Carly Fiorina - All Flash, No Substance

Carly Fiorina began her Presidential campaign as relatively unknown. The one-time Senate candidate and former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, she was easily lost in the crowd. Fiorina's performed with the most polish and charisma at the August 6th bush-league debate, and it almost singlehandedly shot her up in the polls. She went from a margin of error away from nonexistence to the top five.

Fiorina's rise, and her campaign thus far, has been built on the narrative she's constructed of her previous business experience. A quick glance at her campaign website reveals no substantive policy ideas, instead showing glowing statements about her background.

In many cases, Presidential campaigns are built around a figure and an image, rather than ideas. Fiorina is no exception. She frequently cites her rise from secretary to CEO, portraying herself as a self-made success. She also remains one of the best speakers in the field.

Fiorina's speaking skills, and her ability to craft a narrative around her life, explain her recent rise. At this point, most voters favor candidates based on presentation and style rather than substance. Fiorina is not reaping the benefits alone. Other candidates, like Ben Carson, employ the same strategy.

Both Fiorina and Carson are running as political outsiders, with neither holding public office prior to their campaigns. Fiorina bills this as a positive, claiming the "political class" is responsible for all the nation's woes.

Fiorina's campaign fits her message. Her campaign speeches are all carefully engineered to preserve her "political outsider" identity, and any steps towards actually discussing public policy would chip away at that. Carly Fiorina can't start talking about ideas, or her image would collapse. Right now, Fiorina is all flash, no substance. Unless her campaign evolves, her rise in the polls will be just a blip in the books.