Experts Expound

Experts Expound

“The Brown-Clinton flap: A minor episode in the race for governor, or a significant event that voters will remember on Election Day?”

A macaca moment Brown could ill afford.

The ad itself is devastating. Brown’s apology and Clinton’s endorsement will never catch up to the ad for the millions who are seeing it every day. Also, does anyone think this is the only bit of Clinton video the Whitman campaign has in its vault?

The average voter is probably only nominally aware of this. But activist Clintonistas in California are fiercely loyal to their still-popular Chief. Many of these folks may now be disinclined to work hard for Jerry in the crucial last days, even though Clinton went through the motions with an obviously insincere face-saving endorsement of Brown.
Minor. Remember H.W.’s “voodoo economics” quote.

So Brown and Clinton, who were always fighting with everybody, were arguing with each other. Not exactly a clash of titans. Am I missing something? By the way, does Clinton’s endorsement actually help Brown?

If Bill campaigns for Jerry, and I think he will, Whitman et al could live to regret their cleverness. Bill is still very popular with voters who might not show up.

It diminishes the value of the Clinton endorsement, since the billionaire can at any time put up the clip of Brown questioning Clinton’s truthfulness.

It helps Brown: He looks like an outsider telling truth to power, and voters like that. How many ads does Whitman have to run before she looks like the insider and Brown emerges as the outsider?

It can’t hurt Brown in the year of the anti-incumbent to be seen battling with Clinton.

Neither…but a sign that Brown can’t get his act together. Reminds me of Lungren in ’98 when everyone was waiting for the uncontested primary nominee’s campaign to start…and it never did.

Classic Jerry Brown. Voters won’t remember because there’ll be many similar gaffes by Election Day. If he wins, get used to it; us old timers do – and we wince.

A minor, but amusing, episode.  Can’t imagine that it would change a single vote.


Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, Morgan Crinklaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Mike Donovan, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Greg Lucas, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, and Garry South.

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