As many know, ex-Ebay CEO Meg Whitman is attempting to buy the election by self-financing herself to get to the governorship of a state whose GDP is greater than that of France. This has been made increasingly clear after she gave her campaign another $20 million to raise herself to $59 million that she has raised overall by self-financing. Never mind the substance of her campaign or the fact she's clueless on the issues or that she hasn't voted in many years, since she can media blitz her way out of it all. As a person who has many members of my family in California, I don't want them to suffer under another waste-and-cut governorship. Until now, Meg Whitman has done everything it takes to avoid showing herself for what she really is.
Not anymore....
At the California Democratic Party Convention today, Attorney-General and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown did something bold, he called for the state's first bipartisan pre-primary gubernatorial debates between. This would ideally be between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidates (Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner).
From Brown's campaign website:
LOS ANGELES – Calling for "immediate action" to fight California’s continuing unemployment problem, Attorney General Jerry Brown today proposed a series of three-way, bipartisan gubernatorial debates to begin within three weeks.
Brown, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, sent letters to Republican gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner urging them to agree to three debates around the state – California’s first bipartisan debates prior to a primary election.
"With record unemployment, the budget crisis and challenges to our system of education, California urgently needs specific answers to our problems," Brown told the state Democratic Convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Brown explained that Democratic and Republican candidates have never debated each other before a primary election, but he said this year "is very different."
"Our continuing unemployment and growing state budget crisis are threatening our schools, university and the very future of our state," he said. "We cannot delay debating solutions. The need is immediate, and millions and millions of dollars in an orgy of spending for TV commercials is not a substitute for an honest and open discussion. We need immediate action to get Californians back to work, and these debates will be a good first step."
The intent of the debates aside, it will be a great opportunity to see which candidate has the most substance and who is best for California. According to CQ Politics' politicalwire, Steve Poizner accepted, but Meg Whitman has not (yet).
Jerry Brown's camp immediately shot back at Meg Whitman with this statement:
"Private corporations sometimes hide behind slick advertising campaigns, but it’s wrong for a serious political candidate to do the same. I urge Meg Whitman to reconsider. Surely, if she believes she is good enough to be governor of California she must also consider herself competent enough to appear with her opponents. A candidate for public office should not act like a used car salesperson who relies on misleading TV ads. Public service is a higher calling, one that demands integrity, openness and honesty. I encourage Meg Whitman to join with Steve Poizner and me in three joint appearances. If she honestly believes what she says in her radio and TV ads, she should welcome the opportunity to answer questions, explain herself and then ask me whatever she’d like. Our state is in serious trouble, and we need political candidates and public officials who are willing to face the voters, explain their ideas and give honest answers."
It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario for Whitman.
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ACTION:
Jerry Brown's Website
Volunteer for his campaign
Contribute to his campaign
Jerrry Brown on Facebook
His official announcement video from March 1st: