JERRY BROWN!!!

[Brundle_Fly]

was in the primary to june 3rd... because that stupid, Jerry Brown couldn't & wouldn't realize he was mathematically beaten by april 8th!!

or maybe he was just hoping Bill Clinton got shot??!!

[Gore1FL]

1. Jerry Brown was also known as "Moon Beam"

He was nuts then. He is nuts now.

[Brundle_Fly]

3. and thus we return to the pot to kettle "you're black" talking point.

:pals:

[Gore1FL]

5. Nuts can be a good thing

My candidate (Tom Harkin) was out by Missouri. I almost went to the caucus to support Brown in an anti Bill Clinton gesture. I later decided my heart wasn't in it enough to make such a point.

[TahitiNut]

23. "Nuts" IS a Good Thing, thank you.

:silly:

* This is a public service posting on behalf of the International Association of Fruits & Nuts, Ad Hoc DU Chapter.

[POAS]

41. I resemble that remark!

Thanks!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. I respectfully disagree.

He is now our Attorney General here in CA, and he's damn good at it, too.

[CountAllVotes]

63. I have defended Jerry Brown in earlier posts

I've been a fan of his since he emerged on the political scene in the late 1970s. He was considered a visionary at that time when he ran for President of the United States.

His family (specifically the late Edmund G. Brown, Sr. (aka "Pat Brown")) have done much for the state of California.

I'll continue to defend him and vote for him as long as his name appears on the ballot.

:dem:

[mountainvue]

87. This country could do a hell of a

lot worse than Jerry Brown.

[saltpoint]

8. Just to say, Joan Didion does not believe Gov. Brown is "nuts."

She supported him against Gov. Clinton in that primary.

I had the opportunity to meet and speak with Jerry Brown that year. I can very deeply appreciate Didion's respect for him. He is quite brilliant, very progressive, unafraid, and genuinely dedicated to public life.

[saltpoint]

10. The Chicago reporter who labeled Brown "Governor Moonbeam"

--Mike Royko-- retracted his label and apologized, having re-evaluated Brown, this time calling him "a serious man" and "a serious politician."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Brown

--toward the bottom of the summary material.

[DefenseLawyer]

12. Brown was labeled "nuts"

mostly because he told the truth and didn't pander to everyone on the planet, unlike someone in that election.

[saltpoint]

13. I'm on board with that assessment.

[PurityOfEssence]

14. Gosh, it's always best to base one's actions on how others will approve of you

Life is enough like High School without any encouragement.

Brown is a good man. He's a bit impractical, but his heart is in the right place and he gives it his all.

Slagging people with pat little put-downs is the stuff of hectoring groupthink enforcers. He's a fine man and a decent politician who's given his all as Secretary of State, Governor, Mayor of Oakland and Attorney General, soldiering on at a time when many would have hung up the spurs and lived easy, and he's done it out of a sense of duty and with a humble steadfastness.

He is, in short, the antithesis of the grandstanding gladhander, and is much more rational than most people, even though that isn't saying much...

Dittoing reactionary insults is a tiresome pursuit.

[TahitiNut]

25. Well-said!

:applause:

[Gore1FL]

28. I almost voted for him in 92.

no one seems to read that post.

[NashVegas]

59. I Did

I wrote Brown's name in on my ballot.

[PurityOfEssence]

72. I DID vote for him

Not a big Clinton fan; he was and is too far to the right for my taste.

[EFerrari]

15. Yes, that was the right wing meme. n/t

[Gore1FL]

29. wow.

I get more responses to a response in a thread than my own threads.

How come no one read the one where I said I almost voted for him?

[Bluenorthwest]

