Bill Clinton to Back Gavin Newsom for California Governor Over 1992 Rival Jerry Brown

[ccharles000]

Former President Bill Clinton is backing San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for California governor over state Attorney Gen. Jerry Brown, potentially upending next year's Democratic race to succeed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"This is huge. It's a potential game-changer," said Ben Tulchin, a California-based pollster who is unaligned in the 2010 governor's race.

Clinton's decision to appear on Oct. 5 alongside one of his wife's top backers in her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination comes at a critical time for the San Franciso mayor: Although Newsom has built a substantial Facebook and Twitter following among younger voters, Brown, a former two-term governor, has raised more than twice as much money as he has.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-bill-clinton-endorses-gavin-newsom-california-governor/story?id=8572769

[Yavin4]

1. As I Posted In Another Thread, This Is Payback

In the 1992 NY primary for the Dem nomination for president, Jerry Brown brought up the Whitewater real estate deal in a debate. The Republicans picked it up when they gain the majority in 1993, and from that, we got Ken Starr, Paula Jones, and impeachment.


Clinton has a long, long memory.

[Midwestern Democrat]

12. The GOP and the media didn't need Jerry Brown to tell them about

Whitewater. Investigative journalists were looking at it during the entire campaign. The main reason why the GOP didn't bring it up in the '92 campaign was because Bush wasn't particularly eager to open up the subject of failed Savings and Loans.

[karynnj]

20. Good point - that would not be a good issue given Neil Bush - especially

when their were other issues that they could use.

[wyldwolf]

13. Bill also made promises to people who supported Hillary last year. He's repaying a debt.

[karynnj]

19. I think the NYT had already mentioned it before Brown did

It was there - and the Republican opposition research was going to pick it up. In the election, primary and general, it was less a problem than the "draft" issue and his reputation as a womanizer.

[Yavin4]

25. Yeah, But Brown Used It In A Debate

This is payback.

[pink-o]

2. Gavin For Sure would overturn Prop 8!

For that alone, I'd vote for him. And he's got presidential ambitions, don't doubt it!

[DrToast]

3. He wouldn't, because he can't.

[Demobrat]

4. Newsom has used SF as a stepping stone

to run for Gov and if he wins he will use that position as a stepping stone to his next job. He's basically been MIA for a year. But even before that, what did he ever actually do for SF? Anybody?

[itsrobert]

5. Go Jerry!

We should of elected him in 1992!!!

[DrToast]

11. Jerry will win. I'm not sure this endorsement changes much

[NYC_SKP]

17. +1 Jerry Brown - Next Governor of California (nothing against Gavin) n/t

[goclark]

30. Go Jerry! I live in CA and would campaign for him

[Lord Helmet]

6. SF Weekly just wrote a scathing article on Newsom.

The Wrong Stuff

excerpt:

That will certainly be interesting, Newsom's critics say, because as of yet they have no idea who he really is, other than a fundamentally disloyal guy with extremely high ambitions and dwindling support. The kind of guy who sleeps with his campaign strategist's wife. Who will do anything to ascend the political ladder. Whose word means little.

[ruggerson]

7. the kind of guy

who had the guts to organize a major civil disobedience movement (while being a public official) which captured the attention of a nation and helped galvanize a nationwide civil rights movement.

It's called courage.

[Lord Helmet]

9. from the article: Candidate Newsom is “narcissistic,” “thin-skinned,” “disloyal,” and “friendless”

and that’s from his former supporters."

[ruggerson]

14. yeah, I read the whole piece

sounds like the author has an axe to grind, as she focused almost entirely on his critics. It's easy to slant a piece, if all one does is give his detractors a megaphone.

[Lord Helmet]

22. Newsom is my mayor. I honestly don't think he can take San Francisco.

If he can't take SF he can't take California.

I think that was the point of the article.

That combined with the fact that Jerry Brown is kicking his ass in polling and fundraising will make it a tough go for Newsom if Brown decides to run.

[ruggerson]

23. It looks like Brown will win

he;s kicking Newom's ass in the polls. Since Newsom won reelection with 72% of the vote, however, I don't think he's as unpopular as this article would have us believe.

[saltpoint]

28. Agreed. A lot of Bay Area folks have strongly favorable views of Jerry Brown,

and properly so.

Newsom will have his hands full, even in the Bay Area.

[Starry Messenger]

31. I'm in the position of having had Jerry Brown as *my* mayor.

It will be healthy for him to have some competition. They both bring things to the table, and I think this will be an interesting race.

[inna]

27. Newsom is my mayor too. and.... i'm rooting for Brown. nt

[karynnj]

21. true - but he did this in the middle of a Presidential year

when the Republicans were already going to use that issue. Now, I don't think his doing that made much of a difference, but he could have 8 or 9 months. It also was partially something that gave him prominence - and given his age, it would have been a good gamble that in maybe 15 years, it would be a majority opinion. This would then help him - especially in a primary. (Every poll shows age a better predictor of position on gay marriage than party.)

[tritsofme]

8. If that's the case, Meg Whitman will be the next governor of California.

I don't believe this guy would win state-wide.

[Demobrat]

15. I'm not so sure he'd win in SF.

Most people I know prefer Brown.

[Starry Messenger]

10. I had already decided on Newsom.

This should make things interesting to watch here. I wonder if he'll come out for fundraising.

[cally]

16. YES!!! I don't want Brown

I want new leaders not retreads from another era. I liked Brown as a Governor but he put his own ambitions before the needs of California when he continually sought the Presidency. I also credit Newsom with making gay marriage more mainstream, at least in the democratic community. I doubt a Democrat could be elected in most parts of California without supporting gay marriage. When Newsom took a stand, it was common for Democrats in California to not take a stand on gay marriage.

[saltpoint]

29. Georgia O'Keeffe lived to be 99 years old. Great art is a continuum, and

not beholden to the constraints of any calendar.

Public service is quite a bit the same.

Brown is not a "retread" but the living continuum of what public service can mean across many settings throughout a life.

And if you have some money to gamble on this primary, bet on Brown.

[KoKo]

18. Wouldn't Jerry Brown be better? I know he's from another Era...but isn't he more

Progressive than Newsom? :shrug:

[Rowdyboy]

24. I was excited about Jerry Brown----in 1974.....35 years later I agree with the Big Dog....

California deserves new blood, not ancient retreads.

[saltpoint]

26. This is worth watching, although after the primary battle between Bill and

Jerry, it really isn't a wild surprise.

I still think Brown is the favorite. I'm rooting for Jerry.