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Republican candidates for California governor debated this weekend
at the California Republican party convention. Former Los Angeles
mayor, frontrunner Richard J. Riordan, businessman, issues-conservative
Bill Simon, and secretary of state, tried-and-true Bill Jones all
were there.
Indicating
how important the events in San Jose this weekend were, the Big
Apple was a key part of it. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. George
Pataki back Riordan. (Do Michael plus George equal Rudy?) Guiliani
backs Simon. Bill Jones is New Yorkers-less.
The big story
in this debate was that Simon acted like a candidate. He finally
pointed out differences between him and Riordan. Also, belatedly,
but significantly, he has increased his ad budget
Jones has a
good story to tell for November. But the Bush high command ostracized
him. So he lacks campaign cash.
State Republicans
had scheduled their big convention last September. That would have
been a disaster for the unprepared Riordan. After 9-11, the convention
was shelved. So, he had five months to prepare for this last weekend.
How should
Riordan have used that time? Be inclusive. Take a Republican to
lunch. Instead, Riordan's advisers systematically sabotaged a Republican
base for November. They put Riordan on the road less traveled on
(by Republicans).
For example,
they scheduled him at a left-wing dinner that even Gray Davis would
not attend. The banquet honored Rep. Barbara Lee for opposing President
Bush's war on terrorism. (That's the same Barbara Lee who last week
refused to vote for congressional birthday greetings for Ronald
Reagan.)
For more alienation,
one Riordan TV ad even includes a quick scene showing Riordan with
Bill Clinton.
"I will
not vote for Dick Riordan," said former state Sen. Richard
Mountjoy, president of the grassroots California Republican Assembly.
"If it came down between Riordan and Davis, I would have to
vote for the conservative." Recent Republican party state chairmen
John ", Michael Schroeder, and John Herrington have accused
Riordan of running to the left of Davis.
But other former
Republican party state chairs — Michael Montgomery, Frank Visco,
and Tirso del Junco-say Riordan has the best chance to win in November.
"I'm going
to help him as much as he helped me," George Deukmejian said
about Riordan. Republican Deukmejian was governor from 1983 to 1991.
Riordan had contributed $500,000 to Democrat Tom Bradley, who lost
to Deukmejian.
"I don't
respect him," Deukmejian continued. "I don't have any
respect for the way he has conducted himself politically. He tries
to be all things to all people."
At the debate,
Riordan joked that Deukmejian has a bad memory and only remembers
a grudge. Riordan was booed. Was this yet another question for which
Riordan's team had not prepared him?
Most Republicans
want to win in November. They do not care about Riordan's past.
But they do care about his present. And Gray Davis already has spent
millions of dollars on attack ad that accuse Riordan of a flip-flop
from pro-life to pro-choice. On more shaky ground, they also say
he changed his position from opposing, to favoring, the death penalty.
Meanwhile,
Riordan's advisers inexplicably had trapped him daily on a campaign
bus with persistent reporters. The hits took their toll on Riordan.
Moreover, the
Riordan campaign had never inoculated the candidate. They could
have put out his negatives last year. Once caught, the campaign
was unprepared to respond. Now, under siege, the campaign has struggled.
It did not comprehend that Davis has moved far beyond any single
issue. He questions Riordan's credibility and his "political
character."
Focus groups
around the state show a disturbing trend for the Republican party.
Panelists who once praised Riordan as a non-politician now criticize
him as a hypocrite. His campaign's nonexistent strategy required
him to make this election a referendum on Gray Davis. Not on himself.
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