Former EBay CEO Meg Whitman Running For Governor
Sep 22, 2009

Quote :

"Meg Whitman, Former eBay CEO has announced today that she is seeking the nomination for the 2010 California Governor race. According to reports, she is hoping to gain the Republican nomination. Whitman's campaign launched an ad today on the radio, in it she says: 'People desperately want California to be great again...Most of all, they want to live in a place of opportunity and optimism, not a place of small dreams and scaled-down ambitions.'"

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212257700.shtml

Well, Whitman obviously has more executive experience than the Governator had. Could be a good thing for California.

9/22/2009 7:45:59 PM

I'm not sure someone who has tried to limit abortion rights & was for prop 8 will do all that hot in CA. Despite the way prop 8 turned out, CA is a pretty progressive place, & the lgbt groups in CA alone could provide solid funding to anyone who runs against her even before the other strong progressive institutions in the state jumped in. I know lgbt activists have been organizing against her potential run for at least 7 or 8 months now. If she wins it will be by turning out a larger conservative base than her opponent can turn out a liberal base, rather than by coming off as a moderate candidate.

Also, given the poor state of the economy of CA, they may want to oust the current party running the governor's office rather than replace one republican with another. Some democratic candidates who are running include Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom, and Attorney General & former Governor Jerry Brown. While it's not a good barometer for judging wider support, Mayor Newsome's facebook political fan page has about 58,134 supporters vs Whitman's nearly 3,928 supporters vs Brown with 4,234 supporters. She also skipped the first gubernatorial candidates debate that featured the 2 democrats mentioned before and 2 other republicans State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Rep. Tom Campbell.

Mayor of a large city, and attorney general/former gov both seem like more solid political stepping stones to the governor's office. But I suppose if people are happy with Governor Schwarzenegger they may want to hire from outside the political experience arena again. Although I think the public's rule of thumb is a good economy means stay the same, & a bad economy means time for a change (even if the particular head of state didn't have a whole lot to do with the economy good or bad).

9/23/2009 12:29:05 AM

Quote :

". . .prop 8. . . ."

You're a one-issue guy, dude.

Quote :

". . .CA is a pretty progressive place. . . ."

They elected Schwarzenegger, didn't they?

Quote :

". . .Mayor Newsome's facebook political fan page has about 58,134 supporters vs Whitman's nearly 3,928 supporters vs Brown with 4,234 supporters."

Given the time between announcements, your position is a little disingenuous, wouldn't you say?

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officially announces run for governor
April 21, 2009!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/newsom-governor.html

Former EBay CEO Meg Whitman Running For Governor
Sep 22, 2009!

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212257700.shtml

I just don't believe Californians are in the mood for a space case like Jerry Brown right now.

And with all due respect, your post reads like talking points. I have no vote in the election at issue; I was simply making the point that during this turbulent time in our economy it might be nice to have an experienced former CEO with a successful track record in office.

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 7:47 AM. Reason : .]

9/23/2009 7:46:34 AM

For a thread about the CA Gubernatorial campaign, you only mentioned one republican that you liked, & avoided all the rest while I mentioned every other republican & democrat who has declared. And I pointed out a large & local to CA constituency that will be opposed to your favorite candidate... how does that make me one issue guy? Just for reference, here are the last few threads I've made in the soap box, & I've certainly participated in others.

Quote :

"The Soap Box Gun Dealer(Judge Brady) rules Felons can have guns Supplanter 9/21/2009 3:57:56 PM The Soap Box 2010 NC Democratic Primary for US Senate Race Supplanter 9/9/2009 10:40:30 PM The Soap Box President Obama's Address to Congress Tonight (Page 2 3 4 5 6) Supplanter 9/9/2009 7:02:43 PM The Soap Box When Elves attack! A New Fox Special Supplanter 9/5/2009 12:31:39 PM The Soap Box Who is Your US Congressman? What is your District? (Page 2) Supplanter 9/2/2009 11:46:46 PM The Soap Box Oil Lobby funds Astroturf Campaign heading to NC Supplanter 8/14/2009 11:52:08 AM The Soap Box David Price attends face to face town hall meeting (Page 2) Supplanter 8/13/2009 11:21:09 PM The Soap Box Unjamming your front door while black? (Page 2 3 ... 6 7) Supplanter 7/20/2009 8:46:03 PM The Soap Box Ensign Supplanter 7/10/2009 2:17:18 PM The Soap Box NCSU Alumnus running for Raleigh City Council Supplanter 7/5/2009 11:49:12 AM"

"your position is a little disingenuous, wouldn't you say?"
Only if you read "not a good barometer" as "good barometer" (even though she has been planning this run for quite some time, I think her exploratory committee to run for Gov was started back in Feb, before Mayor Newsom had declared)

"I have no vote in the election at issue"
Neither do I, although I do who have relatives who do.