43. Almost counts in horshoes

Not in voting. Votes are binary. You did not vote for Jerry Brown. And you slag him here. Govenor Brown, Mayor of Oakland, Attorney General of California. Son of Pat Brown, also Govenor of California.
When Jerry came into office, he refused to live in the disgusting Mansion Reagan had built. He remained in his tiny apartment. He used a driver but the car was Jerry's econo car, not a limo. When he was in office, I was a teenager, and yet I ran into him three different times- he went places and did things. He talked to people. He asked me what I thought about state issues one night at a Zevon show, I was too young to vote. He wanted to know what people thought. Even kids at rock shows.
Jerry is a great Democrat and one of the most ethical people I have ever seen in public life. I vote for Jerry Brown at every opprotunity.
And by the way, the man you call 'Moonbeam' like Rush does, he lost his Govenorship by telling hard economic truth to the state. Had CA listened, many of its current crisis would not exist today. He said we needed to tighten our belts, on TV. Is that how 'Moonbeams' talk in your world, with dead on honest fiscal reporting and recommendatins for the best actions?
Did you almost vote Democratic in the Primary? Are you almost going to vote for the Democratic nominee this year? Almost?
You did not vote for Jerry. You voted against him. And today you do so again. Based on some Right wing talking point. Chilling.

[Gore1FL]

52. I missed two caucuses and no primaries since I started voting

92, and 96. Both seemed pointless as Clinton had it locked up both times. In 92, Brown came across to this Missourian as a little out there. I didn't have the internet then. I had CNN. I had the St. Louis Post Dispatch. I still considered voting for him had it been worth the effort to kill a few hours in a lost cause rather than getting sleep before the midnight shift I was working then. Sorry if I couldn't have opinions that differ 16 years ago, or that I didn't have a work schedule to accommodate your agenda. Sorry that I haven't bothered to update myself on the also-rans of every presidential election. Sorry you didn't take the time to read subsequent posts of mine on the subject.

[Bluenorthwest]

65. Yeah I read them

To this Californian, you came across as a little out there, out there to the right. Someone talks like a Republican and claims to be a Democrat I say show me. Guess where great grandma was from?

I'm just sick of Democrats being trashed all the time. Don't you know any McCain slurs to throw around? You know, McCain's so old he says Lincoln is his favorite President because he served such good brandy. Now you try.

[Gore1FL]

67. McCain is so old

He and God were classmates in elementary school

When God said "Let there be Light" McCain said "let there be sunglasses"

If he invested $10 in a mutual fund when he was 20 years old, he could pay off the national debt now.

---

For the record, I am a little out there, but you picked the wrong direction. I am a left wing liberal lunatic. Hell, I said I wanted, Harkin didn't I? :)

[Bluenorthwest]

68. Hence my olive branch

I'm the same way. Jerry's our guy! I'd have voted for Harkin too. And I love the sunglasses line!

[Gore1FL]

69. Good to hear

McCain is so old, that when the Big Bang occurred, he didn't hear it.

[havocmom]

16. Cast my first vote for Jerry Brown. Think he is one smart, decent pol.

Would vote for him for just about any office if I were still in Calif.

[Gore1FL]

31. I cast my first caucus vote for Gary Hart

I cast my first primary vote for Jesse Jackson.

I almost went to the 92 caucus (we went back to them in 92) to vote for Brown--granted as an anti Clinton vote,but considered the matter futile--especially when my first choice was Harkin.

[AllentownJake]

38. Actually what was said about Jerry Brown

Was the first Kitchen Sink

[NashVegas]

58. That's "Governor Moon Beam" - I'm Guessing You Have No Idea How He Got That Nickname

He wanted to link up state agencies via satellite for emergency communication.

This was back in the 1970s, we're talking.

Man, how stupid was that? Huh?

[Gore1FL]

74. I didn;t know that

thanks for the info.

I never called him stupid, merely nuts.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

71. And are you a fucking

doctor? A mental health expert?

Jerry Brown is smart and walks the walk - I wish we had more real progressive Democrats like him.

[Gore1FL]

75. Close

I am a Windows system administrator. When it comes to being nuts, I walk the walk!

[Terran]

85. Only repugs called him that

because he advocated for things that are virtually mainstream now.

[CreekDog]

2. that's right, Jerry Brown was bagging on Bill Clinton while Clinton was in 3rd place

and Brown did not help us win in November, I'm sorry to say --Brown is someone I like a lot.

and I don't recall anyone saying Tsongas or Brown should be nominated because Bill Clinton was behind both Perot and Bush in opinion polls at this time 16 years ago.

[JI7]

7. Perot's weirdness help Clinton move up

such as the dropping out and then dropping back in. and wasn't there some stuff about aliens or some other conspiracy.

perot lost a lot of people who wanted change to Clinton during that time.

[CountAllVotes]

4. Jerry Brown (a fan here)

I like the guy. His family is awesome I believe.

