Vote for Phil if you want to see four more years of the Governator

Here's an article written by Dan Walter's that appeared in The Sacramento Bee yesterday. While his points make sense, the supposedly provocative question he asks at the end of his article is suppose to make California Democratic voters think. The letter to the editor I sent off to The Bee yesterday explains why the answer to his question is actually quite simple. Read for yourself.

"Many Democrats still undecided as Angelides and Westly joust" by Dan Walters, The Sacramento Bee

Phil Angelides and Steve Westly should be thankful that "none of the above" isn't an option on the June 6 ballot because, without spending a dime, NOTA might be a winner.

As the tortuous -- perhaps torturous -- duel between Angelides, the state treasurer, and Westly, the state controller, for the Democratic nomination for governor enters its final week, it's evident that neither would-be governor is generating much enthusiasm among Democrats, much less among all-important independents.

Two recent statewide polls by the Public Policy Institute of California and the Los Angeles Times show that, as Angelides told a rally at his campaign headquarters Tuesday, "We're in a dead-even contest."

Angelides does appear to have more momentum, having erased the lead that Westly had built during earlier stages. Nevertheless, both polls found that an extraordinary number of Democratic voters, somewhere between a quarter and a third, remained undecided last week, less than a fortnight before the election.

Voter turnout could be the key to which man emerges with the nomination. If it is, as many prognosticators expect, a low-turnout election, pro-Angelides get-out-the-vote drives by unions and Angelides' Democratic Party endorsement could be decisive.

Why such a large number of fence-sitters? PPIC polling director Mark Baldassare said they are "uncertain about the type of leadership they want for the state." And neither Angelides nor Westly is telling them much about how he would govern as both escalate the exchanges of personal invective, each essentially accusing the other of being sleazy.

The dearth of issue-oriented campaigning between the two candidates -- they truly disagree on few issues other than raising taxes -- has spilled over into the news media. The state's major newspapers have been publishing a series of damaging revelations about the two, most of which stem from their activities as private businessmen and/or campaign fundraising. And, predictably, those articles have fueled even more accusations of sleaziness from the opposing campaigns.

And what about Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor whom Angelides or Westly will face in November? A clue to his attitude is found in a brief bulletin to reporters from his office Monday: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have no planned public events on Tuesday, May 30. He will hold private meetings in Sacramento." In other words, the governor is very content to keep a low profile while his two challengers beat up on each other and, he hopes, alienate the independents, who are roughly a fifth of the electorate and will be decisive in any close November election.

The Times and PPIC polls provide new evidence that Schwarzenegger has rebounded from the abysmal popularity that accompanied his massive defeat on a serious of special election ballot measures last November and while he's not out of the woods, he would stand a good chance of winning a second term. Among likely voters, he's somewhere in the mid-40 percent range -- not at all a bad position.

Schwarzenegger and his new political team have done an image makeover -- no more casual clothes and cheap theatrics, more business suits and events that stress governance rather than confrontation. Polls indicate that while voters like Schwarzenegger personally, they were repelled by his take-no-prisoners rhetoric during his "year of reform" ballot measure drive. The new Schwarzenegger image is statesmanlike and bipartisan, with his deal with the Legislature on infrastructure bonds as the centerpiece.

There's little doubt that when the votes are counted next Tuesday night, Schwarzenegger and his aides will be rooting for Angelides, whom they consider to be more liberal, less attractive to independents and carrying more negative baggage than Westly.

While the PPIC poll shows Schwarzenegger to be running neck-and-neck with either of the Democrats, the Times poll shows Westly faring much better than Angelides against the governor.

The dilemma for undecided Democratic voters may be whether to nominate someone who better represents the liberal heart of the party in Angelides, or someone who may stand a better chance of winning the governorship in Westly.

My rebuttal...

Dear Editor,

I’m writing in response to Dan Walter’s article, “Many Democrats still undecided as Angelides and Westly joust.”

Dan Walters wrote exactly what I have been telling my friends and acquaintances for the past two months. While Angelides may have the loyalty of the Democratic Party, I believe many Democratic voters know in their heart of hearts that when it comes to facing Gov. Schwarzenegger in the general election, Steve Westly would have the better chance to defeat the current governor.

While Mr. Walters framed the question at the end of his article as something that Democrats must mull over, the answer is very apparent to me. If Democrats want another four more years of the Governator, then go ahead and vote for Phil. If Democrats actually want to retake the governor’s seat and craft policy, then I would cast my ballot for Steve Westly.

Technorati Tags:

California Primary
Steve Westly
Phil Angelides