But if the first thing you're going to do is try to discredit what I say out of hand by calling me a one issue guy, I'm done with this particular thread. By the way, what is the one issue? Environment, race, animal issues, health care, presidential politics, NC politics? Maybe someone else will talk to you in this thread about the only candidate that you wanted to mention in the gubernatorial race in CA, dude.

9/23/2009 10:35:56 AM

goober is right

9/23/2009 10:54:56 AM

^^ I'm just saying that your very first sentence was, PROP 8, PROP 8! And I just mentioned the Whitman announcement because it is current--I intended for this thread to unfold over time to include other races, you know? It's just a start.

And concerning my alleged attempt to "discredit" you, I don't think I've done anything of the sort. I was simply offering an honest opinion about your focus on LGBT issues.

9/23/2009 1:51:41 PM

he mentioned another issue IN THE SAME SENTENCE.

9/23/2009 1:53:48 PM

^ Never said he didn't.

Quote :

"I'm just saying that your very first sentence was, PROP 8, PROP 8!"

Supplanter and I do just fine conversing with each other. He doesn't need a spokesperson.

9/23/2009 1:57:57 PM

hey look, i can quote what you actually said:

Quote :

"". . .prop 8. . . ." You're a one-issue guy, dude. "

and then part that you didn't bother quoting was another issue - pretty much negating exactly what you said. but of course if someone cares about LGBT issues, that is all that you see when they talk.

9/23/2009 2:22:41 PM

^ Wrong. You know nothing about me--please don't pretend that you do.

9/23/2009 2:40:16 PM

blah blah blah. why don't you pm me about how you're sad no one on here likes you again.

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 2:41 PM. Reason : .]

9/23/2009 2:41:24 PM

nm, i was getting meg whitman mixed up with carly fiorina, who is running for senate in cali on the heels of her exciting career spent destroying Compaq and HP.

[Edited on September 26, 2009 at 1:44 PM. Reason : .]

9/26/2009 1:41:19 PM

^ have you seen her website spoof on youtube?

it's hilarious


here:



[Edited on September 26, 2009 at 4:28 PM. Reason : .]

9/26/2009 4:25:58 PM

the future of the GOP basically rests on expropriating the stupid parts of pop culture that the Dems haven't used, like most shows on the CW and Spencer and Heidi Pratt.

9/26/2009 10:58:15 PM

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_CA_728.pdf

Quote :

"Raleigh, N.C.--Attorney General Jerry Brown leads Meg Whitman 46:40 in the California Governor’s race. Whitman doesn’t receive high marks from Californians. 50% of Californians have an unfavorable opinion of Whitman, including 22% of Republicans. Since winning the primary, Whitman hasn’t won over many Californians, during the primary 44% of voters had an unfavorable opinion of the former EBay executive. 41% of voters have a favorable opinion of Brown, including 63% of Democrats. Brown is gaining strength amongst independents; 47% of independents choose Brown over Whitman. Independents make up 20% of his supporters. Only 31% of independents support Whitman."

From their blog version discussing the same poll:

Quote :

"Casting a shadow over Whitman's campaign is Arnold Schwarzenegger's continuing status as the least popular Governor in the country. 71% of voters in the state disapprove of the job he's doing and only 19% give him good marks. Generally when you have an outgoing Governor that strongly disliked you're not going to be inclined to replace him with another person in the same party."

I also saw on an anti-Whitman FB group: "Whitman was born in 1956 but did not register to vote until 2002 earning Business Week's title of "worse than spotty voting records" in a 2000 magazine story." The polls will probably continue to tighten as the election gets closer so this one could be an interesting one to watch. And pollster.com has it even tighter:



To add some balance, I also looked at what an anti-Jerry Brown FB group had to say:

Quote :

"Recently, Jerry Brown, the AG of California has come under heat for supporting the global warming bills that were passed with fraudulent research, and refuses to investigate CARB that purpotrated the fraud. His inaction has led to thousands of Californians to lose their jobs and will continue to do so as the global warming laws are placed into effect. He also supports the prisoner release bill that directly led to an attempted rape in the name of 'saving money'."

[Edited on August 23, 2010 at 6:15 PM. Reason : .]

8/23/2010 6:14:40 PM