Meg Whitman

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}}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}} }}{{#if:|{{#if:||{{#ifeq:{{#ifeq:|no|yes}}|yes||}}}} }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox officeholder with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| regexp1 = 1blankname[%d]* | regexp2 = 1namedata[%d]* | regexp3 = 2blankname[%d]* | regexp4 = 2namedata[%d]* | regexp5 = 3blankname[%d]* | regexp6 = 3namedata[%d]* | regexp7 = 4blankname[%d]* | regexp8 = 4namedata[%d]* | regexp9 = 5blankname[%d]* | regexp10 = 5namedata[%d]* | allegiance | alma_mater | regexp11 = alongside[%d]* | alt | regexp12 = ambassador_from[%d]* | regexp13 = appointed[%d]* | regexp14 = appointer[%d]* | regexp15 = assembly[%d]* | awards | battles | battles_label | birth_date | birth_name | birth_place | birthname | regexp16 = blank[%d]* | bodyclass | branch | branch_label | cabinet | candidate | caption | categories | regexp17 = chancellor[%d]* | children | citizenship | regexp18 = co%-leader[%d]* | commands | committees | regexp19 = constituency[%d]* | regexp20 = constituency_AM[%d]* | regexp21 = constituency_MP[%d]* | regexp22 = convocation[%d]* | regexp23 = country[%d]* | regexp24 = data[%d]* | date | death_cause | death_date | death_manner | death_place | demo | regexp25 = deputy[%d]* | regexp26 = district[%d]* | education | election_date | embed | father | regexp28 = firstminister[%d]* | footnotes | regexp29 = governor[%d]* | regexp30 = governor_general[%d]* | regexp31 = governor%-general[%d]* | height | honorific_prefix | honorific-prefix | honorific_suffix | honorific-suffix | image | image name | image_name_alt | image_size | imagesize | image_upright | incumbent | regexp32 = jr/sr[%d]* | regexp33 = jr/sr and state[%d]* | known_for | regexp34 = leader[%d]* | regexp35 = legislature[%d]* | regexp36 = lieutenant[%d]* | regexp37 = lieutenant_governor[%d]* | mainwidth | regexp38 = majority[%d]* | regexp39 = majority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp40 = majority_leader[%d]* | regexp41 = majorityleader[%d]* | mawards | regexp42 = military_blank[%d]* | regexp43 = military_data[%d]* | regexp44 = minister[%d]* | regexp45 = minister_from[%d]* | regexp46 = minority_floor_leader[%d]* | regexp47 = minority_leader[%d]* | regexp48 = minorityleader[%d]* | regexp49 = module[%d]* | regexp50 = monarch[%d]* | mother | name | nationality | native_name | native_name_lang | nickname | nocat | regexp51 = nominator[%d]* | nominee | occupation | regexp52 = office[%d]* | opponent | regexp53 = order[%d]* | otherparty | parents | regexp54 = parliament[%d]* | regexp55 = parliamentarygroup[%d]* | partner | party | party_election | portfolio | regexp56 = preceded[%d]* | regexp57 = preceding[%d]* | regexp58 = predecessor[%d]* | regexp59 = premier[%d]* | regexp60 = president[%d]* | regexp61 = primeminister[%d]* | regexp62 = prior_term[%d]* | profession | pronunciation | rank | rank_label | relations | relatives | residence | resting_place | resting_place_coordinates | restingplace | restingplacecoordinates | regexp63 = riding[%d]* | runningmate | salary | serviceyears | serviceyears_label | signature | signature_alt | signature_size | smallimage | smallimage_alt | source | speaker | speaker_office | spouse | spouses | regexp64 = state[%d]* | regexp65 = state_assembly[%d]* | regexp66 = state_delegate[%d]* | regexp67 = state_house[%d]* | regexp68 = state_legislature[%d]* | regexp69 = state_senate[%d]* | regexp70 = status[%d]* | regexp71 = suboffice[%d]* | regexp72 = subterm[%d]* | regexp73 = succeeded[%d]* | regexp74 = succeeding[%d]* | regexp75 = successor[%d]* | regexp76 = taoiseach[%d]* | regexp77 = term[%d]* | regexp78 = term_end[%d]* | regexp79 = term_label[%d]* | regexp80 = term_start[%d]* | regexp81 = termend[%d]* | regexp82 = termlabel[%d]* | regexp83 = termstart[%d]* | regexp84 = title[%d]* | unit | unit_label | regexp85 = vicegovernor[%d]* | regexp86 = vicepremier[%d]* | regexp87 = vicepresident[%d]* | regexp88 = viceprimeminister[%d]* | regexp89 = assuming[%d]* | website | width | year }} Margaret Cushing Whitman (born August 4, 1956) is an American business executive, diplomat, and politician who served as the United States ambassador to Kenya from 2022 until her resignation on November 13, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman was president and chief executive officer (CEO) of eBay from 1998 to 2008. Afterwards, she became president and CEO of Hewlett Packard from 2011 to 2015, during the company's major split. She then served as CEO of Quibi from its launch in 2018 until its closure in 2020. A member of the Republican Party, she ran for governor of California in 2010 and lost to former California Governor Jerry Brown. Whitman was a senior presidential campaign official for Republican Mitt Romney in both 2008 and 2012, although she supported Democrats Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in the 2016 presidential election and the 2020 presidential election, respectively.

Whitman was an executive at The Walt Disney Company, where she was vice president of Strategic Planning throughout the 1980s. In the 1990s, she was an executive for DreamWorks, Procter & Gamble, and Hasbro. During Whitman's 10 years with eBay, she oversaw its expansion from 30 employees and $4 million in annual revenue, to more than 15,000 employees and $8 billion in annual revenue. In 2014, Whitman was named 20th in Forbes List of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.<ref name="Forbes14">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2008, Whitman was cited by The New York Times as among the women most likely to become the first female president of the United States.<ref name="Zernike2008">Template:Cite news</ref> She ran for governor of California in 2010, winning the Republican primary. The fifth-wealthiest woman in California with a net worth of $1.3 billion in 2010,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> she spent, at the time, more of her own money on a single election than any other political candidate in American history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="washingtonpost1">Template:Cite news</ref> The $144 million of her own fortune she used for the race (the campaign spent $178.5 million in total, including money from donors)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> was surpassed only by Michael Bloomberg in the 2020 presidential election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman was defeated by Democratic former Governor Jerry Brown in the 2010 California gubernatorial election, 54% to 41%.<ref name="MegLoses">Template:Cite news</ref>

In December 2021, Whitman was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the United States Ambassador to Kenya. She was confirmed in July 2022 and took office the following month. In November 2024, she presented her resignation as US Ambassador to Kenya.<ref name="Resignation2024">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life and educationEdit

Whitman was born on August 4, 1956<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, the daughter of Margaret Cushing (née Goodhue) and Hendricks Hallett Whitman Jr.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her patrilineal great-great-great-grandfather, Elnathan Whitman, was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Through her father, Whitman is also a great-great-granddaughter of U.S. Senator Charles B. Farwell, of Illinois.<ref name=frps1>"Margaret Cushing 'Meg' Whitman" Template:Webarchive, rootsweb.ancestry.com.</ref> On her mother's side, she is a great-granddaughter of historian and jurist Munroe Smith and a great-great-granddaughter of General Henry S. Huidekoper.<ref name=frps1/> Her paternal grandmother, born Adelaide Chatfield-Taylor, was the daughter of writer Hobart Chatfield-Taylor and his wife, Rose Farwell Chatfield-Taylor, and the sister of economist Wayne Chatfield-Taylor.<ref name=frps1/>

Whitman attended Cold Spring Harbor High School in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, graduating after three years in 1974. In her memoirs, she says she was in the top 10 of her class.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She wanted to be a doctor, so she studied math and science at Princeton University.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> However, after spending a summer selling advertisements for the magazine Business Today, she changed over to the study of economics.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She graduated with an A.B. in economics with honors from Princeton University in 1977 after completing an 83-page-long senior thesis titled "The Marketing of American Consumer Products in Western Europe."<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Whitman then obtained an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1979.

