The big news coming out of the California Democratic Convention Saturday was Attorney General Jerry Brown’s launch of his gubernatorial campaign with a challenge to his Republican rivals to an unprecedented, “honest, prime-time” three-way, pre-primary debate.
But the underlying story is just how worried the Democrats are about voter anger and apathy in the huge blue state that is pot-marked with deep pockets of conservative red.
In fact, the November mid-term elections are shaping up to be a conflation of the culture wars, the rise in California’s version of the Tea Party’s fierce anti-government attitudes and hate groups – just as President Barack Obama comes to Los Angeles Monday – on April 19, the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.
On Sunday, the Pew Research Center released a poll, which AP reports:
“found that just 22 percent of those questioned say they can trust Washington almost always or most of the time and just 19 percent say they are basically content with it. Nearly half say the government negatively affects their daily lives, a sentiment that’s grown over the past dozen years.”
On Monday, Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center talked to MSNBC about the “real unrest, anger, and fear” that is behind the explosion of right wing groups that consider the federal government to be an “evil entity.” The SPLC reports that in 2008, there were 149 so-called “Patriotic” groups – that jumped to 512 in 2009. Additionally, in 2008 there were 42 Militia groups; in 2009 that rose to 127. “It seems that a lot of us have not learned the lessons of Oklahoma,” Potak said. (MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will devote her entire Monday show to never-before heard tapes of Timothy McVeigh talking about why he blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City.)
Reported as a separate story unconnected to the California Democratic convention was a rally several blocks away at LA City Hall Saturday by the white supremacist National Socialist Movement, with a counter-demonstration that included LGBT protesters waving a rainbow flag. The neo-Nazi group had a permit to celebrate Adolph Hitler’s birthday April 20.
Most conventioneers also ignored the ever-present Lyndon La Rouche singers outside the convention hall entrance – this time showing up with signs showing Obama with a Hitler mustache.
But openly gay state Sen. Mark Leno was offended.
“With regard to La Rouche, I’ve always gone out of my way to be gracious with them at these conventions and to respect their First Amendment right of free speech. So they want to buy into conspiracies and they’ve got another view – I always want to be open-minded on things. This crosses a line for me. As a Jew, as a gay man, and as a Democrat. This is treading into very dangerous territory. And to put a mustache like that on any president – but in particular, on an African American president – is offensive to me and I think is a very risky act.”
State Sen. Mark Leno and Assembly Speaker John A Perez
Asked if he thought LGBT people needed to be concerned about the broader implications of this general anger, given how hate crimes went up after the passage of the antigay Prop 8, Leno said:
“We need to be very concerned. These are desperate times and desperate people do desperate things. We know that. And the Sarah Palins of the world are completely irresponsible- just as she talked about “messing around with terrorists” during the campaign. I would hate to think that something really horrible happens before people in responsible positions start acting responsibly.
Republicans members of Congress egg this on. They’re not taking the responsibility of their offices seriously. They should be denouncing all of this. They’re not.”
Convention Democrats actually seemed more fearful about what the recent Citizens United decision – where unlimited political contributions by corporations is considered free speech – will mean in the notoriously low-voter turnout off-year election. For instance, Capitol Weekly reported Sunday that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has contributed $34.5 million to Proposition 16, a ballot initiative to require two-thirds of local voters to approve the creation new local electricity districts. Prop 16 opponents, the Utility Reform Network consumer group, have raised about $36,000.
In perhaps a nod to saving money for the November fight, California Democratic Party officials told state candidates not to contest their races at the convention – an edict some declined to observe. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, for instance, handed out muffins from Homeboys, a local post-gang job group, while LA City Councilmember Janice Hahn also worked the delegates, seeking the endorsement for lieutenant governor – both have gay supporters. Also on hand were Assemblymembers Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) and Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) who are vying for insurance commissioner. De La Torre is very popular among LGBTs in Southern California, especially for his pro-marriage equality stance. Jones also made an impression, bringing an official health committee hearing to Los Angeles to take testimony on the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Meanwhile, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa endorsed San Francisco district attorney Kamala D. Harris over former L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo or Assemblymembers Ted Lieu (Torrance) who won the Stonewall Democratic Club endorsement. (LA DA Steve Cooley is the most likely GOP nominee.)
