Experts Expound

Experts Expound

Gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides has endorsed the Jessica’s Law
initiative on the November ballot. Does this make it a non-issue in the
governor’s race? The San Diego Union-Tribune notes that Schwarzenegger’s
campaign appeared to be caught by surprise by the announcement. Was that
true?

As far as it being an issue, that probably depends on whether there’s a
public record of Angelides waffling on it–if there is, the guv can say he’s
supporting it “kicking and screaming.”

Everyone should have known that all statewide candidates would ultimately
endorse Jessica’s Law. Usually statewide candidates “step up” when something
polls in the 70s. (But then again, the governor’s campaign team doesn’t
always have a good read on initiatives.) Jessica’s Law is important not
because it puts the governor at odds with Angelides, but because it shields
Schwarzenegger from claims from law enforcement labor unions that he is soft
on crime.

Governor Angelides will be as strong on crime as Mark Leno. I think the only
thing the governor’s campaign was surprised by was that Angelides finally
took a stance on something.

The campaign was surprised about why, after 11 months of dithering, he would
offend his liberal base. (Angelides) managed to alienate himself from both
groups–he already lost the law-and-order crowd for failing to act and now
he’s angered the liberals who don’t like Jessica’s Law. Isn’t he supposed to
be the candidate rooted in principle?

Jessica’s Law was never an issue in the campaign for governor. Making all
the bad people live in Zzyzx is not exactly the most creative approach to
law enforcement. Nonetheless, everyone gets the point and will vote yes in
November. Issue over.

There is no organized opposition, even though everyone knows this initiative
is sloppily written and a political tool. It will pass overwhelmingly. The
cocky Schwarzenegger fumbled and stumbled on this.

It probably always was a non-issue. The treasurer has made it clear what he
doesn’t want the campaign discussion to get bogged down in. Now he has to
figure out how to shift the focus of the debate to an area that works to his
advantage, if that’s even possible.

Takes it off the table. Contrary to the chattering class–this is not a 1994
redux and the Angelides campaign will match this version of Arnold stride
for stride.

The people from whom we sought opinions: Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Roy
Behr, Don Wilcox, Jon Fleischman, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Dan
Schnur, Jason Kinney, Tom Kise, Karen Hanretty, Kevin Spillane, Michael
Houston, Adam Mendelsohn, Matt Ross, Sam Delson, Mike Madrid, Morgan
Crinklaw, Dave Lesher, Richard Zeiger, Ralph Simoni, Bob Hertzberg, Scott
Baugh, Steve Maviglio, Tony Quinn, Susan Rasky, Peter DeMarco, Adam
Probolsky, Barbara O’Connor, Jack Pitney.

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