Dan Walters: Whitman, Poizner paddle to the right in TV debate

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/3/10 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman traveled remarkably similar paths to becoming candidates for governor of California.

Born and educated in other states, they made their way to California's Silicon Valley and stunning success – he in adapting GPS technology to cell phones, she in creating a new retail marketplace in the ether.

Both came late to politics but, not surprisingly, adopted the Silicon Valley model of capitalistic, but pragmatic, social moderation. Both had that image, one potentially salable to the state's fickle electorate, as they began to seek the Republican nomination.

Billionaire Whitman opted for political blitzkrieg, spending tens of millions of dollars to raise her profile and running up a huge lead over a strangely passive Poizner in the polls. She was beginning to pivot to the November duel with Democrat Jerry Brown when the Goldman Sachs scandal erupted and put her on the defensive for her connections to the Wall Street banking firm.

Suddenly, Poizner's campaign came alive. He began attacking her on multiple fronts, including the Goldman Sachs connection, and saw his polling numbers jump. She could no longer take the nomination for granted and replied in kind.

Recently, these erstwhile moderates have embraced every right-wing shibboleth, from the tea party movement to cracking down on illegal immigration, while branding each other as closet liberals, a duel of buzzwords that continued during their hourlong debate Sunday night in San Jose.

[ecomcon]

Both of them are democrats at heart. Moles. Elitist liars.

[AreaMan]

Yeah, they both are lacking.

This is the result of decades of propaganda and public school education that makes people react emotionally.

California is a massive state and since we have campaign reform only millionaires will ever be able to run for statewide public office.

Ironic that legions of lefty d-bags have squealed about this country being an oligarchy and plutocracy but yet have set up a system that only allows the wealthy to run for statewide office.

[ridesthemiles]

Both of them are democrats at heart. Moles. Elitist liars.”

Even if there are 10 million illegals in Calif alone, that leaves over 25 million residents.

One would think that there are better candidates out there than these 2.

I don’t trust either one of them.

Has either come out with any official positions on the illegal intruder problem in Calif?
IMO, IF Calif does not get these people back across the border, the state will be doomed.

[ansel12]

True, but Tom McClintock has seen fit to get involved in stopping Whitman by strongly, and enthusiastically endorsing Steve Poizner.