Former Assemblymember John Laird with LA Gay & Lesbian Center's Sky Johnson
A slew of other candidates were also trying to get attention or shake hands in advance of future races, including openly gay former Assemblymember John Laird (Santa Cruz) who told me he would run for the Abel Maldonado senate seat if he’s confirmed as Lt. Governor, a vote Laird expects between the last week in April and May 17. There has been speculation by Gov. Schwarzenegger that openly gay Assembly Speaker John A. Perez is holding up the confirmation vote in order to consolidate a potential runoff with the November election. Laird said:
“This timing is significant because the run-off would move to November and that’s the highest turnout election – and this is a close district. It’s now a 6.5-point Democratic district and 20 points independent, where the race will be fought. So having the highest possible turnout would benefit me.
I’d be running on traditional things for me – education, the environment in the Central Coast those are really strong issues. But given the economy, it’s a question of how – between education and green jobs and other things, you can deal with economic issues in the context of what people in this district really like.
This is a partially Silicon Valley District so its really already clear that there are venture capitol moving to green jobs in amazing things: alternate energy of all kinds. I think Detroit made the big mistake of fighting environment issues and the market left them. And so the real question is – with green jobs, can we make sure California is where the market is and not ne a Detroit and that’s the choice that’s in front of us.”
Laird also talked about his comments before the LGBT Caucus, after being warmly introduced by Perez:
“I pointed out that I was a 22-year old delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972 and heard Jim Foster’s first speech and when I was elected in 1981 to the city council, there were under ten out elected officials in the United States. And I was among the first class of openly gay mayors in 1983 – and Mark Leno and I were the first two openly gay guys elected to the Legislature in 2002, and I had a series of civil rights bills that the Supreme Court has now used in cases to uphold city civil rights. And that in 2008, as chair of the Legislative Gay Caucus, I was the only member of the caucus to get married. We still have a lot to do – but who would have thought that we would have come as far as we have in the last years?”
Laird also suggested that local government bodies should pass resolutions calling for Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act:
“I think practically it needs to be done this year or it’s going to be harder to do next year – and so let’s just get it done. Even the national polls show that people support it. Let’s just get it done. Whether we’re individual legislators or former legislators or collectively as a group, we should ask them to do it.”
Also on hand outside the Democratic convention hall were three men dressed in various stages of Jerry Brown’s career a Jesuit, a hippy and a candidate, according to the LA Daily News – holding a sign asking, “Which Jerry will you get?!?
Brown’s startling debate proposal was cheered by the crowd as he finally jump-started his so far uninspiring campaign. Once renown as “Governor Moonbeam” when he served two terms as governor from 1975-83, Brown, 72, said, “Let’s hear the different ideas.”
Brown has been absent from the TV wars, except as a target, letting the Republicans beat each other up in the primary race. Both Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman are rich – Whitman has already spent $59 million of a promised $150 million in advertising.
At the convention, Brown alluded to what Democrats think is an effort to buy the governor’s office. “Campaigning in a democracy is not about buying hundreds of millions of dollars in TV ads,” he said. “In a democracy, we’re not consumers of advertising, we’re agents of democratic choice.”
Brown, who is virtually unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, seemed to hit all the right political notes. “These are not ordinary times,” he said. “We face an extraordinary crisis.” On Friday, the first day of the convention, the state unemployment rate hit a record 12.6 percent in March, a slight uptick from 12.5 percent in February. But California’s unemployment rate is still higher than the national rate of 9.7 percent.
But perhaps because of his familiarity to the party regulars, the energy in the convention hall seemed less than it could have been. In fact, Brown’s stage entrance was welcomed by relatively small group of sign wavers, in addition to the pre-planted signs on the seats for the benefits of TV cameras.
But while Brown’s throw-down to take on the rich GOP candidates “mano y mano” may have excited the 1,170 delegates, by Saturday night the challenge was being called a stunt. Poizner had quickly accepted but Whitman refused. Brown later told reporters the challenge was contingent on the three debating live so the proposal didn’t last the day.
Former state Controller Steve Westly, a founding executive at eBay and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2006, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the convention’s broad themes underscore how Californians will see “the most important election in the country outside that of the President of the United States. This is not just another state – it’s the seventh largest economy in the world.” Voters will be looking for someone to shake up the status quo – and he thought Brown might fit the bill. “Oddly enough, I don’t believe that the two Republican corporate candidates for governor will be attractive to the Tea Party rank and file,” he said.
As with most candidates, Brown hit the caucuses, including the LGBT caucus. He doesn’t really need to work hard to get the LGBT vote since, as Attorney General he correctly labeled the Prop 8 ballot initiative as “eliminating” the right of same sex couples to marry, declared that Prop 8 was unconstitutional and then refused to defend it when it was challenged before the California Supreme Court. “I started this a long time ago,” he said. “Tell you the truth, I couldn’t conceive it [same-sex marriage] 30 years ago.”
There’s a bit of a biting irony here since it was Brown, who as governor in 1977, signed the law amending the California Family Code that changed the definition of marriage from “between two persons” to limited to “one man and one woman” – a law specifically created in reaction to the burgeoning gay rights movement countering the Anita Bryant/Moral Majority antigay rights movement.
I tried to ask Brown at the news conference if he thought he would take a hit from the GOP for refusing to defend Prop 8 in court – but he didn’t take my question the several times I shouted it out. Unfortunately, Brown’s news conference was at the same time House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the stage. She is beloved here and knows how to give a red-meat speech. I understand that she referenced Obama signing the LGBT hospital visitation memorandum, but otherwise there was no reference to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act or Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She also did not hold a press availability so I was unable to ask her directly.
While several mainstream media outlets reported that there was “excitement” about Brown finally launching his campaign, I only saw that in fits and spurts, nothing I would identify as true, sustained enthusiasm. Even most of the targets Brown railed against were federal – Wall Street and the big banks – he is expected to try to tie Whitman to the Goldman Sachs scandal, for instance.
California Democratic Party vice-chair Eric Bauman
As I left the convention, I started thinking that if Brown does lose to Whitman – whose campaign theme to run California like a business sounds very much like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s message when he ran against Gov. Gray Davis in the recall election – she might have to deal with Perez, who did generate excitement as he shook hands up and down the aisles, when she faces reelection. I’m just speculating here, of course – but even the thought is exciting. And, not to forget that Perez’s best friend is L.A. County Democratic Party chair and California Democratic Party vice-chair Eric Bauman, who knows a thing or two about politics. He was significant in helping Davis get elected over two multi-millionaires, Jane Harmon and airline tycoon Al Checchi in 1998, for example.
Unlike Brown, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer came to the stage like, well, a boxer entering the ring. She seemed exhausted and soft-spoken at a pre-speech news conference, promising to energize the crowd with her talk, which she did. Boxer used lines she’s used before – this on the so-called “death panels” the Republicans made up during the healthcare reform debate: “Why would I ever pull the plug on Granny? I AM Granny.”
Boxer acknowledges that this reelection bid wil be tough. Her Republican opponents– socially moderate/fiscal conservative Tom Campbell, who is pro-choice and pro-marriage equality; wealthy former Hewitt-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina; and Tea Party favorite Chuck DeVore – are battling amongst themselves.
During her speech, Boxer reminded people of the excesses of the Bush administration and “the policies that got us into this mess” and “Wall St. deregulation on steroids” that resulted in the current dire economic situation. She said, “I need you to be excited – as excited as the Tea Party people are. Will you be with me?”
Rep. Maxine Waters (South LA) was a real firebrand onstage. “We will rein in the Wall Street barons and thieves who almost brought this country to its knees,” Waters said. “We’re Democrats. We do not have to create a fake party organizing around fake issues.”
Later I spoke with Waters who is concerned about so many Democrats moving to the center.
“The Progressive Caucus of Congress is determined that we are going to get some real progressive legislation in several areas – that (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act) is one of them. Whether we’re talking about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or Non-Discrimination – we are really determined that we are going to fight against what is increasingly too many centrists in the Democratic Party.”
I asked Waters – an early supporter of people with AIDS – about the National Strategy on AIDS. What she said suggests that she – and perhaps, by extension, the Black Caucus – has not been kept up to speed by the White House on an issue that deeply impacts the African American community. And she hinted that progressives are having a really hard time in Congress. She said:
“The president has appointed a czar of some kind and I don’t see them very often and nobody wants to talk about money – because the Right is talking about deficit spending, on and on and on. And instead of us pushing, we move back with pay-go and everything you introduce, you have to find the money to cover it and that eliminates some possibility of having revenues for these expanded needs that we have.
But you know, Lynn Woolsey (Marin/Sonoma), Barbara Lee (Berkley/Oakland) and myself are trying to keep our caucus from moving too far to the Right. So we’ll keep trying. It’s a real concern.”
Waters doesn’t think Democrats will lose the House in November, but she said:
“I believe you lose if you get scared and you retreat. I think if you go out there and you fight and you organize and not run from your own issues and your base, you win. That’s what I’m advocating – and I said it today. I talked about some issues nobody brought up – I talked about immigration reform. I talked about gay and lesbian rights – I mention stuff that they don’t want – and I said – you don’t hear anybody talking about the war and I said, ‘Bring our soldiers home.’”