Anway, Jerry Brown ...

I heard a rumor that he was considering running for governor again for the State of California.

I wonder if this is true and if it is legal (he served two terms here as governor FYI)?

Does anyone happen to know?

:kick: for Jerry (gotta hand it to him - he is S M A R T ). I like that quality in a leader. :D

[Brundle_Fly]

9. I personally was not of age to be interested in politics

I just used stupid as I was arguing the point as devil's advocate.

Feel free to like him, and continuing on as such.

:pals:

[Brundle_Fly]

37. I still mean it.

[CountAllVotes]

56. I voted for him 4 times

Once when he was running for President (I actually met him - he was very young and enthusiastic). That was in the late 1970s.

I voted for him twice as governor.

I voted for him for Attorney General for the State of California.

And, I will vote for him again if he runs for governor of the State of California again too. What a great relief after too many years of Ahnuld!

He is a good man and he has done a lot of good work for the State of California. I've been following him politically for 30+ years now!

I realize he is controversial, but he keeps winning when he runs. I hope he continues on! :)

[Smarmie Doofus]

33. It's legal. The term limits law passed after his tenure so...

>>>I heard a rumor that he was considering running for governor again for the State of California.

I wonder if this is true and if it is legal (he served two terms here as governor FYI)?

Does anyone happen to know?>>>



it doesn't apply to him. I was reading about him recently.... perhaps on wiki.

[SoxFan]

60. I've always liked Jerry Brown

He's true to himself, isn't afraid to veer off the stale old left-right axis, and is open to new ideas and approaches. Heck, the guy managed to get a military-themed public charter school up and running in Oakland! That takes both outside the box thinking and more than a little political skill.

I met with Brown years ago when he came to NH to push for campaign finance reform and legislative term limits. He's a staunch believer in a fair democratic process, and I admire that.

Oh, and anyone who could impress her is a stud...

[Zomby Woof]

76. It should be legal

The term limits for governor law went into effect years after Brown served in that office. So he should be eligible.

He's doing a credible job as AG for CA. Going full bore on the EPA with a lawsuit for fighting CA's tougher auto emissions standards.

[Neshanic]

11. Epic freak.

[havocmom]

20. Yeah, I recall he caught hell for 'sleeping on the floor' in the apt he had near the Gov's office

He had a mattress and box springs, sans fancy frame and certain types made a fuss about how weird he was and used his bed as evidence.

Being spartan in one's personal surroundings does not sound like a bad thing for a true public servant.
He lived, what, just about across the street from office so he didn't have to waste time on fancy transport? After Reagan and his haughty wife, Jer Brown was a breath of fresh air and sanity.

And thinking outside the box can be a real help for problem solving. He was never same shit, different pol.

[Bluenorthwest]

45. Reagan had built a huge mansion

For himself. Jerry refused to live in it and stayed in his apartment with the futon. So it was more than just what Jerry did, it was also what Ronny had done before him. And the juxtaposition of those two standards.
Jerry Brown is the best Democratic politician I have seen in my life. Our current options are no where near him in ethics or abiltiies.
Every morning I wake up to find anothter great Democrat being trashed on this site, and Republican talking points being used and even Republicans being promoted for election. Attacking Progressives just will not make Obama into one, nor Hillary. Jerry is and will remain a standard bearer.

[havocmom]

Nancy howled that the old mansion was an unsafe fire trap.

The, when the state gave her what she wanted, and approved construction of a new mansion, Nancy, in all her magnanimity made a show of giving the old (fire trap) to some orphan gage or such. Not safe enough for her and Ronnie, but just about right for defenseless children is how I took that one. Have not been fond of that woman ever since.

Brown is the real deal as far as I am concerned. He lived simply and walked the walk.

And he has a REAL cool 'girlfriend' (hate that word) for quite some time. Actually, I hope he still does as I hear she moved out of Tucson again.

Oh, and due to a really silly incident at the lady's home in Calif back then, and my personal relationship with some people in law enforcement at the time, my family was among the first to know about that little secret. ;) When my bro got off shift and was giggling about the gov's embarrassing moment at the door with officers responding to an alarm at the lady's home in the wee hours, we were all so glad to hear the good gov had a good woman to sooth his worried brow! Go Jer! What a nice brow soother. ;)

[Bluenorthwest]

51. The lady...

herself was not to be sneezed at. I met them together a few times. She also spoke out against Bush and got fired from Vegas for it, just like the Chix. She's always gotten short shrift in terms of her artisty and her politics. She is also a damn good Democrat. And a true heart when others forgot they even had a heart.

