Whitman
Brown
SACRAMENTO (Legal Newsline) - In the waning days of a heated gubernatorial election, California candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown both have released new television ads.
This week, following the release of two different poll results over the weekend, Whitman's campaign launched a new statewide 60-second TV spot called "I'm Ready."
In the ad, the Republican seems to cast herself as the lesser of two evils in next Tuesday's election.
"I know many of you see this election as an unhappy choice between a longtime politician with no plan for the future and a billionaire with no government experience," the former eBay CEO says in the ad.
Then, she invites viewers to share in her "story."
Whitman goes on to talk about how she and her husband came to California as newlyweds, that they raised their family there, and how "The California Dream" came true for her.
"Now I'm running for governor to restore The California Dream for everyone," she says in the spot.
The billionaire describes herself as "not a career politician," "not a Hollywood star," but simply as a Silicone Valley resident who worked hard and moved up the ranks at eBay, creating jobs for thousands.
At the end of the ad, Whitman instructs viewers to vote for her if they want to get the state "moving again," but to vote for her Democratic opponent, Brown, if they want "more of the same."
On Monday, Brown's campaign announced they were releasing a new ad of their own.
In an e-mail to supporters, Campaign Press Secretary Sterling Clifford writes, "We all know Meg Whitman has a problem telling the truth. The press has already condemned her ads as false. And, now, even Meg Whitman is admitting she's got it wrong about Jerry Brown's record as Governor."
He points to Brown's new 30-second spot called "Whitman: Why I came to California," in which he says Whitman "in her own words endorses" the California attorney general's previous record as governor.
The ad shows Whitman saying, "Thirty years ago anything was possible in this state."
Then a black screen appears with the words, "Who was Governor 30 years ago? Jerry Brown."
The ad goes on to tout Brown's achievements during his previous tenure as governor from 1975-1983. "California was working," the voiceover says.
Then the ad shows Whitman again, saying, "I mean it's why I came to California so many years ago."
Clifford, in his e-mail to supporters, contends that's why Brown is "surging" in the campaign. "Because voters know Jerry has the know-how, experience and independence to make the tough decisions to get California working again."
The results of two separate polls, released Saturday and Sunday, both show Brown with the lead over Whitman.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by e-mail at jessica@legalnewsline.com.