California GOP governor's race III -- Meg Whitman

As the nation's most populous state, California has even more voters than the new Obama White House has policy czars.

The state's politics and personalities often have been harbingers of trends, policies, tax revolts, etc. that eventually work their way across the country and draw international attention.

Over the weekend, California's Republican Party held its state convention, a prime podium for its major gubernatorial hopefuls to address party faithful and lay out their initial profile and policy declarations. Speakers included former Rep. Tom Campbell, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and businesswoman Meg Whitman.

They've each been raising money and endorsements for months, of course, with varying degrees of success. But since this is the de facto start to the public campaign, The Ticket decided to run the unfiltered text of the speeches given by each declared candidate and provided by their staff so that readers can get a feel for who's coming, how they choose to describe themselves at the outset and what to watch for.

We've published them here this morning about two hours apart in last-name alphabetical order. Campbell's speech text was posted earlier today. Poizner's speech text was posted earlier today.

Click here for Whitman's campaign website. 

As always, feel free to leave your civil comments at the bottom.

-- Andrew Malcolm

But first, click here for Twitter alerts on each new Ticket item. Or follow us   @latimestot

Remarks by Meg Whitman to the California Republican Party Convention, Sept. 26:

Thank you for that wonderful introduction. I’m so happy to be here today. And let me acknowledge some friends in the audience.

Earlier this week I made it official and announced my commitment to seek the Republican nomination for governor. I’m the first Republican to take that step. And I did it because our crisis....

California GOP governor's race II -- Steve Poizner

As the nation's most populous state, California has even more voters than the new Obama White House has policy czars.

The state's politics and personalities have often been harbingers of trends, policies, tax revolts, etc. that eventually work their way across the country and draw international attention.

This past weekend, California's Republican Party held its state convention, a prime podium for its major gubernatorial hopefuls to address the party faithful and lay out their initial profile and policy declarations. This included former Rep. Tom Campbell, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and businesswoman Meg Whitman.

They've each been raising money and endorsements for months, of course, with varying degrees of success. But because this is the de facto public campaign start, The Ticket decided to run the unfiltered speech text given by each declared candidate so readers can get a feel for who's coming, how they choose to describe themselves at the outset and what to watch for.

We'll publish them here this morning about two hours apart in last-name alphabetical order and add links to each when all are posted. Campbell's speech text was published earlier today.

Poizner's campaign website is here.

As always, feel free to leave your civil comments at the bottom.

-- Andrew Malcolm

But first, click here for Twitter alerts on each new Ticket item. Or follow us    @latimestot

Remarks by Steve Poizner to the California Republican State Convention, Sept. 26:

Thank you. Good evening.

First of all, Dennis, thank you very much for that fantastic introduction. I have to say a word or two about Sen. Hollingsworth. Now, I get to watch him closely in Sacramento. The fact is, Sen.Hollingsworth is a fantastic Republican leader and you know what? I've learned a lot by watching how tough he is.

The fact is, you don't have to compromise all the time. You don't have to give in all the time. Sen. Hollingsworth has shown that if you stand tall on Republican conservative principles, you can win.

So, this is my 10th California Republican Party convention in a row, and it's nice to see all my friends and all kinds of folks I've been working with over a long period of time. I have to....

California GOP governor's race I -- Tom Campbell

As the nation's most populous state, California has even more voters than the new Obama White House has policy czars.

The state's politics and personalities have often been harbingers of trends, policies, tax revolts, etc. that eventually work their way across the country and draw international attention.

This weekend, California's Republican Party held its state convention, a prime podium for its major gubernatorial hopefuls to address party faithful and lay out their initial profile and policy declarations. This included former Rep. Tom Campbell, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and businesswoman Meg Whitman.

They've each been raising money and endorsements for months, of course, with varying degrees of success. But since this is the de facto public campaign start, The Ticket decided to run the unfiltered speech text given by each declared candidate and provided by their staff so that readers can get a feel for who's coming, how they choose to describe themselves at the outset and what to watch for.

We'll publish them here this morning about two hours apart in last-name alphabetical order and add links to each when all are posted.

Campbell's campaign website is here.

As always, feel free to leave your civil Comments at the bottom.

-- Andrew Malcolm

But first, click here for Twitter alerts on each new Ticket item. Or follow us  @latimestot

Remarks by ex-Rep. Tom Campbell to the California Republican State Convention Sept. 25:

What we Republicans all share is a commitment to less government, more freedom and individual liberty. Those are the undying principles of our party and, I believe, the strong ties that unite us more strongly than any primary battle can divide us.

I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself, because there are many new members of our party present – some who weren’t even born when I attended my first....

Calif. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's good with Guantanamo prisoners going to her state

As one of its very first promises after the inaugural showing of Aretha Franklin's huge hat last Jan. 20, the Obama Democratic administration promised to close the terrorist-housing facility in Guantanamo Bay within one year.

They're not going to make that deadline, Obama officials now admit. A big problem is where to put these fellows who want to kill Americans enmasse. The last Bush administration deemed communist Cuba a good spot.

Members of Congress have not exactly been jumping up and down waving their hands to bring those guys to their home states.

But on Fox News Sunday this Sunday, Dianne Feinstein, the ex-mayor and veteran California Democrat and Intelligence Committee chairman was asked if she'd be OK with those hardened terrorists being moved from the isolated maximum security detention facility in Cuba to a maximum security place in her state, the nation's most populous, and she said, "Yes."

Her co-guest, Republican Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri did not think Missouri was a good spot. He worries that terrorist prisoners will recruit new followers from an American prison population. But the Missouri too was OK with California.

Here's the video proof:

-- Andrew Malcolm

If you don't want Guantanamo prisoners living in your home, click here. You'll also get Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us   @latimestot

California gov hopeful Gavin Newsom really, really likes Twitter

Sure, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom may have been pandering a bit to the social-networking-crazed crowd at 140: The Twitter Conference in Santa Monica.

But in Newsom's brief webcast that was broadcast Tuesday afternoon on the main stage projector, the Democratic contender for the 2010 California gubernatorial election professed an undying love for Twitter.

"I'm here because I have great expectations in terms of what this technology is going to mean in terms of changing the world," Newsom said from his mayoral headquarters in San Francisco.

To back up his earth-transforming claim, he pointed to the role the service played in the Mumbai, India, terrorist attacks, Iranian revolts and the case of a UC Berkeley student who was released from an Egyptian jail thanks to Twitter friends.

Twitter creator Jack Dorsey has demonstrated the tool to government officials around the world, making believers out of folks twice his age on Capitol Hill and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom Newsom hopes to replace next year if he wins the Democratic nomination and then the November election, has also leveraged Twitter and publicly praised the product.

Twitter Inc. is based in San Francisco, a place Newsom calls "a city not of dreamers but of doers."

"We are trying to use Twitter and this technology to improve the governing of this city," Newsom said.

Naturally, Newsom is going to support a popular company on his home turf. There's also the bonus of highlighting his embrace of social media while high-profile Republican hopeful Meg Whitman goes about the traditional advertising route, as well as some Twittering.

But how influential can one website be?

"I think this is the beginning of the end of the way things are being done in government," Newsom said. "The best is yet to come."

-- Mark Milian

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Photo: Newsom, right, with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone last summer. Credit: Kelly Pretzer via Flickr

California 2010 governor prospects Newsom, Brown, Whitman, others take to Twitter

Across the board, Twitter is looking like the fast track for organizing constituents and attracting some fundraising for California governor hopefuls.

But there's a pretty significant divide among the top candidates. Just look at these numbers.

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom (see photo), a competitor for the Democrats' 2010 nomination, has more than 1 million followers.

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, the other guy on the left, has about 829,000 followers.

But the elephants aren’t looking so good.

Meg Whitman has 3,300 followers. Steve Poizner, Calif. insurance commissioner and a potential Republican nominee, has 2,100.

And taking home the bronze medal is fellow Republican Tom Campbell with 1,400.

C’mon, Tom, 1,400? 

Unfortunately for the GOP, Twitter -- the social network that became so integral for Barack Obama to reach a connected demographic during his presidential campaign -- is becoming a major platform in the California gubernatorial race.

