Whitman
is
clear
choice
for
governor


Torrance Daily Breeze

Editorial
May 8, 2010

Democrats have it easy in the June 8 primary election of their party's candidate for governor,
because Jerry Brown is a lock. Republicans have it less easy, but not by much, because Margaret
Cushing "Meg" Whitman is so clearly the strongest candidate.

Most Californians must be dismayed at the campaigning between the top two Republican
candidates, whose TV commercials have been slicing each other up. It's hard to say who has been
rougher, Whitman or the other wealthy candidate, Steve Poizner. But Poizner is no match when it
comes either to experience or leadership.

It's easy to take some shots at Whitman, and she is the first to acknowledge it. Her uneven voting
record, in her own words, has been atrocious. She also has supported a Democrat or two
financially, including that most liberal of politicians, Sen. Barbara Boxer. This irritates Republicans,
but they should get over it.

Many business leaders give to both parties, and if Republicans are bothered by this, they can
soothe themselves with the fact that at the same time she gave Boxer a few thousand dollars she
gave probably 50 times as much to candidates of the other party. Big deal.

Here's what truly is a big deal. Never has California been in worse shape than now, when the state
is looking at ever-deepening income shortfalls that already amount to 20 percent of the general
fund. How do you handle spending cuts of that magnitude?

Not by political grandstanding. Granted, running state government is different from running a
business, but there are commonalities in the most important category, which is leadership.
Whitman has a record that would be very hard to match.

She led eBay to phenomenal success; she is the first woman to become a billionaire on her own,
and she would be near the top of anyone's list of the best CEOs of the decade.

There is nothing California needs more than leadership of that breadth and quality. Political skill
does count, but even so, it's clear that Whitman would be the strongest candidate in November
against Brown.

That's important because it's also clear, to us at least, that what California doesn't need is another
go-round with Brown. To be fair, he wouldn't be a Gov. Moonbeam, as he was characterized in the
sometimes chaotic days of his tenure 30 years ago, but we suspect that the results wouldn't be
much better and the risks are far greater.

In the June 8 primary, the Libertarian and Green candidates are unopposed, and we have no
preference from among the Peace and Freedom candidates. Democrats have several choices, but
Brown dominates the polls. A batch of Republicans also are running.

Of them all, Meg Whitman is the one who really matters.

Paid
for
by
Meg
Whitman
for
Governor
2010


20813
Stevens
Creek
Blvd,
Suite
150

Cupertino,
CA
95014

www.megwhitman.com