Jerry Brown announces NOW endorsement one day after Meg Whitman slur

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Jerry Brown announced he has received the endorsement of the National Organization for Women, less than 24 hours after the emergence of a recorded message in which Brown can be heard in a conversation with advisors in which someone calls Whitman a ‘whore.’ Coincidence? You be the judge.

Whitman’s campaign pounced after the audio was made public, sending out a release Thursday night from spokeswoman Sarah Pompei calling the use of the term ‘an insult to both Meg Whitman and to the women of California. This is an appalling and unforgivable smear against Meg Whitman. At the very least Mr. Brown tacitly approved this despicable slur and he himself may have used the term at least once on this recording.’

As if on cue, Brown’s campaign Friday released the endorsement from NOW championing Brown’s record on women’s rights. ‘As Governor, Mayor, and Attorney General, Jerry Brown has promoted and defended women’s rights,” said California NOW President Patty Bellasalma.

“Jerry stands for fairness and equality and never ever backs down. We have every confidence that he will do the same as California’s next governor.”

“Meg Whitman is a pro-choice woman who was ranked among the world’s most accomplished women in business,’ said Whitman campaign manager Jillian Hasner. ‘She’s now running to become the first woman governor in California’s history, and on the same day that it’s reported Jerry Brown’s campaign called her a ‘whore,’ the National Organization [for] Women endorses him. It’s official: NOW is a partisan organization.”

‘It’s not surprising they would manufacture some excuse about why they didn’t get NOW’s endorsement’ said Brown spokesman Sterling Clifford.

Clifford dismissed suggestions there was any connection between the timing of the endorsement and the audio tape saying, ‘there’s mo endorsement process that can be done in a day. ‘

--Anthony York in Sacramento

RELATED: Jerry Brown associate calls Meg Whitman a ‘whore’ (AUDIO)