Obama comes to California, but Jerry Brown takes a pass

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

When word went out that President Obama was coming to Silicon Valley on Thursday, a number of Democratic politicians rushed to the scene.

Among them were Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom – both newly elected statewide officials with larger political ambitions. But absent was Gov. Jerry Brown who chose to stay in Sacramento rather than vie for a photo op with the president, who flew in on Air Force One to meet with business leaders.

Brown, who once sought the presidency himself, clearly has other priorities these days. His spokesman Gil Duran said that the governor was busy with meetings in Sacramento, and his absence was in no way intended as a snub.

--Anthony York in Sacramento