Schwarzenegger: No Endorsement in Governor’s Race
At the press conference celebrating the passage of Prop 14, the top-two primary measure, I asked Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger if he were going to endorse either of the victorious major party gubernatorial candidates. He said: No. Calling Prop 14’s victory, "national news," he said he was going to concentrate on government reform and countinue to work on changing the dysfunctional political system.
More on Prop 14 tomorrow.
Reflections on Election Night
Meg Whitman was in the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association suite at the Universal City Hilton giving a short talk to the HJTA Board of Directors and invited guests, but purposefully positioned next to the television so those in the room could both listen and look at her without missing the final minute or so of the Lakers-Celtics playoff game.
An aide entered the room, Blackberry in hand, and interrupted to say the Associated Press had just called the Republican gubernatorial race for Whitman. Those in the room burst into applause and the basketball game was ignored.
A close fought basketball game is a good metaphor for the coming gubernatorial race, because that’s what it promises to be – back and forth, one side getting ahead then falling behind, and the contest stays close to the end when the winner pulls away by a couple of points. And there will be plenty of intentional fouls.
GOP Gets the Optics Right
Get ready for the national magazine covers and the cable TV pieces about the "new faces" of politics in California: Republican businesswomen from Silicon Valley.
The visuals on Tuesday night’s victories were great for the GOP. The state party with a long history of nominating the most boring white guy available instead made history by nominating Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina. Each winner made a point of thanking the other in her victory speech, which will only fuel the media hub-bub about them.
It’s an open question, however, whether, when you scratch the surface, either Whitman or Fiorina represent that much of a departure. They are two more in a long line of candidates whose wealth and prominence gave them a big edge. (Look no further than the governor’s office for an example of a wealthy GOPer).
California Must Continue to Learn From John Wooden
California
lost one of its greatest leaders and role models last Friday with the
passing of legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden. I am dedicating
today’s The Business Perspective to Coach Wooden because his
leadership principles – on which he based his life and coaching career
– are what business, government, labor and environmental groups need to
learn if we are to re-energize the California Dream and win as a team
for our State.
In the midst of a week of news stories about continued unemployment, a
crashing stock market, terrorism and conflict around the globe, and the
largest oil disaster in the history of the planet, a giant of a man
died quietly surrounded by family after being visited by so many
friends and those he mentored at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center,
a short walk from where he made sports history.
Coach Wooden was an icon in college sports, but he could very well have
been a great businessman, college president, mayor or legislative
leader because he understood that all great organizations are the
result of exceptional team efforts by those who share a common goal.