Former Gov. Pete Wilson provided Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman a valuable endorsement in the GOP primary, when he declared she would be "tough as nails" on illegal immigration. But what made that recommendation resonate for many conservatives – Wilson championed Proposition 187, the 1994 initiative that sought to deny public services to illegal immigrants – has become a liability now that Whitman is trying to win over Latino and independent voters. Not surprisingly, Wilson, Whitman's campaign chairman, has all but disappeared from public view. "Pete Wilson was important before June 8," conservative talk show host Ken Chiampou said in...