"When you run a campaign based on your career in business, then that makes your past business failures a legitimate issue in the campaign," was what Kevin Spillane, senior communications consultant for the Poizner for Governor Campaign, told me when I called him a few minutes ago. he went on to say, "If past performance is indicative of future results, Californians can’t afford Meg Whitman’s disastrous record of fiscal mismanagement.”
My call to Spillane was prompted after I received a very hard hitting piece from the Poizner Campaign blasting Meg Whitman — for a failed business venture launched by eBay when she was their CEO. The business venture was the purchase of the online phone/video technology firm SKYPE. Rather than go into all of the details, I’ll let the materials sent to me by Poizner’s campaign speak for themselves. They are attached (.pdf) below.
I will say that I found it rather interesting that Poizner’s missive really launched into Whitman’s right-hand adviser Henry Gomez. I have had the opportunity to meet Gomez a few times, and he seems nice enough (if he has horns, he keeps them hidden). But he has definitely come "with her" on this journey from the world of business to the world of politics.
Whitman, as the candidate, I am sure has resigned herself to the kind of direct assault that comes with being in the spotlight. Gomez… Well, maybe he didn’t count on being so central in things. Henry, welcome to the big leagues.
I did catch up to Mitch Zak from Meg’s campaign. He didn’t want to talk to the allegations in the attached document, but he did have this to say: “Meg Whitman has a tremendous record of accomplishment in her decade leading eBay. She joined the company when it had 30 employees and $4 million in revenues. When she left it had 15,000 employees and $8 billion in revenues. She has been recognized throughout the world as one of the most impressive and accomplished business leaders."
You can check out more extensive stories (from "professional journalists, or ex-journalists") at Capitol Alert and CalBuzz.
April 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I learned in campaigns to go negative as the last resort or late in the campaign.
Trust me, going negative can work and I have witnessed this in several legislative campaigns.
However, by Poizner going negative first means it is just the beginning.
I am beginning to wonder if this was desperate move, due to the fact Whitman has higher name recognition than Poizer.
Nevertheless, It is dangerous to start negative this early.
April 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
“ex-journalists” — How come we’re “ex”???