ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style6 { height: 69px; } h2 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style7 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr> <td width="133" height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140" class="style6"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" class="style6"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td width="133" height="2"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">California Governor&#39;s Race Update</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curt</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>is<a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright August 3, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="style7">H</span>ammering former Gov. and current Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman continues to spend a fortune on negative advertising, chipping away at Brown s image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While Megs spends untold millions on attack ads, Brown keeps his powder dry until after Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Before then, Brown is content to let the soon-to-be 54-year-old former CEO run negative ads, portraying the 72-year-old ex-governor as an incompetent career politician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whitman, in contrast, portrays herself as a government outsider, capable of fixing a broken state budget, now threatening the health, safety and welfare of California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She boasts about her plan to fix the California economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Meg wants to balance the state budget by slashing the size of state government, throwing thousands of state workers into unemployment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Meg s plan is the same as Arnold s on heavy steroids.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Schwarzenegger recenttly tried to balance the state budget by slashing the wages of 200,000 state employees to minimum wage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While he was blocked by State Controller John Chiang, the future threat with Whitman remains real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Swept into office by a special election Oct. 8, 2003 that tossed former Gov. Gray Davis out of office, Arnold has delivered nothing of what he promised, especially fixing the state s broken economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He ran into one slight problem pushing through his legislative agenda:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He s a Republican fighting a Democratic legislature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whitman now faces exactly the same scenario:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Promising the world but facing the same Democratic legislature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She mentions nothing while bashing Brown how she plans to get along with California s Democratic legislature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whitman has no problems spending 10% of her $1.4 billion dollar Ebay fortune on winning the governor s office. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Bombarded with negative campaign ads, Whitman hopes California voters continue their comatose state that propelled Arnold into office Nov. 4, 2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Despite Brown s many accomplishments as governor [Jan. 5, 1975-Jan. 3, 1983], including balanced budgets, Whitman blasts his track record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Brown was elected to the California Community College Board of Trustees, secretary of state, governor, mayor of Oakland, and, most recently, attorney general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Meg has held no elective office, nor has she even voted in the state elections until announcing Sept. 22, 2009 her plans to run for governor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> It took a person who s been around for 30 to 40 years, who s sufficiently confident of his own opinion, not to be herded into doing what every was saying he should do, said Berkeley political scientist Bruce Cain, applauding Brown for not yet spending his paltry $23 million war chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Brown is not expected to start putting out ads until after Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whitman has nothing to lose, spending lavishly until voters go to the polls Nov. 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> A less experienced candidate would have listened to consultants who would have been preaching the conventional wisdom that he needs to get out and defend himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>So far, it looks like he s right, said Cain, reading the polls that show Brow ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Given all Whitman s spending, she should make up more ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>With Arnold leaving the state a mess, Brown s advisors see Whitman as tied to his legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California s electorate has been trending Democratic since Gov. Pete Wilson left office Jan. 4, 1999.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When you consider all the state s social and economic woes, Whitman faces stiff headwinds heading into November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While there s discontent with the ruling party, California s Republican Party has a tough sell.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Whether you re Democrat, Republican or independent, most voters know Brown s long distinguished track record in California public service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California state employees aren t happy with Schwarzenggers s attempt to balance the budget on the backs of state workers and public education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Whitman s plan promises to slash state budgets and funds for education, driving state workers and teachers toward Brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Jerry s still a major political figure, said Democratic strategist Bill Carrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> And there s a lot of people who thin they know about Jerry and have a strong sense of who he is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It s hard to move voters off of him, signaling Whitman s biggest problem:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She has no experience running state government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California can t take another Arnold-type experiment in 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Whitman can slash-and-bash but can she solicit voters trust at a time of statewide distress?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Brown s decision to move aggressively on the campaign after Labor Day shows sound political instincts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He knows he can t compete with Meg s bottomless piggy bank but can wait and pick the right time to pounce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Meg s consultants have warned her against televised debates against one of the best political debaters in recent memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Brown knows the issues inside out and won t hesitate to point out Meg s inconsistencies, especially her lack of experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Her economic plan promises to cast thousands into the help wanted lines and drive the unemployment rate above 13%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She has no plan how she intends to push her austerity plan through the Democratic legislature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Schwarzenegger antagonized both Democrats and Republicans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whitman promises to take inter-party warfare to new heights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Voters may be frustrated with the glacial pace of economic recovery but they re not ready for another failed experiment.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Homecobolos> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>