Whitman is married to Griffith Harsh IV, Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of California, Davis, previously at Stanford University Medical Center.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They have two sons, Griffith Harsh V and William Harsh.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Whitman has lived in Atherton, California, since March 1998.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> Whitman College, a residential college completed in 2007 at Princeton University, was named for Meg Whitman following her $30 million donation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

CareerEdit

Early workEdit

Whitman began her career in 1979 as a brand manager at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. Whitman later moved on to work as a consultant at Bain & Company. She rose through the ranks to achieve the position of senior vice president.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Whitman became vice president of strategic planning at the Walt Disney Company in 1989. Two years later, she joined the Stride Rite Corporation before becoming president and CEO of Florists' Transworld Delivery in 1995.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

As Hasbro's Playskool Division general manager, starting in January 1997, she oversaw global management and marketing of two children's brands, Playskool and Mr. Potato Head. She also imported the UK's children's television show Teletubbies into the U.S.<ref name=aware>Template:Cite book</ref>

eBayEdit

File:Meg Whitman at eBay Live 2005-01-13.jpg

Whitman speaking at eBay Live, 2005.

Whitman joined eBay in March 1998, when it had 30 employees and annual revenues of approximately $4 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite initially not wanting to take on the role, during her time as CEO, through 2008, the company grew to approximately 15,000 employees and $8 billion in annual revenue.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>"Meg Whitman right for job". Santa Maria Times. December 9, 2009</ref> Originally, when Whitman joined eBay, she found the website as a simple black and white webpage using the Courier typeface. On her first day, the site crashed for eight hours.<ref name=arc>Template:Cite book</ref> She believed the site to be confusing and began by building a new executive team.<ref name="aware" /> Whitman organized the company by splitting it into 23 business categories. She then assigned executives to each, including some 35,000 subcategories.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 2002, soon after its initial public offering, PayPal became a wholly owned subsidiary of eBay valued at $1.5 billion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2004, Whitman made several key changes in her management team. Jeff Jordan took over PayPal, Matt Bannick took over international operations, and Bill Cobb took over U.S. operations,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> which has the colorful U.S. logo, while each international site has unique branding.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Whitman picked John J. Donahoe for eBay in March 2005<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as president of eBay Marketplaces, responsible for all elements of eBay's global ecommerce businesses.

During Whitman's tenure as CEO, eBay completed the purchase of Skype for $4.1B in cash and stock in September 2005.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> eBay later admitted that it had overpaid and, in 2009, eBay sold Skype to a group of investors led by Silver Lake Partners at a valuation of $2.75B.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="CNET">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2011, after the first papers were filed for a possible IPO, Microsoft purchased Skype for US$8.5B.<ref name="CNET"/>

In June 2007, while preparing for an interview with Reuters, Whitman allegedly shoved her subordinate, communications employee Young Mi Kim. Of the incident, Whitman related, "In any high-pressure working environment, tensions can surface." Kim also stated, "Yes, we had an unfortunate incident, but we resolved it in a way that speaks well for her and for eBay." The matter was resolved after a $200,000 settlement.<ref>Mehta, Seema (June 15, 2010). "Meg Whitman reportedly shoved EBay employee in 2007". Los Angeles Times.</ref><ref>Stone, Brad (June 14, 2010). "Settlement Was Paid in Whitman Shoving Incident". The New York Times.</ref>

Whitman resigned as CEO of eBay in November 2007, but remained on the board and served as an advisor to new CEO John Donahoe until late 2008. She was inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2008. "I've said for some time that 10 years is roughly the right time to stay at the helm at a company like ours", she said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that "it's time for new leadership, a new perspective and a new vision."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Whitman has received numerous awards and accolades for her work at eBay. On more than one occasion, she was named among the top five most powerful women by Fortune magazine.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Harvard Business Review named her the eighth-best-performing CEO of the past decade<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Financial Times named her as one of the 50 faces that shaped the decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Hewlett-PackardEdit

File:Megwhitmanheadshot.jpg

Whitman speaking at a conference in 2009.

In January 2011, Whitman joined Hewlett-Packard's (HP) board of directors.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was named CEO on September 22, 2011.<ref name=HPnamesWhitman>Template:Cite press release</ref> As well as renewing focus on HP's Research & Development division, Whitman's major decision during her first year as CEO was to retain and recommit the firm to the PC business that her predecessor announced he was considering discarding.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012, Whitman announced that HP would write down $8.8 billion of the value of Autonomy, the British software company it had purchased the previous year. The announcement eventually led to a civil case in the UK in 2019 at which Whitman testified to having not carried out "proper calculations of the write-down."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In May 2013, Bloomberg L.P. named Whitman "Most Underachieving CEO" – along with Apple's CEO Tim Cook (ranked 12th) and IBM's Virginia Rometty (ranked 10th) – whose stocks had all turned in the worst numbers relative to the broader market since the beginning of each CEO's tenure. HP's stock led the list by underperforming by 30.7 percentage points since Whitman took the job.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On July 26, 2017, Whitman stepped down as chair of HP Inc.'s board of directors, while remaining as CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Whitman fought off further rumours around her position at HPE, where she was quoted by The New York Times "So let me make this as clear as I can. I am fully committed to HPE and plan to remain the company's C.E.O. We have a lot of work still to do at HPE and I am not going anywhere" <ref>Isaac, Mike, "Uber’s Next C.E.O.? Meg Whitman Says It Won’t Be Her", New York Times, July 27, 2017.</ref>

On November 21, 2017, it was announced Whitman was stepping down as the CEO of HPE, effective February 1, 2018, with HPE president Antonio Neri taking over as CEO.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

QuibiEdit

Whitman was CEO of Quibi, a short-form media content app designed for smartphones. In September 2020, just 5 months after its launch, Quibi was considering sale or acquisition with a valuation of $500 million,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> despite its $1.75 billion initial investment,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> having failed to meet subscriber targets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Coverage and analysis has blamed this failure on the concept itself,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and failures of leadership from Whitman due to her lack of “experience in the industry of the company she is running.<ref name="techspective.net">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>” The failure of the app was predicted by many in the Silicon Valley tech ecosystem, with one critic, Rob Enderle listing this as the most recent in Whitman's “repetitive failures” due to her “inability to take responsibility for mistakes, an inability to support subordinates, a focus on shifting blame, and a lack of subject matter expertise.”<ref name="techspective.net"/>

BoardsEdit

Whitman also served on the board of directors of the eBay Foundation, Summit Public Schools, Procter & Gamble and DreamWorks SKG, until early 2009.<ref name=bio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was appointed to the board of Goldman Sachs in October 2001 and then resigned in December 2002, amidst controversy that she had received shares in several public offerings managed by Goldman Sachs, although she denied any wrongdoing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Lance Williams and Carla Marinucci">Template:Cite news</ref> (see Ties to Goldman Sachs for further detail). In March 2011, she was appointed to a part-time special adviser at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins.<ref>Kopytoff, Verne G. (March 30, 2011). "Meg Whitman Finds a Job". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2011.</ref>

She has also joined the boards of Zipcar and Teach for America, and re-joined the board of Procter & Gamble.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Whitman has also been a member of the board at SurveyMonkey.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sports investmentsEdit

IGCEdit

In 2018, Meg Whitman invested in and joined the board of the eSports organization Immortals Gaming Club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

FC CincinnatiEdit

In November 2019, Meg Whitman purchased a minority stake in FC Cincinnati.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman will serve as the club's Alternate Governor on the MLS Board of Governors.

Biden administrationEdit

File:20221031-OSEC-OC-0002 (52468767780).jpg

Whitman speaking with Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel H. Bronaugh in 2022.

On December 8, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Whitman to serve as United States ambassador to Kenya.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Hearings on her nomination were held before the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee on May 24, 2022. The committee favorably reported her nomination on June 9, 2022. On July 14, 2022, her nomination was confirmed in the Senate by voice vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She presented her credentials to President Uhuru Kenyatta on August 5, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> In November 2024, following the election of Donald Trump, Whitman presented her resignation as US Ambassador to Kenya.<ref name="Resignation2024"></ref>

PhilanthropyEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Whitman founded a charitable foundation with husband Harsh on December 21, 2006, by donating to it 300,000 shares of eBay stock worth $9.4 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the end of its first year of operation, the Griffith R. Harsh IV and Margaret C Whitman Charitable Foundation had $46 million in assets and has disbursed $125,000 to charitable causes. Most of the money disbursed went to the Environmental Defense Fund.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2010, Warren Buffett asked Whitman to join the Giving Pledge in which billionaires would commit to donating half of their money to charity, and Whitman declined.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, the foundation donated $2.5 million to Summit Public Schools, which operates several charter schools in the San Jose area.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As of 2020, Meg Whitman is the national board chair of Teach for America.<ref>"National Board of Directors Profiles" p. 2, teachforamerica.org.</ref>

Political careerEdit

Presidential endorsements and fundraisingEdit

File:Mitt Romney & Meg Whitman.jpg

Whitman with then-governor Mitt Romney in 2007

Whitman was a supporter of the Mitt Romney 2008 presidential campaign<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was a member of his national finance team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was also listed as finance co-chair of Romney's exploratory committee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Romney stepped out of the race and endorsed John McCain, Whitman joined McCain's presidential campaign as a national co-chair.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> McCain mentioned Whitman as a possible secretary of the treasury during the second presidential debate in 2008,<ref>"McCain, Obama discuss possible Treasury secretary picks". Reuters. October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.</ref> but lost the election to Barack Obama.

During the 2012 Republican primaries, Whitman endorsed Mitt Romney,<ref>Quinn, Michelle, "Whitman a mixed blessing for Mitt", politico.com, May 30, 2012.</ref> who praised her.<ref>Foster, Stephen D., Jr.Mitt Romney Praises Meg Whitman As News Breaks That Her Company Is Slashing 30,000 American Jobs Template:Webarchive, addictinginfo.org, May 20, 2012.</ref> Whitman's name was mentioned as a possible cabinet member in a Romney administration<ref>"HP-CEO-Whitman-Fiorina-Seen-as-Possible-Officials-in-a-Romney-Administration"Template:Dead link, eweek.com.</ref> before he lost to Obama.

During the 2016 Republican primaries, Whitman was finance co-chair of the Chris Christie 2016 presidential campaign. After Christie withdrew from the race and subsequently endorsed Donald Trump, Whitman criticized it as "an astonishing display of political opportunism" and called on other Christie donors to reject Trump,<ref>Christie Campaign's Finance Co-Chair Calls on Donors to Reject Trump, nbcnews.com, February 28, 2016</ref> whom she compared to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August, Whitman endorsed the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign, stating that to vote for Trump "out of party loyalty alone would be to endorse a candidacy that I believe has exploited anger, grievance, xenophobia and racial division". Acknowledging policy differences with Clinton, Whitman nonetheless praised her "temperament, global experience and commitment to America's bedrock national values".<ref name="hrc endorse">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="voteandendorse">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She called on all Republicans "to put country first before party"<ref name="hrc endorse"/> and added that she would support the campaign financially.<ref name="hrc endorse"/><ref name="voteandendorse"/>

Whitman spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention in support of the party's presidential nominee Joe Biden.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2010 gubernatorial campaignEdit

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File:Meg Whitman 2010 Sign.jpg

Whitman's campaign sign for Governor of California

On February 10, 2009, Whitman announced she would run for governor of California in the 2010 election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On June 8, 2010, Whitman won the Republican primary, becoming the first female to run on the Republican ticket and the third female overall to run for Governor of California after Dianne Feinstein in 1990 and Kathleen Brown in 1994. Her campaign was largely self-funded. She ultimately lost to Jerry Brown.

According to final reports, Whitman spent $144 million from her own personal funds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2010, this was more than any other self-funded political candidate in U.S. history.<ref name="washingtonpost1" />

In June 2010, Whitman released a political ad, "A Lifetime in Politics A Legacy of Failure",<ref>Template:Cite video Template:Cbignore</ref> which seemingly contained one image of the FAIL Blog website, making it appear in the ad as if Jerry Brown had been the subject of one of the website's namesake "fails".<ref name="New York News & Features">"Meg Whitman's FAIL Blog FAIL". New York. June 25, 2010.</ref> Ben Huh, founder of the Cheezburger Network, of which failblog.org is a part, demanded an apology and the removal of the video, stating that the image was faked, and that the website is non-partisan and has never endorsed a particular political candidate or party.<ref name="Honesty Fail.">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On November 2, 2010, at 11:35 pm, Whitman conceded the election to Brown, stating, "We've come up a little short."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Voting recordEdit

In 2010, The Sacramento Bee reported that Whitman did not vote for 28 years, after reviewing her voting records in California.<ref name="nydn">Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman has described her voting record as "inexcusable", apologized for it,<ref name="nydn"/> and stated that she is happy to discuss the matter.<ref name=Cillizza200910>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman answered questions about her record in September, replying, "And I think the reason Template:Sic for many years, I wasn't as engaged in the political process and should have been."<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref>

Housekeeper controversyEdit

In September 2010, Nicky Diaz Santillan revealed that she was employed in the Whitman household as a housekeeper and nanny from 2000 to 2009 despite her status as an illegal worker.<ref name="carla">Marinucci, Carla, San Francisco Chronicle, October 10, 2010.</ref><ref name="siskind">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Whitman's campaign released documents which she said Santillan provided prior to her employment including a driver's license, Social Security ID, and application.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Santillan said Whitman knew she was undocumented, producing a 2003 letter from the Social Security Administration stating that her Social Security number did not match her name. Whitman initially stated that they "never received those letters",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> however, after a hand-written note on the document was shown, believed to be from Whitman's husband, they acknowledged they may have received it, but forgot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Santillan's attorney, Gloria Allred, states that Santillan was fired for the sake of the campaign.<ref>Winter, Michael, "Ex-nanny alleges Meg Whitman knew she wasn't legal for 7 years", USA Today, September 29, 2010.</ref> Whitman's campaign maintained that this was a political attack, stating that Allred is a Jerry Brown supporter.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Brown, Allred and Santillan all denied this.<ref name="skelton">Skelton, George, "The Former EBay Chief Falters on Her Illegal Immigration Rhetoric", Los Angeles Times, October 4, 2010.</ref>

Crystal Williams, director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, stated, "Not only is accepting the documents all the law required [Whitman] to do, but there's a counterbalancing anti-discrimination law that keeps her from probing further or demanding different documents."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Others disagreed; immigration lawyer Greg Siskind stated Whitman was the employer, and the documents by law needed to be signed by her but were not, nor did they have a Social Security number on them. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that Whitman "hired her, paid her and had direct contact with her for nine years", so should have known her legal status.<ref name="siskind" /><ref>Naverrette, Ruben, Jr., "Immigration Double Standard", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 17, 2010.</ref> The Los Angeles Times noted that Latino voters were more likely interested that Whitman treated Santillan "like a piece of garbage" when the maid asked for help finding an immigration attorney, and Whitman allegedly stated "you don't know me and I don't know you".<ref name="skelton" /><ref>Montopoli, Brian, (September 29, 2010), "Meg Whitman Housekeeper Nicky Diaz Santillan Claims Mistreatment, Unfair Termination", CBS News</ref>

