Thread: Whitman booed for refusing to halt negative ads

Whitman booed for refusing to halt negative ads

Posted at 11:01 AM on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010
By David Siders - dsiders@sacbee.com Share

LONG BEACH – Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman was shaken Tuesday in a high-stakes appearance with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic rival Jerry Brown, drawing jeers from an audience of women when she refused to stop airing negative TV ads.

Prodded by "Today" show host Matt Lauer, Brown said he would stop airing attack ads if Whitman would, too. When she refused, a crowd gathered to attend an annual women's conference booed the candidate seeking to become California's first female governor. The event drew an estimated 14,000 people.

It was a further setback for the billionaire former eBay CEO, already trailing in polls one week before Election Day. Not only did Brown claim a piece of political high ground, however impractical, but because of Whitman's refusal, he is free to keep attacking on TV.

"That hurts," said Renee Van Vechten, an assistant professor of government at the University of Redlands. "I don't know how much it will hurt (Whitman), but it certainly won't help."

The exchange between Whitman and Brown, at first lady Maria Shriver's annual conference, came near the end of one of the more intriguing events of the campaign.



Robyn Beck
AFP - Appearing at a Long Beach conference with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown agreed to stop airing negative TV ads if opponent Meg Whitman also would stop using such ads. When she refused, the crowd booed.
Matt SaylesAssociated Press - Host Matt Lauer asked the candidates to "end the negativity" in their ads.

Kevork DjansezianGetty Images - Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown greet each other Tuesday under the gaze of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man each hopes to replace. The rivals met at Women’s Conference 2010 in Long Beach.

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Call David Siders, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 321-1215.
Lungren, Bera clash over range of issues in debate Ad Watch: GOP ad attacking Pan is misleading Dan Walters: Attorney general's real game? It isn't crime In-depth coverage of the 2010 governor's race Voter's guide Schwarzenegger, a lame duck governor whose popularity is at a near record-low, has declined to endorse either candidate. He was joined onstage by Whitman and Brown, who have criticized one another by making unflattering comparisons to the current governor.

Yet the conversation was mostly amiable until Lauer, calling the race "a bloodbath in many ways," asked the candidates if they would pledge to "end the negativity," a measure he said would "give the people of California a break."

Whitman and Brown have spent millions of dollars battering each other in the most expensive general election contest in state history. "We have heard enough talk about slurs and housekeepers," Lauer said. "We know you are both flawed people. Everybody in this room is flawed."

Brown at first said "negativity is in the eye of the beholder." But when pressed by Lauer and the audience, he said, "If Meg wants to do that, I'll be glad to do that."

Brown, the state attorney general, proposed that he and Whitman air only their most positive ads. "I have one nice ad where I look in the camera and I just say what I'm for," he said. "You have a very nice ad where you look in the camera – pretty good ad, by the way."

Whitman was critical of ads attacking a candidate's character and said she would pull any ad that could be characterized as a personal attack.

"The things that I have been called in this campaign, it's not fair to the voters of California," she said.

But she distinguished between personal and issue-based negativity, in which Whitman has criticized – often misleadingly – Brown's record as governor and mayor of Oakland.

"Jerry Brown has been in politics for 40 years, and there is a long track record there," she said. "I want to make sure that people really understand what's going on here. I'm not doing it in a mean-spirited way."

Schwarzenegger, who was sitting between the candidates at the Long Beach Convention Center, said it is "maybe too much to ask" the candidates to make such a pledge in front of a crowd. He said he could envision the candidates' "spin-masters" and advisers becoming upset.

Schwarzenegger declined to tell Lauer who he would prefer be elected, praising Whitman for her accomplishments in business and Brown for his tenure as governor, from 1975 to 1983.

"I think that both of them are great candidates," he said.

Van Vechten said Lauer's question put Whitman in a difficult spot. Even if Brown did pull his negative ads and encouraged his supporters to do the same, those other groups still could air attacks, she said.

Nevertheless, the impression left by Whitman "does not bode well," said Larry Gerston, a political science professor at San Jose State University.

"She made her choice," he said, "and the fact that she got that response is going to resonate throughout the state."

Shriver said before the event that it was "not easy" to assemble the candidates, telling reporters, "You have to assure people over and over again that they're going to be treated safely and with respect."

http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/10/27/213 ... z13aRmxgPY

Personally, I wished they'd ALL pull their negative ads. Why not just run on a platform of what YOU can do - not what the other candidate CANT do. I find that I actually listen to those.

Im the same way....once the negative adds start, i tune out. It seems to me that its a big waste of time and money. But when Meg said she'd not stop....that told me a lot about her personality.......she couldn't even agree to that!
Do have to vote for a gov. in CA this November? LOL....i don't like my choices!!!

Originally Posted by cavmom

Im the same way....once the negative adds start, i tune out. It seems to me that its a big waste of time and money. But when Meg said she'd not stop....that told me a lot about her personality.......she couldn't even agree to that!
Do have to vote for a gov. in CA this November? LOL....i don't like my choices!!!

I know what you mean.
You have write-in for a choice.
You can even write your own name if you want.
I can't decide between me, Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, because I sure won't vote for the other choices.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Originally Posted by cavmom

Im the same way....once the negative adds start, i tune out. It seems to me that its a big waste of time and money. But when Meg said she'd not stop....that told me a lot about her personality.......she couldn't even agree to that!
Do have to vote for a gov. in CA this November? LOL....i don't like my choices!!!

I know what you mean.
You have write-in for a choice.
You can even write your own name if you want.
I can't decide between me, Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, because I sure won't vote for the other choices.

I held my nose this time and voted for Whitman. Since I did this that boob Brown will win because every time I vote in CA state elections NONE of my candidates win. I voted third party last election because I knew Mclame didn't have a chance so might as well. Not so this time, so had to pick the lesser evil.

I,too am fed up with the negativity in campaign ads. I find myself tuning them out,changing channels or shutting the tv off.

They need to grow up and do the jobs they are voted in to do. That is the bottom line. Do what you are paid to do. Perform your duties as an American politician and patriot.

Just to think next year will start the Presidential campaigns once again. That ought to be a real treat for all.

Jerry Brown failed California once already as governor In the early 80's... how soon people forget California Is a goner ..... TS