification.