Whitman Reveals Herself

by Steve

Meg Whitman's had a bad week, in large part because of her own mistakes. Yet in typical behavior right out of the GOP playbook, Whitman still managed to blame everyone else for her actions and misjudgments. In yesterday's debate, Whitman blamed Jerry Brown for her problems with her housekeeper, not the least of which were her getting caught lying about a matter she and her team should have been ready for.

After all, Whitman and the Wall Street Republicans around her have been planning her 2010 ascension since before Arnold dispatched the hapless Phil Angelides in 2006. Yet after spending $125 million on carpet-bombing media, hand-picked town halls in front of hero-worshipping sheep, and empty policy proposals, Whitman got derailed by a problem right under her nose. And when she tried to blame Brown using the typical GOP victimization effort of blaming everyone else, he seemingly was laying in the weeds for her:

"Jerry, you know you should be ashamed, you and your surrogates ... put her deportation at risk," she said. Turning to face the state attorney general at the podium, Whitman accused Brown of "sacrificing Nicky Diaz on the altar of your political ambitions."

But Brown, who kept Whitman on the defensive for most of the hour, counterattacked by arguing that her actions in hiring - and then firing - a woman she called "a member of the family" reflected a pattern of failing to take responsibility, a personality trait that shows she lacks the character to be California's next governor.

"Don't run for governor if you can't stand up on your own two feet and say, 'Hey, I made a mistake.' You have blamed her, blamed me, blamed the left, blamed the unions. But you don't take accountability," he said in one of the most forceful exchanges of the session.

Whitman further reinforced her "blame the lower classes" mindset when she went after a student questioner for pursuing a three-major education at Fresno State, supposedly at the expense of native-born Californians. The media hasn't covered this angle from yesterday as much as they've covered the tone of the debate itself, but Whitman's unscripted response to the student's question, wherein Whitman tied the state's budget problems to the hard work of a hispanic overachiever speaks volumes about this elitist.

Thankfully, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sacramento Bee have all endorsed Brown today and in doing so, all have pointed out Whitman's shortcomings. What we have in Meg Whitman, effectively highlighted by a surprisingly feisty Brown, is another wealthy Republican who looks down her nose at those not like herself, who sees government as a necessary evil only to ensure their ongoing wealth and privilege at the expense of everyone else.

Hat tip to Robert Cruickshank at Calitics