Demon Sheep: the sequel, starring Carly Fiorina

Former Hewlett-Packard honcho Carly Fiorina, a candidate for US Senate, put out a bizarre political ad depicting a Republican primary competitor as a red-eyed sheep. Now, she's the 'demon sheep' in a Democratic video.

US Senate candidate Carly Fiorina surrounded by supporters at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California on Saturday, March 13.

Newscom

May 7, 2010

The “demon sheep” are b-a-a-a-a-ck.

Democrats in California and Washington have produced a sequel to the bizarre political ad Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina put out in February, depicting primary competitor Tom Campbell as a red-eyed sheep. Or actually, as a red-eyed man dressed up as a sheep who is – and here’s the scary part – a fiscal liberal.

The original ad went viral, at least in the political world, and raised the ultimate question: Is Ms. Fiorina trying to lose the election, or what? Or maybe it was so out there, in a cheesy but entertaining way, that it showed Fiorina was actually kind of cool. Either way, the ad generated buzz.

Now the California Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have revived the genre with “Demon Sheep II: The Fleecing of California.” In the sequel, Fiorina is a red-eyed ewe in pearls, flying around in her seven corporate jets and lounging in her two yachts.

As a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard who was ultimately fired, Fiorina is taken to task for her record – 28,000 California workers fired, the faux movie trailer asserts, their jobs sent to China, India, and Europe. The workers are depicted as sheep on the Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, and Eiffel Tower. The people of California are also sheep, natch.

“Carly has been very, very ba-a-a-a-d,” Mr. Movie Voice intones, unleashing one bad pun after another. She’s “still trying to pull the wool over our eyes.”

But wait, there’s more. Part three will feature another GOP primary competitor, conservative state Assembly member Chuck DeVore, in “Demon Sheep III: The Tea Party’s Over.”

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then maybe Fiorina will appreciate the Democrats’ new ad. The bigger boon to her campaign, though, may be her endorsement Thursday by Sarah Palin, who cited Fiorina’s fiscal conservatism and private-sector experience. Ms. Palin may also have felt some allegiance to Fiorina, who had advised the McCain-Palin ticket in 2008. The Palin endorsement represented a blow to Assemblyman DeVore, who is a "tea party" movement favorite.

The primary is June 8, and the winner will face Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in November.

Related:

Carly Fiorina's bizarre political ad: Tom Campbell as demon sheep

Carly Fiorina's bizarre ad II: Barbara Boxer as 'demon blimp'