Phil Angelides delighted Democrats in Fort Bragg Feb. 24 with a rousing and often humorous attack on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger”s education, environmental and debt record.
Angelides is currently state treasurer, and one of two Democratic candidates for governor in the June 6 primary. He spoke before a packed house of more than 50 people at a $15 per plate gourmet breakfast fund-raiser at the Harbor Lite Lodge.
Angelides promised he was not going to be “Arnold Lite” but will proudly champion the values he believes most Californians share with him.
“We are going to stand up for the Democratic values of fairness and opportunity in investment. We are going to stand up proudly for the values that built the wealth and strength of California and America,” he said.
His rhythmic oratory, laced with idealism, harkened to an era when politicians were actually practiced, outdoor public speakers.
“We are going to start the process of turning back a 30-year assault by the Right on the values of this country,” he said, timing his delivery for the expected cheer.
Although the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle are among the pundits who have predicted a negative campaigning slugfest between Steve Westly, Democratic State Controller, and Angelides prior to the primary vote, Angelides had little to say about Westly in Fort Bragg. Most of his comments were on the issues, or pointing to the governor”s failings.
“I am going to run as someone who offers Californians the clearest choice in a generation because I know in my heart that the Bush-Schwarzenegger low road is a dead end for this state,” he said. “There is no way we are going to compete with Malaysia or Indonesia for the lowest wages and the lowest cost of production of goods.”
Angelides did point out that his Democratic opponent, whom he never named, was backed by a huge personal fortune that he would need help matching and that his opponent was “poised to run a very negative campaign.” Westly, an eBay multimillionaire, is considered by the pundits to be more moderate and less experienced than Angelides.
Angelides hit hardest on Schwarzenegger”s record of slicing into education and creating massive debt for the future of California, so as to give more and more tax cuts to the wealthiest Californians. He listed college fee hikes among the tax increases that have been enacted under Schwarzenegger”s leadership.
“He said he would protect education and instead became the first governor in four decades to tell 25,000 young minds, who had done all the work and made the grades, that we were too poor to make room for them at our state colleges and universities.” He pointed out that the very wealthiest Californians had gotten tax cuts that could have paid for the education of those young people.
Known as an advocate of sustainable growth during his career as a housing developer, Angelides challenged Schwarzenegger for backing what once was a liberal premise ? building freeways and massive public works projects. He called that outdated 20th century thinking. He said the governor”s plan is “idiotic” because it dedicates less than 5 percent to mass transit in a time of gas price instability.
“We need an environmentally responsible infrastructure plan. One that directs investments into smart growth, not ones that fuel sprawl,” he said.
Angelides” reputation as an innovator and developer in creation of affordable housing that has sustainable qualities has been defined both as his strength and his potential Achilles heel in media reports. The Sacramento Bee recently printed an investigative story that chronicled Angelides” triumphs and controversies on the Sacramento-area development scene.
Asked about how his ideas might apply to the Georgia-Pacific mill site, Angelides said he had only recently learned of the Fort Bragg commercial property.
He said he supports the state getting involved in creating livable, walkable communities that don”t promote urban sprawl and in helping with the rescue of old industrial properties. As treasurer, he said he has helped change rules to allow state pension funds to invest in projects like the G-P mill site. He said he planned to learn more about the project before coming up with specific ideas.
Angelides was willing to take at least one position that seemed unpopular, saying he supported the death penalty law.
A reedy man with a flattop hairdo, he relishes the nickname “anti-Arnold” he got early on, when the governor”s popularity was high.
“Yes I am the anti-Arnold and you have any doubts about it, just take a look at the body,” he said, flexing his skinny arms to the laughter of the crowd. “It is natural and real and the way it was always intended to be.”
Angelides, who the media has described as serious, had frequent humorous moments in his speech in Fort Bragg and was clearly enjoying himself. He proudly told of his daughter Megans” resume as she sat in the front row and called him “dad.”
Angelides said his Website, angelides.com, has an alternative for the “Greek challenged” at philforgovernor.com.
Rachel Binah, one of the leaders of the Mendocino Coast Democratic Club, introduced Angelides who she has known for more than 20 years. She said was impressed by his speech.
“Our guy is smart. And, he is also a good person. He combines the best of politics and public policy. The last major figure who was able to do that was Bill Clinton. I”m going to work ”til I drop for Phil,” said Binah after the meeting.
He announced he has been endorsed by 39 labor organizations. His campaign is co-chaired by Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi and he has people like Mike Thompson, Pat Wiggins and Patty Berg standing with him.
A “who”s who” of coastal politics attended the fund-raiser. As well as representatives of Congressman Thompson and Assemblywoman Berg, present were State Senate candidate Pat Wiggins, two candidates for district attorney, Jone Lemos and Clay Brennan who are running for superior court judge, Hal Wagenet, Kendall Smith and David Colfax from the board of supervisors, along with Dan Gjerde from the Fort Bragg City Council and Meg Courtney from the city Planning Commission.
With more than 300 Democratic clubs, locals were thrilled to get the candidate who was leading both his opponents in the recent polls.
The latest Rasmussen Reports California election poll shows Schwarzenegger leading Westly 39 percent to 34 percent but trailing Angelides 41 percent to 40 percent.
