Should Jerry Brown personally apologize for Meg Whitman 'whore' remark?

Jerry Brown himself has not made any formal public statements after The Times' Seema Mehta on Thursday revealed that someone in his campaign called Republican rival Meg Whitman a "whore" on an inadvertently recorded voice mail.

Now, Mehta is reporting that some Brown allies say the candidate for governor should make a public apology.

"It's inappropriate; it's just wrong," said Stephanie Schriock, the leader of EMILY'S List, a Democratic group dedicated to electing pro-choice women, on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers." Such words "just shouldn't be used anywhere by anyone, period. It is just not what our democracy is about. It's unfortunate to hear it in any place."

A Brown spokesman said the campaign did not plan to issue any other statement beyond its apology made Thursday.

What do you think? Should Brown address the issue himself? Share your views below.

Photo: Jerry Brown. Allen J. Shaben / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Art]

I doubt that anyone, even in the Whitman campaign, believe that the comment was meant to be taken literally. A poor choice of words though it may have been, it was intended to describe Whitman's behavior. As such, it makes up in precision what it lacks in politeness.

[H]

Blame the messenger not the witnesses that made that statement.

[raqs]

So what is inaccurate about what was said? Nothing. Meg Whitman, to curry favor, money and an endorsement made a secret back room deal with a union to keep them free of any pension reform efforts, to revisit pensions that are breaking the back of this already shattered economy. Jerry Brown refused to bow down and kiss the ring for the endorsement and the almost $500K they have spent on Whitman's behalf. Ironic isn't it that a Democrat stood up to a union and the Republican bowed to them? That IS the real story here which is precisely why Team Whitman and all its flustered-oh-so-offended minions are trying to keep the focus on the WORD not the behavior it was referencing. The word itself is offensive if it were being used to describe Whitman in the context of sexual behavior. But in this case The only thing sexual was her lust for campaign cash and the seduction of an endorsement from a powerful union.

[CaliPHOBE]

Jerry Brown should FIRST APOLOGIZE, then WITHDRAW from politics forever. He is an embarrassment to the citizens of California.

[no bozos]

This just in....Gloria Allred just dropped her illegal alien maid client....she will be holding a press conference in her office with her new client....a prostitute from Figuroa Blvd who is offended by the comment made comparing her to Meg....Whoria Allred says she isnt suing the staffer for the comment, but is helping her file a claim for possible lost wages....

[Allypage]

No. He did not say it for one thing. It was the opinion of another individual.
That Jerry actually heard the comment at the time who really knows....

I heard several people talking at once and since it was a private conversation that was inadvertently recorded.... Who really cares what they called her in private.... I did NOT SEE AN AD calling her a WHO**......
So grow up people..... I'll bet $ she's called him a BAST*** in private.

I am more interested in the fact that Meg Whitless has been exposed cutting back room deals to help some groups... and THEN accusing Jerry of pandering to "Special Interest groups"
HMMMMM.....
Voting for Jerry... at least I know what I am getting with him.

[PR Meister]

Proposed announcement of apology:

I regret the inadvertant recording of a private conversation regarding meg whitman's union pension hypocrisy and I also regret that she is a wh@re. No woman should degrade honor and integrity to the extent that meg whitman has besmirched her own.

[steveg68]

Yes, he should apologize that he didn't call her a gigantic one--hypocritical rich republican with no real political or governmental experience, except her donations to other rich republican politicians.

[MassM22]

It depends, Is she one? :-)

Actually of all the things he could have called her, this is probably last on the list.

[David]

Yes, he should apologize. It was his voice. Voice-recognition software, please. Somebody should do it.

[slivermore]

"LMAO are you kidding me; insulting a person is offensive to their dignity and to common human courtesy and you want people to ignore it?? I find the comment derogatory regardless of the reason; "rationally" he could have chosen 10 different ways to express his point but chose the most degrading one to women. "

Really? "Whore" is degrading to women precisely to the degree to which you believe it applies to women. I've heard "whore" applied to men, for the same reasons it was applied to Whitman. I am a woman, and I am not degraded by MW being referred to as a "whore." Why not? Because it refers to actions, not identity.

[Ricardo]

If he is a man he will but then he might not , Does not matter I'm not voting for him .I will casting my vote for Whitman . Jerry is the last thing California needs .

[Eric Mills]

Oh, please.

Grow up, people! ALL politicians are whores. It comes with the territory.

[Steve]

Jerry Brown has been on the public dole for 72 years. His track record is spelled "loser". Since he can't run on his record, maybe calling Meg a Whore makes him feel good - so be it.

[Grace]

No. I'm grateful to his campaign for giving me something to scream at the TV everytime another Whitman commercial comes on. "There's that whore again!" I'm so sick of her commercials.

[richard madden]

Interesting words for a man who at one time toyed with aspirations of donning the cloth.

If he wants mine vote he better tighten up the ship.

[Gyre]

Brown didn't make the remark, a staffer did. He might apologize on behalf of his campaign, but it isn't necessary AND it would keep a negative, non-issue alive longer. I say "No, not necessary."

[Bo Peep]

I've seen attack ads coming from both sides, but Governor Moonbeam has had thirty years of slimy tactics experience. The guy is a scumbag, career politician that needs to exit politics. He's not even a liberal democrat, he's an idiot who drove this state downhill once. Please don't let him do it again. Lovelalola's comment is worth a look from everyone who gives a damn!

[West Valley Dave]

Of course he should. But he won't. He'll go and hide like his kind always do.

And for those commenting who don't think its a big deal would be the first to scream and protest if it were a conservative commenting about a progressive.

[jay handal]

While its a known fact that most politicians "Whore" themselves out at one time or another, it is completely unacceptable for this type of name calling.
Thank God Brown is not the national A.G. since he does not know how to use a phone, wire tapping would be a mess!!!!!

[Joe B.]

Why should he, he didn't say it. But he apologized anyway, which was a classy move. Better than Meg, who hasn't apoloigized to her housekeeper, and she should.

In fact, what's strange about the whole thing is that the "whore" comment is that it's completely out of context, has nothing at all to do with what's said before or after.

It's almost as if it were, ahem, manufactured.

[Disgusted]

NO!

This had nothing to do with gender....everything to do with who sells out!

[NutMeg]

Why should Jerry apologize? He didn't say it and the person who did was just telling the truth.

[nina]

Whether or not Brown called Whitman this insulting name,
someone in his camp did. I am a democrat and unless Brown makes this right, I cannot see myself voting for anyone who would condone this type of behaivor. It leaves me in a difficult situation because I do not know what to do with my vote. I will not vote for the Tea Party, and I am not so sure about Meg Whitman. Jerry Brown DO NOT LEAVE THIS IMAGE OF YOURSELF. Take responsibility! Also do not condone those childish commercials about Whitmans nose growing. Your campaign should be above this. You are better than that.

[Crusader]

Governor Brown regardless of who made the statement an apology is ethically warranted. Consider this at least you sir have the integrity to apologize for an action that you did not commit. It was one of your subordinates but yet you have that fortitute to make that correction and make things right. Its not an easy task to take fault for something you did not say but on the contrary this would show that you would go up to bat for what is right. Whitman have you apologized to the sons and daughters of the Great State of California? Where was your involvement all those years when perhaps your vote might have counted. Have you apologized to that lady your supposedly said was like part of your family and yet cut her loose due to politics? This only proves one thing about you Whitman that you would abandon the sons and daughters of this Great State if needed.