links for 2010-06-09

Old vs. new. Public sector vs. private. Three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer vs. Republican U.S. Senate nominee Carly Fiorina.

Fiorina, the former CEO of tech giant Hewlett-Packard, was pushing California voters to make those connections Wednesday as she launched her general election campaign at a state GOP victory rally held at the Hilton hotel in Anaheim.
Fiorina also answered Boxer's debate challenge, made just hours after Fiorina was declared the winner last night, by saying with some bravado, "Barbara, I'll debate you anytime anywhere. As far as I'm concerned, we can debate once a week."

The Republican, however, made one debate demand, that they schedule one meeting in Mendota in the Central Valley, "where unemployment is skyrocketing because the federal government has decided that families don't need water."
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These debates will happen after Labor Day and only after Boxer falls behind in the polls.

A day after Meg Whitman won the Republican primary for governor, Democratic nominee Jerry Brown kicked off his general-election campaign by mocking his wealthy rival's lavish campaign spending and her history as chief executive of EBay.

"She talks about waste and abuse," Brown told reporters at a morning news conference in downtown Los Angeles. "She paid herself $120 million, and then EBay had to lay off 10% of its workforce. Now, is that waste and abuse? Is that what you want?"

The state attorney general, who faced only token opposition in the Democratic primary, ridiculed Whitman's spending of $71 million of her personal fortune on the campaign so far, suggesting it shows she would lack fiscal discipline as governor.

"Whitman only has a history of spending money wildly to get whatever she wants," Brown said. "I have a history of reining in my desire to get this or get that, or spend this, in the campaign or the government."
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Jerry Brown is a moron.

Speaking to hundreds of buoyant Republicans at a victory rally Wednesday in Anaheim, Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring laid out the party’s theme going forward — that their historically diverse ticket featured new faces with fresh ideas, while the Democrats represented the status quo.

“It’s clear this election this year is going to come down to the party of the past versus the party of the future,” he said. “Have you seen the relics the Democrats nominated last night?”

He joked that U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer was first elected when the TV show “The A-Team” was on the air and that gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown’s voter registration card was written in Roman numerals.

Meanwhile, Republicans nominated two women to their ticket’s top spots, as well as a Latino candidate for lieutenant governor and an African American candidate for secretary of State.

“The Republican party has nominated a historic ticket,” Nehring said. “This is a ticket that looks like California.
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And, will win

The top prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco will face off to replace California Attorney General Jerry Brown.

San Francisco County District Attorney Kamala Harris was the top Democratic vote-getter Tuesday among a field that included Facebook privacy officer Chris Kelly, who sank more than $12 million from his personal fortune into the campaign.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley captured the GOP nomination over state Sen. Tom Harman and former law school dean John Eastman, who was supported by tea party activists.
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Crime, prisons and the death penalty will be prime issues.

Now here's some news: Sen. Barbara Boxer is challenging new GOP Senate nominee Carly Fiorina to a series of debates.

Wait a minute, we're dizzy. An incumbent wants to debate a challenger? And a challenger who is very well-spoken at that. Quick, you political junkies: When was the last time THAT happened?

Said Boxer campaign czar Rose Kapolczynski Tuesday night:

"Tonight we also have invited Fiorina to join us in publicly debating the many important issues facing California and our nation. We are ready to start meeting immediately to discuss mutually acceptable arrangements."

In her victory speech Tuesday, Fiorina said "a loud and cynical critic of America's military" and a "bitter partisan who has said much but accomplished little."
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Boxer will have to explain her own finances, where she now lives – and what about voting in Riverside County?

These debates I want to see and hear!

Some of Sarah Palin’s riskiest endorsements scored major victories Tuesday for the former Alaska governor, showing off her power in Republican primaries.

Palin had four primary endorsements in play – Carly Fiorina, Nikki Haley, Terry Branstad and Cecile Bledsoe – and three won or moved on to a runoff.

Palin served different roles for each candidate – sometimes spotlighting conservatives not well known to the national scene while at others validating conservative credentials to an unsure grassroots and even stepping in to deflect nasty attacks.

Perhaps Palin’s most powerful demonstration came in South Carolina, where her endorsement propelled a major swing in the polls for Haley’s primary campaign for governor and sustained the state representative through accusations of two separate affairs.
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Presidential politics for 2012 has already started as Sarah Palin moves about the lower 48.