I saw about half the debate. Jones sounded the best, which could be meaningless given current intelligence levels.
If, in the end, photogenics is all it takes to win, then it would be between Jones and Riordan.
Now neither of these pictures of Jones or Simon are very flattering, possibly due to a partisan cameraman. Jones usually looked beter than this.
Yet the really sad thing is this picture of Simon is better than most any I've seen of the man. And still he looks like The Dork. (Or maybe it's just me not being able to shake his appearance in the debate).
But the point I wish to make is that this situation suggests to me that the powers (moneyed and political movers) who offer up these selections to voters are laughing their asses off. (I suspect the California GOP has too many people who are happy enough with Davis they don't want to rock the boat unless they can stick us with the even more clubbish Riordan.)
Simon's backers ought to have known what he looked like, so much in fact, that I think they MUST HAVE known. They would've screen and sound tested and knew how he looked under the camera. So what is he? A foil against the conservative Jones so that Riordan can win?
As a small start, if they really wanted to help the man, you'd think someone could have lost his glasses and put contacts on him. With TV, the image is what counts. It shouldn't but it does. Just as voters should be more intelligent and protective of having their vote watered down by illegal voting, but they aren't.
Simon may have all the right answers to conservative issues, but as long as he has those goofy looks and mannerisms, he won't gain enough traction unless his supporters can get people to look past his appearance. How? Think moneyed Steve Forbes and you get my drift at how difficult this will be. And he neutralizes the more sedate Jones so that Riordan wins the primary.
An THAT would appear to be the club arrangement. Under neither of those men would California governing slow down is slide to the left.
Hence, unless there's some miracle, California is doomed for another 4 years!