Consider this the start of “What Do You Think?” reborn & remixed. I’d like to occasionally throw the floor to all of you here at LibOC to have your say on the major state & local news of the day. So anyways, let’s get to today’s topic.
There seems to be a whole lot of buzz in the state about Sen. Dianne Feinstein considering a run for Governor in 2010. Willie Brown thinks the other likely candidates (San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, Attorney Gen. Jerry Brown, etc.) should step aside should “DiFi” run. Some progressive activists are already threatening to mount a serious primary challenge should Feinstein run. The chattering class is debating whether Feinstein represents Democrats’ best chance of regaining the Governor’s seat in 2010, as she remains the single most popular politician in California.
All I know about it is I don’t know what exactly to believe. That’s why I’m ready to throw it to you. What do you think about Dianne Feinstein possibly running for Governor?
Is she just the right person for the job? Or is she too “conservative” to be considered a true Democrat? Will she be a shoo-in if she decides to run? Or could the GOP still come up with a candidate (Insurance Comm. Steve Poizner? Fmr. HP CEO Carly Fiorina?) who could mount a real challenge? Or better yet, could Garamendi or Brown or someone else still win the Democratic Primary?
I know it’s still early to be thinking about 2010. Heck, the 2008 election is still far from over! But hey, why should that stop us from talking about the future of state politics?
So go ahead. Have your say. Tell us what you think of the “DiFi for Governor” rumors. 🙂
According to Wikipedia, Feinstein has just turned 75. Barbara Boxer is 67. Feinstein is probably the more electable of the two, but she would be in her 80s after completing her first term. No thanks.
I would vote for Dana Rorbacher before voting for Feinstein for Governor. I think DiFi is a loathsome figure.
PLEASE!!!! Dianne you need to help people, so just get out of the way.
CJ
She is rather old, but, far more importantly, she’s out-dated. Senator Feinstein is a Democrat from a time of moderate, pro-corporate Democrats, when, arguably, such Democrats were needed. Unfortunately, I’d say that that no longer reflects the status of the party or the country, let alone California.
Frankly, I’m hard pressed to recall exactly what she accomplishes for California in the Senate (women’s issues and handguns?), other than being appallingly weak on civil liberties. California needs a Governor who is going to be willing to challenge the status quo. Our tax system and budget process are both barely functioning and rising gas prices are going to radically change the way millions of Californians live and work, necessitating equally radical changes to the state’s transportation infrastructure. I don’t think Feinstein has the wherewithal to confront any of these issues. I think she’d be a place-holder Governor at best, or sell us out to poorly conceived Republican ‘compromises’ at worst.
This isn’t to say I’m all that optimistic about the gubernatorial field in general, just that I don’t think Feinstein adds anything.
I don’t want to vote for her in the 2012 Senate race; I certainly won’t be voting for her for Governor.
NO!!!
Michael, I think you captured Feinstein pretty well. I think she lost a lot of my respect when, seeking publicity or to have her contituents think she was actually accomplishing something, she went into MacArthur Park near downtown LA with her entourage to buy fake identity documents. That was along the lines of when Nancy Reagan went with Daryl Gates to bust a drug house.
Barbara Boxer, on the other hand, is probably my favorite politician and the one who I think best represents what Dems are about, but I don’t think she would be elected in a million years.
Anyone would be better than Gavin, there would be no border at all with that guy..
Di Fi is from a by-gone era though. We need younger people with new ideas.
These relics like McCain, Warner, Pelosi and Di Fi need to hit the countryclub and call it a career.
Fienstein is a money-grubbing, corporate monster. I would never vote for her. It would be like voting for a conservative Republican. She and her husband have spent most of their time and life energy amassing
a huge fortune. She is one who pursued government position to serve herself, not the public. Her pushing trough the AETA was the last straw.
I cannot imagine Newsome having the nerve to run after some of the things he has done and caused.