First Take: Clinton endorses Brown. Whitman shatters spending record

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Meg Whitman became the biggest spender on any one campaign in American history Tuesday as the GOP gubernatorial candidate made a new $15-million contribution to her campaign.

Former President Clinton endorsed Jerry Brown just days after the Democratic candidate for governor was caught on tape making a joke about Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.

Brown, meanwhile, launched two new negative ads Tuesday against Whitman, setting the tone for the final weeks of the campaign.

Proposition 23, the measure that would suspend the state’s greenhouse gas law, has divided the political loyalties of oil companies.

Whitman is still refusing to take a stand on the measure, hoping to keep the Republican base secure while striking a more moderate note for potential swing voters.

Whitman’s campaign is demanding television stations take down an ad paid for by the state’s largest teachers union, saying the spot contains slanderous claims about the GOP nominee.

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-- Anthony York in Sacramento