But Waters pointed out what also seemed weird to me – that there seemed little effort to reach out to the different constituencies that make up the base. Apart from Pelosi’s reference to hospital visitation and perhaps a mention here or there about “equality” – I only remember hearing Waters SAY the words “gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.”
DNC honcho and Stonewall Democratic Club politico Garry Shay
Now should that matter when openly gay California Democratic Party vice chair Eric Bauman was on stage with chair John Burton the whole time? Or that Assembly Speaker John Perez was one of the most popular people in the hall? Or that Mark Leno and John Laird are so highly regarded – as are longtime Democratic politicos like Garry Shay and Jess Durfee, among others?
And yet on the same Saturday that Democrats so successfully assimilated LGBTs into the party, Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights posted a tragic story about an elderly gay couple in Sonoma County, California; Here’s an excerpt:
“Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. Clay and Harold made diligent efforts to protect their legal rights, and had their legal paperwork in place–wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives, all naming each other. Harold was 88 years old and in frail medical condition, but still living at home with Clay, 77, who was in good health.
One evening, Harold fell down the front steps of their home and was taken to the hospital. Based on their medical directives alone, Clay should have been consulted in Harold’s care from the first moment. Tragically, county and health care workers instead refused to allow Clay to see
Harold in the hospital. The county then ultimately went one step further by isolating the couple from each other, placing the men in separate nursing homes.
Ignoring Clay’s significant role in Harold’s life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold’s “roommate.” The court denied their efforts, but did grant the county limited access to one of Harold’s bank accounts to pay for his care.
What happened next is even more chilling.
Without authority, without determining the value of Clay and Harold’s possessions accumulated over the course of their 20 years together or making any effort to determine which items belonged to whom, the county took everything Harold and Clay owned and auctioned off all of their belongings. Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from his home and confined him to a nursing home against his will. The county workers then terminated Clay and Harold’s lease and surrendered the home they had shared for many years to the landlord.
Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died in the nursing home. Because of the county’s actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life.”
On Monday, NCLR launched a national media campaign to bring visibility to the case and the ongoing inequality of LGBT people.
Will the Democrats stand up for couples like Clay and Harold or is such fatal inequality too “progressive” before a Tea Party-focused election?
UPDATE – PHOTOS:
California Democratic Party chair John Burton
California Treasurer Bill Lockyer
Retiring Rep. Diane Watson and former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who hopes to replace her in Congress
Assemblymember Hector De La Torre
EQCA Marriage Director Marc Solomon and marriage equality volunteers
EQCA marriage equality volunteers gathering signature support
Assemblymember Dave Jones, center, poses with supporters
Assembly candidate Josh Becker with San Francisco DA Kamala Harris
US Sen. Barbara Boxer enters like a boxer
Stonewall-endorsed Assembly candidate Betsy Butler with Lee-Ann Tratten, Political director for Consumer Attorneys of California
The stalwart LGBT contingent from san Diego
Yvette Martinez, senior advisor to the Boxer campaign
MSNBC political talk show host Chris Matthews
Jean Harris, center, Denise Penn, right and friend
LA City Councilmember Janice Hahn
LA City Controler Wendy Gruel
State Sen. Mark Leno with Assemblymember Tom Torlakson, candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction
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You’d do well to understand who your friends are – and stop bitching about political realities. Pragmatism and rationalism wins the day every time. Be cool and keep the faith, but don’t shit on your friends.
Greg Hackley
Great post =]
I was disgusted when I went to the Lomita, CA post office today, 10/30/10 mid morning to see an edlerly man and one younger woman set up with a table on the sidewalk in front of the post office with a sign that said Obama. That’s not what got me upset, it was two signs showing Obama with a Hilter moustache. As I left I rolled down my window and told the man putting a Hilter moustache on Obama was disgusting and he said “he is disgusting”. I rallied back “you are disgusting”. There is no comparison to Hilter and Obama. This kind of sick display won’t get them any popularity with “normal, rational voters” No sympathy here.
I was disgusted when I went to the Lomita, CA post office today, 10/30/10 mid morning to see an elderly man and one younger woman set up with a table on the sidewalk in front of the post office with a sign that said impeach Obama. That’s not what got me upset, it was two signs showing Obama with a Hilter moustache. As I left I rolled down my window and told the man putting a Hilter moustache on Obama was disgusting and he said “he is disgusting”. I rallied back “you are disgusting”. There is no comparison to Hilter and Obama. This kind of sick display won’t get them any popularity with “normal, rational voters” No sympathy here.