In Jerry's own words...

"I didn't have a plan."

The first time he was governor, Jerry Brown (by his own admission) didn't have a plan - but he did have a party. Here he gets his groove on with then-pop star Linda Ronstadt...

Former two-time California governor (and current Democratic gubernatorial candidate) Jerry Brown on "the differences between what he said to get elected and the realities of what happened when he was in office: 'You say you're going to lower taxes, you're going to put people to work, you're gonna improve the schools, you're going to stop crime... crime is up, schools are worse, taxes are higher.'"

He didn't have a plan, but he did lie.

(h/t: breitbart.tv - the clip is from CNN, circa 1992.)

How bad is it?

...you know it's bad when "60 Minutes" tells you the real unemployment story in California isn't the ballyhooed 12.4 percent or even the 17 percent "underemployed." The real number, as correspondent Scott Pelley explains, is probably somewhere on the order of 22 percent.

(h/t: JammieWearingFool)

How's that Hope & Change® workin' for ya?

Whitman vs. Brown: Debate No. 1...

Tonight's early scorecard from the Whitman vs. Brown gubernatorial debate...

Overall, I score Meg the winner.

Neither one scored a decisive blow/knockout...tough for either to maximize their answers - or their opponent's - in the campaign.

Brown was much more energetic (someone cut off that guy's coffee intake, please) and Whitman came out of the box sounding like she was over-rehearsed.

There were 10 questions plus a closing statement (1 hr.)...

Round by round scoring, courtesy of this ringside judge...

1 - Budget: Brown
2 - Death penalty/crime: Whitman
3 - Jobs: Whitman
4- Public employee pensions/unions: Whitman
5- Experience: SPLIT
6 - Holding the line on cuts/funding for higher education: SPLIT
7- Campaign ads (misleading?): SPLIT
8- Immigration: BROWN
9 - Campaign funding (self vs. special interests): Whitman
10- Water: Whitman
CLOSING: Whitman

My scorecard: Whitman 4, plus closing; Brown 2; SPLIT 4.

The event, held at UC Davis (not far from Sacramento), was staffed by Sacto area media. The questioning was pretty predictable and weak. At least one question was a direct jab at Whitman.

Both had funny lines. Brown, taken to task by Whitman for his own stake in the state's pension system, said that his longevity (which precludes him tapping into it until he "retires") was a plus...joking that he's "best pension buy California's ever had" since if he wins, he won't collect till 76..or even into his 80s. Whitman's most memorable line: "Putting Brown in charge of pension reform like letting Dracula run blood bank."

Two more debates to go...

Keeping an eye on the candidates...

Heavyweight bout: In this corner, GOP challenger Meg Whitman, and in the other Gov. Moonbeam... (photo: Fresno Bee)

Tonight on the John Batchelor Show, I’ll give a quick rundown on the California gubernatorial debate between Meg Whitman (D) and Jerry Brown (D). If you don’t already know, Whitman is the former CEO of eBay (who has “invested” more than $120 million of her own money into her campaign), and Brown is the former two-term governor, three-time Democratic presidential primaries candidate, and current state attorney general. The debate, the first of three scheduled meetings between the two candidates, will be held at UC Davis. The “festivities” are scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. PDT

According to the Los Angeles Times, “Each side has been actively trying to lower expectations for their candidate's performance Tuesday night. Whitman's campaign has pointed to Brown's debate experience dating back to his days on the debate team at St. Ignatius high school in San Francisco. ‘Jerry proved his oratorical abilities by winning the Freshman Elocution and Sophomore Oratorical contests, being chosen on the Silver and Gold Medal Debates,’ reads the text under his yearbook photo. Whitman's only debates were during the Republican primary against Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.”

Jerry Brown, from the 1955 St. Ignatius high school yearbook (via LA Times)...

Most experts aren't expecting much - neither one is stellar when it comes to public oratory (these days) and both are in desperate need of charisma. One wrong word, stumble or major inaccuracy, however, could come back to haunt the candidate. The media will be, of course, looking to pounce on whomever goes off-script or can't handle the line of questioning. But since most of these affairs run according to note, little is likely to be accomplished tonight...

I’ll be on the John Batchelor Show at 9:50 p.m. PDT. Check the show's website or local listings for details...

I hope to see you there!

The ad they've been waiting for...

You could hear the bells going off as soon as she said it...

On June 16, 2009, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) replied to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh's courtesy reply of "yes, ma'am," with an outburst that raised more than a few eyebrows. Since then, in e-mails and via call-ins on numerous media appearances, I've heard from pro-Carly Fiorina (U.S. senate candidate, R-CA) supporters who have wondered when Fiorina would make hay with the unflattering clip.

The wait is over...

From the Los Angeles Times:

"A week after her rival, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, aired spots attacking her tenure as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, Fiorina’s first general election ad uses campaign footage from a well-known exchange between Boxer and Army Corps of Engineers Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh at a hearing more than a year ago of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which Boxer chairs."

Boxer's exchange with the general:

"In the brief clip used by Fiorina’s team, Boxer has interrupted Walsh after he’s addressed her as ‘Ma’am’: “You know, do me a favor. Could you say ‘Senator’ instead of ‘Ma’am’? It’s just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it,” Boxer says to Walsh.

“Twenty eight years in Washington, and Barbara Boxer works hard for a title?” Fiorina says into the camera with a quick raise of her eyebrows. “I’ll really go to work — to end the arrogance in Washington.”

The Fiorina ad:

Was it worth the wait? Will it "move the dial" for Fiorina? We'll know in just a few weeks...

Sighting the (Young) Guns...

Tonight, as Tea Party candidates surge to victories in New York and Delaware, it increasingly looks like pollsters, pundits and other insiders who are betting on the GOP taking back the House will have guessed correctly.

A new book, "Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders," has hit the shelves - and airwaves (a la PR tours) - and it's making a lot of noise for its authors: Congressmen Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) and Kevin McCarthy (R-California).

The authors have positioned themselves as the rightful heirs to the Reagan Revolution and their friends in the media on the right side of the aisle are doing their best to reinforce that for them.

Below is an interesting take on the phenomenon by my friend, colleague and host of the John Batchelor Show, John Batchelor...

One thing is for sure - this coming election isn't going to be just a historic event...it's also going to be very, very interesting...