Newsom seems to be devoting the better half of this week to his virtual campaigning. He’s hosting a “Twitter Talk” on Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. Pacific to discuss his ideas for California.

The next day, Newsom will make a short speech in the afternoon at 140: The Twitter Conference, a series of panels discussing the social network. The Ticket will be there. Then at 6 p.m. Pacific, Newsom will ....

Bygones not bye-bye for Bill Clinton in California Democratic gov race

In case you think ex-President Clinton forgets political slights, even after nearly two decades, think again. Here's a fascinating California political item, slightly edited for non-Californians, from our blog buddies over at L.A. Now:

Seventeen years after fellow Democrats Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown clashed in the 1992 race for the White House, the former president made clear today that bygones will not be bygones in the 2010 campaign for California governor: Clinton signed on today to support Brown rival Gavin Newsom in the Democratic primary next year. Newsom is the current mayor of San Francisco.

It is highly unusual – perhaps unprecedented, according to the mayor’s campaign – for a former president to take sides in a California gubernatorial primary. Sitting chief executives and former ones usually like to wait for the intraparty bleeding to stop before endorsing.

But the bad blood between Clinton and Brown, now the state's attorney general and also a former Oakland mayor, runs deep, much as Newsom would like Californians to believe that Clinton’s choice is based on merit alone.

"This is not some kind of payback on Bill Clinton’s part,” Newsom strategist Garry South said. “He doesn’t think that way.”

Tensions in the 1992 race for the Democratic presidential nomination peaked at a debate in Chicago, where Brown accused Clinton of “funneling money to his wife’s law firm for state business.”

That set off Clinton. “I don’t care what you say about me, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself for jumping on my wife,” he snapped, shaking his finger at Brown. “You’re not worth being on the same platform as my wife.”

Clinton plans two stops with Newsom on Oct. 5, a public event in East L.A. and a fundraiser in Los Angeles, with details still to be worked out, South said. Neither Clinton nor Brown, who has not yet formally entered the governor’s race, was immediately available for comment.

-- Michael Finnegan

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Photo: Presidential candidates Jerry Brown and Bill Clinton in 1992. Credit: Associated Press

California's political fire season underway: Carly Fiorina files to explore 2010 dump Boxer bid

Carly Fiorina, the 54-year-old businesswoman who was a ubiquitous spokeswoman for Sen. John McCain's doomed Republican presidential campaign last year, filed papers today to explore her own campaign next year to unseat California Democratic incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer.

The move, obtaining a tax registration number and establishing a committee named "Carly for California," allows her to legally raise money for such an effort in one of the most politically expensive states in the country.

In a written statement, the former head of Hewlett-Packard said Californians have "serious concerns about job creation, economic growth and the role of government in solving problems that touch each of our lives."

Sounds like concerns that could apply these days to pretty much any state.

Personal wealth is a good thing if you're in California politics. Fiorina is that -- in California and wealthy.

She'll begin fundraising and meeting with advisors immediately. If Fiorina proceeds, most likely a foregone conclusion, she'll face Chuck DeVore, a state assemblyman from Irvine, in the Republican senate primary next June.

If successful, her bid could make for a heated statewide race between two outspoken women. A three-term Brooklyn native, Boxer has made headlines in recent months with what many regarded as unusually peremptory comments in Senate committee hearings, including dressing down an Army general for calling her "Ma'am" instead of senator.

And she had a verbal confrontation with a black business association leader, as The Ticket reported here.

In 2010, the nation's most populous state will also be convulsed by 53 House races and a statewide gubernatorial battle to replace term-limited Arnold Schwarzenegger.

There, another wealthy businesswoman, Meg Whitman of EBay fame, is facing State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in the GOP primary, along with Tom Campbell, Schwarzenegger's former finance director. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is already running on the Democratic side, expected to be joined by ex-governor, ex-mayor and current state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown.

Linda Ronstadt has not yet filed for any office.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Associated Press

Black Chamber of Commerce exec Alford angered by Barbara Boxer

Maybe you were too busy the other day watching the Senate hearing for the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court to catch another Senate hearing, this one chaired by California Democrat Barbara Boxer.

Sen. Boxer likes to rule her hearings with a, uh, firm hand. You may recall The Ticket item and video here not so long ago where Sen. Boxer ordered an Army general to stop calling her "Ma'am" and to call her "Senator" instead.

Well, this time Harry Alford, the CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, was about to testify against some climate change legislation when Boxer had him wait and took the occasion to introduce for the committee record a whole bunch of printed statements in support of the legislation, contradicting Alford's upcoming testimony, from groups not at the hearing.

Alford took offense to that (see video below) as disrespectful, dismissive and condescending to his appearance, and there ensued another verbal boxing match. As you'll see on the video, Boxer explained that she'd be introducing all kinds of diverse statements. (As you'll also see, Alford repeatedly referred to Boxer as "Ma'am.")

Surprisingly, this evening Bill O'Reilly, who normally shuns rhetorical confrontations involving Democrats like the ratings booster they always are on Fox News Channel, had Alford on "The O'Reilly Factor," where the black chamber executive had some more to say about the California Democrat:

"It was pure race. It was like down there in Mississippi back in the bad old days when one black preacher would rise up against the big boss. He’d go find another black preacher to fight against that black preacher. Yes, it is – it was ugly and she jumped – she opened up a pit, a mud pit that I wasn’t going to jump into."

Did Alford think Boxer intended to introduce racism to the hearing?:

“Actually, Bill, I think it’s her persona. I don’t think she can help herself. When she gets caught up in a – like that up against the wall, race comes up. You know, she’s – the brainchild of Anita Hill attacking Clarence Thomas was Barbara Boxer. You go back – you mentioned 2004 and all of that garbage against Ken Blackwell, secretary of state of Ohio, saying he rigged the election, that was Barbara Boxer.”

On the reaction Alford's received since that Boxer hearing:

“Well, I’ve got a great fan club right now, as a lot of people don’t like her. As I’ve gotten about 7,500 e-mails and 98% are cheering me on.”

So, just saying, it doesn't look like Sen. Boxer will get Alford's vote in her reelection campaign next year, even if he did live in California.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Meg Whitman's $6.5 million fundraising, plus $4 million of her own money, puts her atop California gov race

Former eBay CEO and current GOP candidate for California governor Meg Whitman will announce shortly that she's already raised more than $6.5 million for her campaign. More, her campaign claims, than any other Republican candidates in the race longer.

Not bad considering she's a political newcomer and been an announced candidate for only five months.

And 85% of that dough came from Californians, the campaign says. Whitman has also chipped in $4 million of her own for a total of about $10.5 million.

In the news release Whitman's campaign chair, former mayor, former senator, former gov Pete Wilson, says:

There is no more certain measure of enthusiasm for a candidate than heavy early campaign contributions. This unprecedented outpouring of support for Meg confirms the demand for a new style of leadership that creates jobs, cuts wasteful spending, and effectively manages state government. Meg's appeal reaches far beyond just traditional Republicans. She is attracting new donors and new voters to expand our party at a critical time. They are putting their money where their hearts and minds are.

Whitman knows a little about money, having turned eBay from a company with 30 employees and $4.7 million into one with 15,000 employees and $8 billion in revenues. In the no-longer-very-recent presidential campaign, she was natrional finance chair for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and then raised millions for Sen. John McCain. Both have since endorsed her; probably a coincidence.

The gubernatorial field is vying for the unlikely honor in this fiscally-pressurized deficit days of replacing Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose term limits run out in January 2011.

Whitman's primary primary opponent, Steve Poizner, the state insurance commissioner, reports raising north of $1.2 million with $250,000 coming the last two days of the quarterly reporting period. He's also given himself $4.2 million and reports $3.5 million still in hand.

"The Poizner campaign will be fully-funded," said spokesman Jarrod Agen, "and we will make Meg Whitman spend it all.'

On the Democrat side, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom reported raising $1.6 million in the last six months, most of it online, which is way less than fellow Democrat, former gov, former mayor and current state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, who reports raising $7.3 million. 

All great news for the state's TV stations next year.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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