Meg & Carly

Sometime last year it became clear that two accomplished and wealthy former CEOs of two of California's greatest companies were seeking and would likely attain the Republican nominations for Governor and Senator. At the time, at least to me, their actual political views were not too clear, but I suspected at least Carly Fiorina of being a classic corporate RINO. Silicon Valley, big corporate CEO,  etc. Whitman, on the other hand, had built EBAY over 10 years from near nothing, helping millions of Americans to efficiently shop and bid on line, and tens of thousands to build and run their own small businesses. She'd become hugely wealthy in the process, but to me was hardly the corporate stereotype. Not only that she had and has a great smile and seemed like she might adapt well to the world of politics. Carly's tenure at Hewlett-Packard featured merger and boardroom fights, layoffs, and overall mixed results. Though truthfully, she had the much  harder job given the trends in their businesses. When in the news, her demeanor seemed to always be pretty severe. I assumed she'd be the typical corporate, country club Republican, moderate on economics & defense/foreign policy, and liberal on social issues like life, guns, environment, marriage, etc.

A year later and its now clear to me that my initial impressions of both Meg and Carly were almost exactly opposite of the reality. With respect to Carly, this became clear to me one night when watching the primary debates. One of the journo-panelists got on the topic of guns, speechifying on the need for a waiting period and to apply a "no fly list" policy to gun purchasers. RINO candidate Tom Campbell took the bait and lamely agreed with the questioner. Carly, however, not only disagreed, but was knowleadgable and prepared to point out the facts on the issue, showing both the questioner and Campbell to be liberal, out of the mainstream, and uninformed. Right there she won my vote and  support. Now, I know that many, probably most Teapers had their hearts set on  Chuck DeVore, God bless him. But the reality, I think, is that when running to unseat an 18 year incumbent Senator in California, we need someone with a little more status,star power and money than being one of 80 members of the State Assembly. Carly, unlike Meg, is not hugely wealthy, but does have enough to run a good campaign in this State. More importantly, she has shown a willingness to talk to the press, reach out to her natural supporters, and show an engaging human side that contrasts her with her opponent. Also unlike Meg, she hasn't reversed her position on immigration or anything else in a misguided effort to appeal to minorities or members of the ruling class. Of course, she could be the second coming of the Maine RINOs and still be a vast improvement over the current incumbent. Granted, she's no Sharon Angle, but in the realm of California reality, I think she's terrific.

Meg Whitman, on the other hand, has done none of these things. Not only that, a little research indicates we've got a real liberal when it comes to matters like immigration, life, the environment and God knows what else. Granted she's been married and raised children while running a huge growing business but based on the behavior of her college age boys and the lawsuits from employees that may not be too big a positive. Now, I'm still masochistically half-way inclined to vote for her in light of the alternative. Ideally, she would turn out to be a California version of Chris Christie given her apparent lack of need to be liked. No doubt she'd be good at overhauling the State pension system, myriad expensive boards and commissions, and use of technology that often dates from the last time Jerry Brown was in office. Or, she may simply be another Ahnuld but more competent and less likable while but continuing to prevent the emergence of attractive, conservative leaders in the state party. Meanwhile infesting the bureacracy and the courts with fellow RINOs. Like Ahnuld she appears to have no interest in building the capacity of the State Republican party to, you know, actually defeat Democrats in the legislature. So, for now I'm on the fence. If you could somehow guarantee me that Carly would win, and that Meg would lose by a margin of less than 5% due to the Chelene Nightingale hard core Tea Party vote, I might actually see a scenario where the long-term interests of California might actually best be served by a Brown governorship as opposed to Whitman. But I'm still on the fence.