Last night, I enjoyed watching a forum, put on by ABC television, on the ballot propostions that will appear on tomorrow’s ballot. The participants in the forum were Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi (D), Controller Steve Westly (D), Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D), LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo (D), State Senator Tom McClintock (R), State Assemblyman Keith Richman ("R), and State Finance Director (on leave) Tom Campbell (R). Four Democrats and three Republicans (if you include Richman, who is iffy).
Hats off to ABC for putting on the program. Their moderators, Pete Wilson (no relation) and Marc Brown did a fine job. As someone who is actually pretty familiar with the measures (nothing like going out and speaking on these measures as an incentive to really understand them), I was more looking for interesting dynamics from the panelists. Boy did I get what I was NOT looking for, towards the end of the show.
STARK CONTRAST: CAMPBELL vs. MCCLINTOCK
Moderator Pete Wilson, when talking about Proposition 73, the Parental Notification measure, turned to Campbell and asked him about the measure.
personal –"Pete Wilson: "I’m sorry Tom, I should have known that. You are absolutely right. So let me ask…"
Campbell: "Let me just explain since I began. I am the only member of the panel who is not indepedently elected official. I am an appointed official. I work for Governor Schwarzenegger, and its an honor to do so. The Governor’s view on Prop. 73 has been established that he is in favor. I have asked not to be in a position where my own personal views may not or may be the same and hence I’ve asked not to speak to the issue. Thank you."
Wilson: "Let’s ask Mr. McClintock."
Tom McClintock: "You’re asking the parents of a 15 year old daughter, and I find it rather
absurd that if she wants to have her ears pierced, it requires signed, written consent by her parents. If she wants to use a tanning booth, it requires signed, written consent from her parents. But, somebody from the school can take her to have an abortion without her parents even knowing about it. I think that this is obscene. This measure simply restores parents the right to know – not even to consent – just to know if their child is being taken to have an abortion. And I think that is a fundamental right of a parent."I could not have been more shocked. We’ve all know that Campbell is pretty moderate on social issues. I remember discussing this with he and his campaign team when he was the Republican Nomintee for U.S. Senate in California (it was in the 2000 elections, when I was slaving away as Executive Director of the State GOP). But if Tom is opposed to even this MODEST notification proposal, he is extremely to the left on this issue. Even his boss, ‘pro-choice’ Governor Schwarzenegger has embraced 73 as a common sense reform.
Well, the good news is that it is the OTHER Tom that is running for Liuetenant Governor. Hearing Tom McClintock articulate well our party’s principled stands in that forum was quite uplifting. And, of course, his answer (above) on 73 was right on the money.
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Tomorrow is the big day, and because I have gotten a number of questions on Propositions 78 and 79, I have featured two well written columns (in brown on the main page) from some folks who know much more about this than I do.
This is your last chance to call or e-mail everyone you know — turnout of common-sense voters will make or break this election. You can be SURE that union organizers from all around the United States are here, and they will be diligent in getting out the vote.
Jon
PS: Keep sending me your insights.
PPS: Did you catch my post yesterday: Bening, Alda, Beatty, Dreyfuss, Douglas, Sheen, Sorkin and Meathead…in Fantasyland?