In English, “Met Whitman Has Two Faces.” That’s on a Spanish-language billboard ad from Jerry Brown’s campaign, pointing out how post-primary Whitman is saying different things than pre-primary Whitman on issues like illegal immigration and halting AB 32, California’s strict global warming law.
KFI’s John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou (get their podcasts at the link) say that duplicity . . .er . . . sophisticated campaign management, is the work of her senior political adviser, Rob Stuzman. And when the San Francisco Chronicle pointed out these two-faced positions, Stutzman did what sophisticated campaign managers do: change the subject and blame those who pointed out the double-speak. In this case, John & Ken.
“We have the resources to communicate … to Spanish-language media, which has huge audiences in the state, and we are not going to apologize for that,” Stutzman said. “Just because shock radio jocks have to have immigration as part of their shtick, it does not mean there is erosion in the GOP base.”
“Shock radio jocks?” “Shtick?” As you can imagine, John and Ken were not pleased with that characterization, especially since Whitman appeared on the John & Ken show last October to fish for votes. On that show, she discussed how sanctuary cities made her “blood boil” and how she would fight illegal immigration.
But that was before the primary, and Whitman doesn’t need John & Ken now. So they say Whitman is just doing what sophisticated politicians do: Pander. After saying one thing in English on illegal immigration, Whitman (or morely likely another adviser) wrote in a Spanish-language that she and Democratic opponent Jerry Brown have little difference on illegal immigration.
Whitman sure didn’t sound that way when speaking to those “shock radio jocks’ last October. Listen to Meg herself, in MP3 format.
And, again in MP3, here are those “shock radio jocks,” discussing that conversation after they replayed it last month. At 1:10 into the clip, you’ll hear them explain how the likes of Stutzman work — hey Meg, you’ve already got the anti-illegal immigration vote, now time to campaign in Spanish and troll for votes by pandering on illegal immigration.
Then, here’s John and Ken explaining the real meaning of “shtick” — go to 1:27 in the clip to hear it. J&K’s point is that if Whitman can switch on such big issues as illegal immigration and suspending the AB 32 global warming law, how can you trust her on anything else? The kind of person who would cynically view such issues as mere ways to get votes would do that on any issue.
Bottom line, according to John & Ken, is that Whitman is shaping up much like another Gov. Schwarzenegger. If Whitman doesn’t quickly stop the pandering and choose sides, they’re not going to support her. And that message is no shtick.
Rob Stutzman's head on a shtick
However, J&K’s placement of Stutzman’s head on a stick was shtick. It’s obviously meant for comical effect. But those who dismiss John and Ken and their 1 million-plus listeners as only in it for the shtick are making a big mistake. Of course, Stutzman has a personal animus against John & Ken, since he worked for the Governator. And for the last few years, the shock radio jocks have been mercilessly lampooning Schwarzenegger at every opportunity. Click the preceding link to hear an MP3 clip of what John & Ken made out of Schwarzenegger’s trip to Vancouver to the Winter Olympics.
Comments 9
Well…. all this would be great if John and Ken were Republicans, but they’re not.
One even voted for Obama.
No one in their right mind would ever not vote for Whitman because of this.
Author
John & Ken’s arguments stand or fall on their own merits, not their party affiliation. And calling those who accept those arguments crazy is hardly a refutation. Why vote for someone you can’t trust? If Whitman suffered a drastic drop in the polls due to her left-wing pandering, she’d have to rethink her strategy.
Whitman is obviously highly intelligent and understands about business. But her political record is nearly nil. And after the experience with Schwarzenegger (whom I voted for), I’m very wary of getting fooled again. The sad thing is that Poizner probably wouldn’t have been any better. I listened to him on John & Ken make an utter fool of himself. Poizner boasted about how he was certain to be nominated by positioning himself to the right of Whitman, as if the voters were just pawns to be manipulated by a barrage of advertising. He turned out to be a pawn himself — of his political consultants.
Finally, there’s the horrible Jerry The Job-Killer Brown, who would accelerate California’s slide into Third World penury. About the only good thing will be that all the power, and consequently the blame, will be in the hands of the far-left business-hating Democrats. It may well be that the only path back for California is for the left to be completely and utterly discredited. A healthy Libertarian protest vote just might help that process along.
I dunno how any Republican can be excited about the Whitman campaign.
Determined to beat a very liberal Brown? I can see that…
Hoping she stays somewhere near right of center on most issues if elected? OK…I can see that.
Smart enough to know voting for a third party candidate who is more conservative is a vote for Brown? Yep.
But geeze. She has baggage, her campaign message has been vague at best, her history is spotty, and in the end, it looks like our best case scenario is a California style Republican at the helm again. With Brown’s influence as governor OR Whitman’s “purpleness” we are two gubernatorial elections away from Gov. Gavin Newsome no mater who wins.
Looks like I am holding my nose in the voting booth again. I just got really depressed. I’m gonna go get some coffee.
NutMeg
Amen to “NutMeg” . LOL
Nutmeg in moderation is good for you. How “ironical.”
Meg Whitman was in studio with John & Ken today
(Wednesday) taking plenty of tough questions. The
atmosphere was fairly tense.
If you missed it, that interview is scheduled to be
REPLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY tomorrow (Thursday)
at 2:05 pm on KFI, am-640.
It was good Theater as well as interesting politics.
John & Ken have an enormous audience, through-
out southern California, not just in LA.
Dear Admin.
You say, “Nutmeg in moderation is good for you. How “ironical.” ?
That’s like saying “A little dab will do you”.
Cute title for her. Maybe it will catch on.
LOL