Ties to Goldman SachsEdit

Goldman Sachs, whose executives donated $100,000 to the Whitman campaign, manages a part of Whitman's fortune. As CEO of eBay, Whitman earned approximately $1.78 million resulting from a practice known as spinning whereby executives who did business with Goldman Sachs could reap profits by getting early deals before the public on hot IPOs offered by the bank. Whitman later resigned from the Goldman Sachs board after some expressed concern over her receiving shares from Goldman Sachs. In commenting on Whitman's resignation from the Goldman Sachs board, eBay spokesman Henry Gomez told The Wall Street Journal at the time that, "If we wanted to use Goldman's services, she doesn't want there to be even the slightest perception of any conflict. She's doing this because she thinks quite highly of the firm."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> While Whitman was on Goldman Sachs' board, she served on the compensation committee, which approved multimillion-dollar bonus packages for then-CEO Henry Paulson and his top aides. Public domain documents reveal that Whitman has a multimillion-dollar stake in 21 investment funds managed by Goldman Sachs.<ref name="Lance Williams and Carla Marinucci"/> Given Goldman Sachs' major investments in California state finances, all these ties to Goldman Sachs led to considerable controversy during the gubernatorial campaign.<ref name="Lance Williams and Carla Marinucci"/> In response, Whitman vowed to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest, and publicly stated that she would immediately sell her Goldman Sachs stock and put her Goldman Sachs-managed investments in a blind trust if elected governor.

United States Ambassador to KenyaEdit

In August 2022 Whitman attracted criticism and public outcry from opposition figures in Kenya for perceived partisan political remarks claiming the 2022 election was the freest and fairest in Kenya's election history<ref name="twisted">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> despite numerous reports of electoral malpractices in Kenya.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Raila Odinga described Whitman as a rogue ambassador calling for her to shut up on political partisan comments while claiming that Kenya is not a US colony to warrant her perceived political partisan activities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Raila told the media he would demand her recall for her participation in partisan local politics.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> With perceived political partisan positions, Whitman was repeatedly thought to support reported human rights abuses by the Ruto administration including a specific case where other western diplomats in Kenya signed a statement admonishing abductions and killings during the 25th June 2024 Gen Z protests in Kenya which Whitman did not sign.<ref name="twisted"/>

According to Whitman it was not appropriate for her to participate in the signing that included congratulatory messages as well as messages admonishing the extra judicial abductions and extra judicial killings by the Ruto administration.<ref name="twisted"/> In November 2024 Whitman announced her resignation as ambassador following Trump's win. Her resignation reportedly attracted celebrations from many including various Kenyan politicians celebrating an end to a Democrat's ambassadorial tenure perceived to be complicit in the numerous reported human rights abuses of the Ruto administration.<ref name="twisted"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Political positionsEdit

File:Econround (2525706918).jpg

Whitman (far right) at a conference with John T. Chambers, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and U.S. Senator John McCain in 2008.

