Last night, Phil Angelides won his party’s nomination to face-off against the Governator this 
November. But typical of Steve Westly, he couldn’t quite find it in himself to concede defeat, and congratulate his primary opponent. Instead, Westly had this to say in his statement last night:
"My friends, we’ve run a terrific campaign, and we’re going to be running a good campaign for another day or two it looks like. I’m here to tell you the LA Times has announced the race is too close to call. With roughly 30% of the vote in, bouncing back between three and three and a half percent, most of the counties we believe will be strongest remain – have yet to be counted."
I found this to be a hypocritical position as you need not look back too long ago to remember when Westly was singing a different tune. Westly narrowly defeated Tom McClintock for his current post of Controller (by less than on vote per precinct). McClintock did not concede immediately, and what did Westly have to say back then?
Back then Westly was poo-pooing the idea that you can make up votes — back when it was he who was narrowly in the lead…
Here is a choice nuggest from the Ventura County Star in their morning-after coverage of the November 2002 General Election:
"Westly, the former eBay executive who spent more than $5 million on his campaign, declined to declare victory but said in an interview that he does not believe late absentees could erase a 25,000-vote lead. About a third of the uncounted votes are in Los Angeles County, which Westly carried 54 percent to 36 percent. ‘We’re going to bring this puppy home,’ he said. ‘Remember, the difference in Florida two years ago was 1,500 votes and that never changed. We’re talking 25,000 votes.’"
"I Talked With Kathleen Connell, And She Told Me That McClintock Still Hasn’t Conceded His Loss To Her In 1994 …" "Later, as he joined Gov. Gray Davis at a press conference, Westly told reporters he was not surprised that McClintock has yet to concede. ‘I talked with Kathleen Connell, and she told me that McClintock still hasn’t conceded his loss to her in 1994,’ Westly said."
It’s time to pack up your toys, Steve. It’s time to concede!
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