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 olling
Stone correspondent Hunter S. Thompson's self-description: He
consumed enough drugs to float the economy of a small South American
nation. His book, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail 72,
was about the Nixon-McGovern campaign.
How did political
reporters cover that campaign? Timothy Crouse wrote The Boys
on the Bus (the press bus followed the candidate's car). Crouse,
observed druggie-journalist Thompson, took "a big bite out
of the hand that feeds news to America."
Thirty years
later, California: reporters actually ride with (trapped?) Richard
Riordan on his bus! Each day's free-for-all includes the same question
for Riordan: "When did you stop believing abortion is murder?"
Riordan is
running for governor in the Republican primary. His opponents are
businessman Bill Simon and Secretary of State Bill Jones. The winner
will face Gov. Gray Davis on Nov. 5.
Riordan's masochistic
bus rides ended. But who trapped Riordan with reporters on Riordan's
campaign bus? His campaign advisers. Riordan personally recruited
them as (in Riordan's words) "the best and the brightest."
Another period
book was David Halberstam's The Best and the Brightest about
how the whiz kids' engineered the U.S. land war in Vietnam. Air
cover could not win.
Riordan's B&B
team started a ground war with the Republican grassroots. And Riordan's
TV air war may not be enough. His spots used jargon: He favored
"zero based budgeting" — "government programs
have to justify their existence." Now, it's Riordan's $10 million
campaign that must justify its existence.
The March 5
election is one week from Tuesday. Riordan needs money (his own,
now?) for saturation television. That's because Simon increased
his TV buy. Jones is finally on the air.
Riordan was
long-ago anointed the frontrunner. Last year, opponents Jones and
Simon were ready to fold. Ironically, only the Riordan campaign's
false starts and blunders kept them in the race. Now, Simon runs
close in polls adjusted for low-turnout. Riordan has no end game,
because his B&B don't know ground combat. Last year, the Simon
campaign wisely arranged for volunteers and slates (the frosting).
Then, the Simon campaign became nearly a farce, until Simon finally
spent enough money for TV spots (the cake). In a truly close race,
his get-out-the-vote ground troops could make the difference.
Meanwhile,
in the air war, Riordan and Simon exchange attack ads. In an early
Riordan ad, rebuking Davis for going negative, Riordan promised
upbeat messages. (Riordan strategy?) Then, Riordan himself went
negative on Davis, now on Simon. Only last month, Riordan said Simon
would "make a very fine governor." (What Riordan strategy?)
Simon is in
play for three reasons beyond his control. (1) Sept. 11 transformed
endorser Rudy into a super-plus for Simon. Rudy is back in California
campaigning for Simon. (2) Riordan and his campaign deeply, repeatedly
offended Republicans. Undecideds tilt Simon, whose ID trumps underfunded
Jones. (3) Democrat Davis spent at least $5 million to trash Riordan
during primary. More recent Davis attack ads hid their Davis sponsorship,
and they stressed Republican issues.
Inexplicably,
Riordan "strategists" failed weeks ago to mobilize RNC
and California GOP chairs, Riordan's congressional endorsers, and
even President Bush or Vice President Cheney. They could have accused
Democrat Davis of dirty-trick interference in Republican primary.
They could have spun Riordan as Republican and campaigned as really
Riordan-Davis. Too late now.
Tough Riordan
ads attack businessman Simon for his alleged involvements in failed
S&L and controversial energy company, and for not voting. Tough
Simon ads attack Riordan for admiring Clinton and for supporting
Democrats. Simon says, "I'm not ashamed to be a Republican."
Does Simon
protest too much? Expect imminent Riordan ads to say (a) Simon did
not register Republican (actually, was Simon registered independent
in N.Y.?), and (b) Simon did not vote for Reagan or Bush (actually,
did Simon vote in 1980 or 1988?). Also, Riordan (or, later, Davis
if he faces Simon) will use two Feb. 23 LA Times headline:
"Bulk of Simon's Donations from Out of State" and "Eastern
bankers and brokers are his main benefactors."
Against Davis
for November, Riordan remains target rich. Riordan's makeshift campaign
last year never preempted likely attacks. Jones has the least baggage…
and the least money. Sure, the Riordan-Simon mutual aggression turns
off Reps. But without heavy TV, it's nearly impossible for tortoise
Jones to exploit.
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