California election results: Nurses’ union protests at GOP victory rally

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Democratic allies protested the California Republican Party’s victory rally Wednesday morning, lambasting Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina as wealthy corporate chief executives who are out of touch with the needs of Californians.

The California Nurses Assn., which has been following Whitman on the campaign trail with a “Queen Meg” character complete with crown and scepter, unveiled a new character, “Princess Carly,” outside the Anaheim Hilton, the site of the GOP breakfast rally.

“We are cut from the same cloth,” Princess Carly said.

Queen Meg pointed at their flowing lilac gowns and replied, “That’s right, you can see our clothing matches.”

Queen Meg said she plans to cut spending on schools and jobs.

“Healthcare for the rich, education for the few, prisons for all,” she concluded.

The nurses association is a union with a flair for the dramatic that has been a thorn in the side of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for years. The protest upset some Republican rally attendees, including an elderly woman who shouted, “This is like Disneyland – childish!” before storming off.

Dozens of union members picketed the site, chanting, “They say cutback, we say fight back!” and carrying signs that read, “Stop Wall St. Whitman” and “Carly Fiorina, Princess of Perks.”

Stu Tebford, a maintenance locksmith and member of the California School Employees Assn., said Whitman does not have the background and skills to help California return to its glory days.

“I’m out here to let Meg Whitman know the state of California is not for sale,” said the 46-year-old Huntington Beach resident.

-- Seema Mehta in Anaheim