While running for governor, Whitman emphasized three major areas: job creation, reduced state government spending, and reform of the state's K-12 educational system. She argued that it is best to start only a few things and finish them, instead of starting a lot of things and finishing few of them.<ref name=McLaughlin-20091116>Template:Cite news</ref>

EnvironmentEdit

Whitman said that if elected, on her first day<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> she would have suspended AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, for a year to study its potential economic implications.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> AB 32 requires the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020.<ref name=Young /> At the state Republican Convention in March 2010, Whitman described California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's climate change bill as a "job-killer".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman opposed Proposition 23, which would delay the global warming law AB 32 until California's unemployment falls to 5.5 percent and stays there for a year, stating that the proposition did not reasonably balance the need to protect jobs with the need to preserve environment.<ref name=Young>Template:Cite news</ref>

On water issues, Whitman opposed further restrictions on water supply in the Central Valley, and she suggested that President Obama should overturn a federal judge's ruling under provisions in the Endangered Species Act which reduced water supplies another 5% to 7%.<ref>"Meg Whitman: Let the water flow". Fresno Bee. June 12, 2009</ref>

Illegal immigrationEdit

Whitman said that Arizona's approach to illegal immigration with Arizona SB 1070 is wrong and that there are better ways to solve the problem.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She said that, if she had lived in California in 1994, she would have voted against Proposition 187 concerning illegal immigrants.<ref name="Dibble"> Template:Cite news</ref> In an op-ed during her gubernatorial campaign, Whitman wrote, "Clearly, when examining our positions on immigration, there is very little over which Jerry Brown and I disagree".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

She stated that illegal immigrant students should be prohibited from attending state-funded institutions of higher education.<ref name="nytimes1">"The Ad Campaign", New York Times, June 18, 2010.</ref><ref name="megwhitman.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link Template:Cbignore</ref> Currently, California state law permits this.<ref>The Sacramento Bee, "Illegal immigrants college enrollment", August 6, 2010 Template:Webarchive</ref> In 2009, Whitman called for "a path to legalization" of illegal immigrants.<ref name="Dibble"/> In a 2010 interview on television station KTLA, Whitman said, "I want to hold employers accountable for hiring only documented workers."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MarriageEdit

During the 2010 California gubernatorial election, Whitman supported California's Proposition 8, which reversed In re Marriage Cases and defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman in the state. Whitman also criticized Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown for not defending Proposition 8 in the federal judicial system.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, on February 26, 2013, Whitman confirmed that she had reversed that opinion. Whitman stated, "At the time, I believed the people of California had weighed in on this question and that overturning the will of the people was the wrong approach," and "The facts and arguments presented during the legal process since then have had a profound impact on my thinking."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman also believes that gay and lesbian couples should be permitted to adopt children.<ref name=Finnegan>Template:Cite news</ref>

AbortionEdit

Whitman supports abortion rights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

MarijuanaEdit

While campaigning during the 2010 California gubernatorial election, Whitman has suggested "Every law enforcement person will tell you that we shouldn't be legalizing marijuana for any reason, least of all for monetary gain." and that "This is the worst idea I've ever seen."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

InfrastructureEdit

Whitman does not support the California High-Speed Rail project. In a 2010 letter to the Sacramento Bee<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whitman's spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said, "Meg believes the state cannot afford the costs associated with high-speed rail due to our current fiscal crisis." Her opponent Jerry Brown was in favor of the project.

Whitman has made monetary donations to various candidates and political action committees (PAC). While these have gone to both Republicans and Democrats, the donations are weighted to Republicans.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Though Whitman has contributed to a few Democrats, including Senator Barbara Boxer; donating $4,000 to her campaign and serving on the "Friends of Boxer" committee in 2004, she donated more than $225,000 during the same period to Republicans, eBay's PAC and to Americans for a Republican Majority, the PAC of former Congressman Tom DeLay.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

AwardsEdit

In 2017, Whitman was the Commencement speaker for Carnegie Mellon University and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

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Meg Whitman for Governor official campaign site
Billionaire Women We Envy, Forbes, March 6, 2007
Is California Sold on Governor Meg Whitman? Template:Subscription required, Sheelah Kolhatkar, Time Magazine, December 14, 2009
Meg Whitman Celebrates Gubernatorial Nomination with husband Dr. Griffith Harsh, Vitals, June 9, 2010
Meg Whitman Video produced by Makers: Women Who Make America
Meg Whitman on Breaking it Down with Frank MacKay
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