(CNN) – Republican Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina expressed regret Sunday for a recent, unguarded comment about her rival's hair style that was caught on a live microphone as she prepped for a television interview last week.
"God, what is that hair?" Fiorina said of Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California. "So yesterday."
Related: Open mic catches Fiorina dig at Boxer
Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Fiorina tried to move past the embarrassing moment.
"Well, I was quoting a friend of mine," Fiorina said, according to a transcript. "But look, I regret this whole situation. I gave people the opportunity to talk about something petty and superficial. And this is a very serious election year about serious issues."
But Fiorina did not directly respond Sunday when asked whether she'd called Boxer to apologize.
"You know, what I think I owe the voters is a commitment to stay focused on facts, on issues and on the things that really matter, and I will keep that commitment to the voters," the California Republican said.
On the issues, Fiorina said that her race against Boxer is about the economy, the need for job creation, and the proper and reach of the federal government.
"We're not just going through tough economic times in California. We are destroying jobs. And we're destroying them because of a government that is too big, taxes that are too high, regulations that are too thick. So this election is about jobs, but it's also about out-of-control government.
"And the reason I am running for the Senate is because so much of the Senate's work impacts every family and every business in California."
In a separate appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Fiorina sought to play up her outsider credentials during a midterm election year that some political observers see as an anti-incumbent, anti-Washington election year.
"I've never been in politics before. I've never run for office. But I think our founding fathers intended this to be a citizen government. It's what of, by and for the people means."
Fiorina added, "If I am fortunate enough to win this seat in November, it will be because the people of California send me to Washington, not the Republican Party. I am my own person, and I will continue to be my own person."
Two recent nonpartisan polls conducted before Fiorina secured the GOP nomination both suggested that Boxer is leading Fiorina by single digits in a general election matchup.
Both polls also indicated that Fiorina is within striking distance of the Democratic incumbent, with roughly 13 percent of those surveyed in each poll saying they had not decided who they would support in November.
From CNN Politics
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Yeah. Sure. When she's caught mouthing off, she expresses "regret," but I bet if she wasn't caught, she'd still think she was really funny. Yet another politician for California- we get the best that money can buy. You betcha.
Typical repug ... more worried about appearances than substance ... another Palin in the making ... drill baby drill
Both Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman are corporate crooks who have NO business running for political office.
We must never allow our nation's crooked and dishonest chief embezzelling officers (aka CEO's) to seize control of our government.
Fiorina is tacky and catty. She deserves to lose. We do NOT need people like that in politics. We already have too many nuts in politics.
I watched Ms. Fiorina this morning on Meet the Press, and I wish just once, a Republican would say what they would do. Saying government is too big and that they want smaller government is all they say. What exactly would they cut from the government and they all say they want to cut taxes. What will they do with less revenues, you can't run any kind of government, be it city, state or federal without revenue. Our state has cut all they can, tightening their belts won't work if there's nothing left to tighten.
What an artful dodger! She said it. She meant it. Quoting a friend? With approval, is what I saw and heard. Rich and vain and stupid. What a joke.
carly, carly, carly, where you do you think your friend the quitter would be if she didn't look half way decent?
Did you give her the name of your plastic surgeon? Very subtle but face done and those new headlights???
And you are being so childish as to talk about somebody's hair style?
I can't believe that the people of CA would be so dumb as to elect somebody who not only almost brought HP down but she took American out of the country and fired thousands of Americans so that she could make more money. HP's stock went down two thirds and she has been listed as one of the 20 worst CEOs of all times.
Yes, it was petty Carly and it shows that you are petty which is why you won't win in November. How childish. We already have too many children in Washington and we don't need any more. Your party is made up of children and that's why we won't vote for you!
carly, carly, carly, where you do you think your friend the quitter would be if she didn't look half way decent?
Did you give her the name of your plastic surgeon? Very subtle but face done and those new headlights???
And you are being so childish as to talk about somebody's hair style?
Remember when you bring her back to campaign for you that it's not about you at all. That should make you plenty jealous but you are so power hungry that it won't matter to you until you get elected.
Fiorna destroyed millions of jobs while at Lucent and HP, outscourced them to Asia; there is no big bad government to blame, no one but herself.
Has everyone forgot about her central role in the illegal pretexting case Hewlett Packard was involved in a scant 5-6 years ago where they used private investigators to obtain the cell phone records of certain board members and Silicon Valley journalists? A central figure in this pretexting conspiracy was Larry Sonsini, who is central to her California campaign.
BTW, after Fiorna destroyed HP, destroyed thousands of former HP employees lives, she received over $40 million in severance pay. Nice work if you can get it...
This is one woman who has no business criticizing someone else's appearance!
I heard her this Sunday on NBC and she was a parrot of the same BS the President should do more and we need less government involvement. These people make no sense. She even talked about people being fired. What about her past. Of course she has not political experience at all but as long as she spews the same BS she will be a Tea Party and GOP favorite sort of like Palin.
Carly Fiorina is so imature! She has not business running for Senate. But if one WERE to compare hair styles, I would suggest she first look into a mirror, YIKES.
Go back to your desk in Seventh Grade. Your buddy, Sarah Palin, is waitin for you.
Amizing that anyone would vote for this woman. Everyone knows what she did to HP. She totally destroyed one of the best American Icons ever. Many people lost their jobs to people in Costa Rica. She was forced and and got a golden parachute that would make any exec jealous.
Sending her to congress to represent "the people" is just crazy talk. She represents big business and everything that wrong with big business.
Carly Fiorina is so imature; she has no business running for senate, if that is what she focusus on. BUT if anyone was having a bad hair day was Carly Fiorina.
She's not ready for prime time, or political office for that matter.
Yeah sure..i bet she was quoting "a friend of hers" lol
Talking about other women's hair is "so yesterday"
You don't want to know what I think of Carly Firorina.
And here I thought Fiorina's hair was weird. It makes her look like a bird.
Too bad Fiorina, but nowadays politics IS petty. Get used to it.
I'd rather have a politician with bad hair that knew what they were doing, than a politician with "today's" hair that was nothing more than an over-privelaged windbag. You're damaged goods before you're even elected.
I'd say her chances for election victory are "so yesterday".
Her comments said more about her character than about Boxer's hairdo...I don't think the voters vote on hair style...
I regret this whole situation, meaning, I regret the mic was on. Real disingenuous Carly.