Originally Posted By DyGDisney I'm really aggravated by Meg Whitman's campaign tactics. She had commercials made to attack her Republican opponent before the primaries, and now there's the one about Jerry Brown being a political failure. I checked it out on factcheck.org and it's full of untruths. <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2010/07/jerry-brown-a-legacy-of-failure/" target="_blank">http://www.factcheck.org/2010/...failure/</a> It's a horrible and disturbing ad, and the sad thing is that many people will believe it and base their vote on THAT ad alone.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan For someone who says she's moving into politics to be different than career politicians, she's learned the dirty campaign tactic routine pretty fast, hasn't she? I roll my eyes when she talks about how many people are unemployed in this state considering how many unemployed she herself created.
Originally Posted By Mr X What bugs me even more is when they say something that is technically "true", but still total BS, and they fall back on the "check the record!" crapola. A prime example that really pissed me off was the McCain "Obama wants sex education for 5 year olds!" ad. When he was confronted by someone (I want to say it was on the View or something, since "real" reporters don't even bother), he kept insisting that it was TRUE and they should check the record. Well, no. It was a bunch of malarkey and I'm well and damn sure that McCain knew it, too. And it happens all the time. I wish voters were smart enough to realize what's going on and reject ALL candidates that engage in such loathsome garbage, but sadly quite the opposite is true.
Originally Posted By ecdc More and more I tend to think we the people get exactly what we deserve. Our refusal to educate and inform ourselves has created this environment. I'm also more and more bewildered by the caliber of people entering in politics. The prestige of the office has stayed somewhat respectable while those entering the realm are often (not always) well below that prestigiousness. I've sadly come to realize that a lot of these people are egomaniacal and self-invovled, with very definite ideas about how the world should work. Notions of service rarely seem to enter into the equation. Again, there are exceptions. But it never ceases to amaze me to watch Senators and Congressmen and realize just how much brighter I and a lot of my fellow citizens are than these people. Yet a lot of other citizens swallow it hook, line, and sinker. Maybe that's why, despite missteps and some frustrations, I'm so forgiving of Obama. Whatever else, the guy is clearly intelligent (some argue too professorial) and he cares about people, and he wants to help.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>I'm also more and more bewildered by the caliber of people entering in politics.<< When people like Whitman or Fiorina enter the fray and actually have a chance at winning it is mind blowing. Not that the left is coming up with any winners either.
Originally Posted By Rsey103 My Dad was once in a closed-door meeting with a person who was considering running for office. In the meeting this potential candidate was given some advice by an older, more experienced politician. His advice was to agree with whatever the people want. Then after you get in office there are easily a hundred reasons why you can't keep your promise.
Originally Posted By pecos bill These ads focus on the tabloid mentality of the average sheeple. They insult the intelligence of those who are politically aware. I think 20% is a fair estimate of those who possess that quality. Cable television and it's paid advertising seems to have surpassed religion as the "new" opiate of the masses!
Originally Posted By velo Whitman's ads are the worst. I love it when she talks about how "career politician's don't see all the unemployed and I see them everyday." Yeah, I'm sure their walking right by the window of your mansion. I also like how she tries to pin the failure of the Oakland school system on Jerry Brown - the oversight & management of the school system is the realm of the school district, the mayor has nothing to do with it. Yet, you're right, people are probably believing this B.S. I'm not a huge fan of Jerry Brown, but I'd go out of my way to NOT vote for Meg Whitman!
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "I'm not a huge fan of Jerry Brown, but I'd go out of my way to NOT vote for Meg Whitman!" Bingo.
Originally Posted By tiggertoo Sort of. Other than a short stint with Gray Davis, since 1959, the only Democratic governors of the state we've had have been Jerry or his father Pat. So yeah, "Brown" is sort of the de facto electable Democratic candidate.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Brown's weird. He's got an ego, but then again, not a normal one. After being Governor, he obviously wanted to be President, but that didn't work out so then he surfaces as the Mayor of Oakland. After that, he's been the Attorney General. You can't say he doesn't have a broad base of experience or know how things work. Whitman, on the other hand, is clueless. All she does is attack and ignore her own history and those of others. It's frightening to think of two more habitual liars every time her and Fiorina talk about knowing how to create jobs. Sure, if you're willing to work graveyard in Bhopal.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Is Jerry Brown the defacto guy in California if a candidate is needed? >>> I remember Jerry Brown (yes, the same one!) being on the ballot for governor when my elementary school class was taken to the polling station on election day way back when. It's hard to believe he'll be running for governor once again. He's definitely cut from a different cloth than the rest of us. Take for example his official Governor's portrait: <a href="http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/Governors.aspx?content2=866" target="_blank">http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/Go...ent2=866</a> And yes, that's the official portrait of him that hangs in the state capitol building - I've seen it on display myself.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I also like how she tries to pin the failure of the Oakland school system on Jerry Brown - the oversight & management of the school system is the realm of the school district, the mayor has nothing to do with it. >>> A lot of people don't seem to realize that most school districts in California, including Oakland's, are completely independent government entities, separate from the local city or county governments. That is, the public schools in Oakland are not run by a department or division of the city government, as is the case with many big cities on the East Coast. The City of Oakland and its mayor have nothing to do with the schools. But, when Whitman says things like "While Gerry Brown was mayor of Oakland, the public schools in Oakland tumbled in quality" (not an actual quote), it may be true in the strictest sense of the word, but there's a clear implication of something that's not true.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder I've decided Gray Davis looks like Jon Cryer with white hair. I think I watch too much Two and a Half Men.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "But, when Whitman says things like "While Gerry Brown was mayor of Oakland, the public schools in Oakland tumbled in quality" (not an actual quote), it may be true in the strictest sense of the word, but there's a clear implication of something that's not true." It's like saying, "When I was head of ebay, the Oakland schools tumbled. They have the same connection. It's that in L.A. and Long Beach. Villaraigosa wants the schools under him (when there's not a TV reporter there) so bad it's not funny. He wanted a say in appointing the new superintendent and was told to pound sand.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney So what do we do? Why isn't there a better choice for Democrat on the ballot? I just can't fathom the possibility Meg Whitman will be our next governor, but I'm afraid it will happen. So I agree with velo and SPP. But I'm afraid the 20% who are politically aware may not be enough to keep her out of office.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>It's frightening to think of two more habitual liars every time her and Fiorina talk about knowing how to create jobs.<< Carly has a great track record of creating jobs ... in India.
