A voter's guide to the Fresno debate

Posted at 10:57 PM on Friday, Oct. 01, 2010
Compiled by the staffs of The Fresno Bee and The Sacramento Bee - Fresno


Gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown will meet at 11 a.m. today at Fresno State's Satellite Student Union for the second of three televised debates before the Nov. 2 election. The debate is sponsored by the city of Fresno, the Fresno-Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fresno State, Univision and The Bee. The debate will be moderated by Maria Elena Salinas, co-anchor of "Noticiero Univision," Univision's network evening news program. Admission to the debate is by invitation only.
Here is a guide to watching the debate, with assessments of the candidates gleaned from political experts; the candidates' answers to a few questions; and a look back at some memorable California debate moments.


JERRY BROWN, Democrat
His strengths

What he should do

Brown, at 72, must demonstrate he is modern, his ideas relevant today, experts say. He must avoid coming across as arrogant or gruff.


MEG WHITMAN, Republican
Her strengths

Whitman is a skilled public speaker, highly aware of how she is perceived.

She delivers succinct, memorable answers and tends to stay on message.

Given her highly organized campaign, she is likely to have prepared well.
Her weaknesses

Whitman is not as experienced at debating as Brown, nor is she as familiar with government. She also will have to burn valuable debate time addressing the issue of her illegal immigrant housekeeper.


Her scripted style could leave viewers without the feeling -- important in such debates -- that they saw her mind at work.

What she should do

Whitman, the former eBay CEO, must show she is gubernatorial -- something more than a billionaire, self-funded candidate, experts say. She must prove she can match Brown in a debate about government, his area of expertise.


HE SAID & SHE SAID

The Bee asked the candidates for their views on issues of importance to Hispanic voters and Valley residents. Here are the questions, and what the candidates had to say.

Question: Do you support adopting a law in California like Arizona's law that empowers police to stop suspected illegal immigrants?

Answer: Whitman and Brown both said they do not support such a law in California. Whitman said it would be divisive and would likely be tied up in the courts.

What do you think should happen with people who have worked and lived illegally in this country for years?

Brown said he supports comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, including a process by which undocumented workers pay some consequences but can achieve legal status. Whitman did not directly answer the question. She did say the government must crack down on sanctuary cities and employers who knowingly break federal immigration law. Once that's done, she said she would support looking into how to create a guest worker program for industries such as agriculture that depend on seasonal labor.

Would you sign or veto legislation -- much like that vetoed twice by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- giving driver's licenses to people who are in the state illegally? Explain your position.


Both candidates said they oppose giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

How do we ensure agriculture that is dependent on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water can get an adequate supply, while still maintaining the estuary's health -- which affects the state's salmon-fishing industry -- and adhering to the federal Endangered Species Act?

Whitman said she believes the water bond now scheduled for the 2012 ballot is a first step to address the Valley's water needs and restore the health of the delta. She supports a peripheral canal around the delta, additional below- and above-ground storage and conservation measures. Brown did not answer the question.

Should the state proceed with planning and construction of a high-speed rail system? If not, what would you do with bond money already approved by state voters for the project as well as any federal monies given to California?

Whitman said the state cannot afford high-speed rail. She did not explain what she would do with the state bond money that voters already have approved. Brown supports the high-speed rail proposal and said the state should try to make it work.

DEBATE MOMENTS

Political debates in California have provided a stage for some pivotal campaign moments.

2002: Republican nominee Bill Simon alleged incumbent Democratic Gov. Gray Davis had accepted campaign contributions on state property, which is illegal. The stunt backfired, as evidence produced by Simon's campaign unraveled over the next 72 hours. Simon, a former federal prosecutor under Rudolph Giuliani, was embarrassed. Voters returned Davis to office.

1990: Republican Pete Wilson boosted his chances against Dianne Feinstein during the debate by declaring his support for a strict legislative term limits measure, Proposition 140. Feinstein was called out after the debate for having written notes on her hand (against the rules). Wilson won the news cycle with his declaration and Feinstein's inky hand. He also won the election, as did Proposition 140.

1982: It wasn't a gubernatorial debate, but then Gov. Jerry Brown faced off with then-San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson for the U.S. Senate. Brown thought he could stump Wilson with an obscure inquiry about the African nation of Namibia. Wilson calmly delivered a detailed response. Wilson won the debate and the election.



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