Carly Fiorina tests her political mettle as McCain advisor

SAN FRANCISCO — A self-described "change warrior," Carly Fiorina has been a law school dropout, a real estate broker, an English teacher, a telecommunications executive and the first woman to be hired, then fired, as chief executive of a Fortune 20 company.

The former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO is again forging new territory for herself, this time in the highest ranks of American politics. She has quickly emerged as a high-level advisor to Sen. John McCain's campaign in the Arizona Republican's bid for the White House.

Her rise has spurred speculation that Fiorina, famous for breaking glass ceilings, is auditioning for her next act -- political office -- after the biggest disappointment of her career.

Fiorina, 53, is doing yeoman's service for the campaign in exchange for the chance to refashion her image as a political contender. She takes part in daily strategy sessions, advises McCain on the economy and acts as his surrogate in battleground states and with women.

Not that she hasn't had her missteps.

Her poise and freshness have been offset at times by her inexperience and her contentious tenure at HP, during which she cut more than 20,000 jobs and the venerable technology company's stock fell by nearly half. Democrats say that Fiorina is a ripe target, viewed as an elitist who threw the company into turmoil before walking away with $21 million in severance and other payments.

On the campaign trail, a comment she made about insurers and Viagra created an embarrassing moment for McCain. In the following weeks, she showed her face less frequently in public but appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

Her rise in politics has marked quite a comeback. In 2005, Fiorina was dismissed by HP. Three years later, she is discussed as a potential vice president.

"To be suddenly cast in the World Series is unusual," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic political consultant. "She's had a few moments where she has said something that has gotten her in trouble. But no one goes from having never playing baseball to getting hits."

Political consultants say Fiorina serves several roles in shaping the candidate's image. She "softens" McCain by trumpeting his more moderate positions. Her business resume bolsters his economic credentials. And she is a counterpoint to McCain's image as a man's man, championing the Republican senator as a friend to women.