Can Whitman's spending move the tied polls?

Sacramento Bee ^ | 8/20/10 | Jack Chang

[SmithL]

Since Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown won their parties' nominations in June, tens of millions of dollars have been spent trying to break the statistical tie that's gripped the race for months.

Whitman, in particular, has blanketed the state in radio and TV ads touting her corporate experience and depicting Brown as a failed career politician. Brown hasn't spent anything on advertising yet, but his union allies have aired commercials attacking Whitman as the heartless former CEO of the online auction firm eBay.

With the general election season now at its halfway point, 10 weeks from the primary and 10 until the Nov. 2 vote, the campaigns remain stuck where they started – tied in every public opinion poll.

That presents a perplexing challenge for Whitman, who's been running paid advertising in the state for nearly a year – starting with a radio spot introducing her to voters last September.

Californians may now be tuning out all the ads or even turning a skeptical eye on them after watching for so long, said Clayton Critcher, a social psychologist and assistant professor of marketing at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.

[skeeter]

Whitman can have the job in a walk if she'd promise to cut off bennies to illegals.

But, being a California politician, she's completely ignorant on this subject. She thinks its a better idea to appeal for their vote in Spanish.

[Steamburg]

There is no real hope for Kalefornia, but I’d take somebody who ran a company and made payroll over moon beam any time. Perhaps she should embrace that heartless CEO image.

[CAluvdubya]

6 of one, half a dozen of the other, as far as I'm concerned.

I suppose Whitman could be better than Brown but right now, I don't really see it.

WASS!

[BigBobber]

Unless she convinces me she is to the right of Moonbeam, she’s wasting her money on me. Right now they look about the same to me.

[oldbrowser]

Whitman has already said that she would cut off the benefits to illegals and fine employers that hire them. She said this is the best solution because this way they deport themselves.

The commercials she ran in spanish were directed at the legal citizens because they don't want the illegals here either.

Whitman is a hard a$$ but that is what we need. Unfortunately as long as the Democrats and the unions control Sacramento any governor's hands will be tied.

[ken21]

either way,

we lose.

[Theodore R.]

I believe the misinformed people of CA will chose Brown under the theme “Old times here are not forgotten.”

[freekitty]

It’s to bad money is above the person’s character.

[JoanneSD]

We have no choice, either Moon beam, or Nut meg.. Califonia is doomed...

[ncalburt]

I see the Dems trolls are out in full force astroturfing away with the TIRED OLD LIES that there is no difference blah blah Propaganda.

The facts are Jerry Brown is a RADICAL ACCORN, SEIU , CNA flunky who will kill of Calif by letting the UNIONS DESTROY the state !

The UNION GOONS Are spending MILLIONS to STOP WHITMAN so there is a HUGE DIFFERENCE !

Dont fall for the DU TROLLS POSTING HERE.
Whitman will be able to VETO all the nutter bills cooked up the radical leftists like LENO and VETO the
census redistricting scams.

[ncalburt]

What ???

The SEIU , CNA, Sierra Club lawyers , and the UAW are spending millions to STOP Whitman .

If they were so close then why are all these radical unions out in full force against here ?

She will stop these radicals.

[MissesBush]

Californians are apathetic on politics generally, put particularly so in the summer months. Wait until October 1st. That's when they'll start paying some attention to the various state-wide races.

[PALIN SMITH]

Is Jerry Brown the best the Democrats have in California?

A tired old man, a retread numerous times.

How sad that a once-great state has fallen into such an abyss!!

[Signalman]

Far left Gov. Moonbeam is one of the architects of California’s current state of despair...so I’ve got to vote for Nut Meg, RINO that she is.

[ncalburt]

I am not from here but we are stuck here.

I am told by my officer mates that Moonbeam shifted the
road /bridge funds to the SEIU , Sierra Nutters, and the Nurse unions are created the UNION RUN hell hole that we are stuck in .

The nurses unions nutters are smearing Whitman with illgasl literature all over the 10 UC campuses.

[DIRTYSECRET]

If Whitman is able to buy her way into office more power to her. She’ll get my vote, nothing more. Fiorina’s Senate run is more important for 2 reasons that have nothing to do with her: 1 A GOP win will do wonders towards a majority in the senate and 2: consider the alternative.

[DirtyDawg]

You people who think there is no difference between Whitman and Brown are nuts. The ONLY thing that held the Communist State Legislature in any kind of check has been Arnold’s veto pen. If Brown becomes Governor there will be nothing that stops morons like State Senator Dean Flores from passing every anti business law and regulation they can think of. Those of us in California must do everything we can to get Whitman elected or we are truly doomed.

[DirtyDawg]

You people who think there is no difference between Whitman and Brown are nuts. The ONLY thing that held the Communist State Legislature in any kind of check has been Arnold’s veto pen. If Brown becomes Governor there will be nothing that stops morons like State Senator Dean Flores from passing every anti business law and regulation they can think of. Those of us in California must do everything we can to get Whitman elected or we are truly doomed.

[Republic Rocker]

Whats sad is liberal Sacramento has drowned the state and the inhabitants here will still vote them back in because they want their gay marriage and poy baggies to be legal.