[havocmom]

81. Knew about her anti-bush stance. Glad to hear she is a DEM. That I didn't know

It didn't show much, but then she did always let her husband be the star.

Hey, do you like dogs? Ever go to any of those big dog shows? Ever do TV? :D

[havocmom]

83. Just dawned on me that you were talking the OTHER lady I referenced

LOL Dopey me, Couldn't figure what Nancy did playing in Vegas, but with her, who knows.

I knew the OTHER lady I referenced was a DEM. When I was in Tucson, she would sometimes pop into a bar/restaurant around the corner from me. My timing was ALWAYS wrong and I would go for a steak the DAY after she had gone in to jam a bit.

Yeah, THAT lady is really a force onto her own. Love her. Was happy the gov did (does) too. When I heard her song about If you are within the sound of my voice, I always hoped she was singing it to the good gov.

[saltpoint]

53. That is a PERFECT read on Nancy Reagan.

Fire could claim MY life but I guess a gaggle of orphans or something could live here.

Yes.

[mountainvue]

88. Agreed. Excellent post. n/t

[EFerrari]

17. Jerry Brown was green while everyone else was still trying to finance

a bigger car.

Too bad those moombeams didn't shine on more of us. :)

[bridgit]

18. imo Jerry is one of the good guys...

[newmajority]

19. Nah, Jerry was just hoping the Dead Kennedys would re-unite and write him a new song

Hell, if they updated it for Reagan, the least they could do is bring it up to date for the original, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iNh6BVZgJ0

[housewolf]

21. I worked on Jerry Brown's campaign in 1992 in Calif

Governor Moonbeam told more truth to power than anyone before or since.

Everyone "knew" that Bill Clinton was going to be the nominee but Jerry took his campaign all the way to the convention in order to keep telling truth to power. His was a transformational campaign... no corporate or lobbiest money, max donations of $100 from individucals only, the first to use 1-800 numbers for campaign donations, the first to begin organizing on-line (there wasn't really the internet yet but there was usenet and some on-line chat/conversation/email services available such as Genie & Prodigy). He was the first to talk about the corroptive influence of money and fund-raising in politics. He was very responsible about campaign funds... no extravagences, drove around the country in a small van rather than a private plane. Wanted to reform the tax system. Campaign slogans "Tell truth to power" and "Take back America".

For me, it was an inspirational campaign. Dennis Kucinich's campaign reminded me a lot of Jerry Brown's campaign in 1992. Jerry's a bit lacking in charisma so he didn't catch on as a mainstream candidate, plus he was too progressive for most in 1992.

[bridgit]

24. Ding! Thank you for your post & remembrance

:)

[rpannier]

44. I worked for Jerry in CO in 92.

The other thing that hurt him was when he said (shortly before the NY Primary) that he'd seriously consider having Jesse Jackson as his running mate.
NY went from barely Clinton to strong Clinton.(My brother was living in NY at the time and said that hurt him very badly)

It was too bad. I think he'd have been a great President.

[NashVegas]

61. Thanks, Housewolf

I was living in Southern Vermont in 1992. My co-workers and I drove to Albany to see him speak at the NY state capitol steps. We were all too broke to donate, but we voted for him in our primary; I wrote him in on the November ballot, as well.

[kiranon]

73. Thank you. He ran to get his ideas and the truth before the public

Jerry Brown was not running to damage any candidate. Ideas often come from third party candidates or from those running for the presidency who have no chance of winning but hope to influence policy or to get the truth or their idea of the truth out to the general public. We are not a dictatorship yet. The democratic process is messy but candidates have a right to run until the finish even if they have no hope of winning. My two children are special needs children and participate in Special Olympics activities. Perhaps some here need to volunteer to help with or attend those events. It is not the winning but the running, the trying, the hoping and the courage of those who try that counts. No one who continues in the race takes anything away from anyone else. They are all running toward the same goal in their own way.

[dana_b]

22. I don't think people are worried about June 3rd

it's the entire summer that we're worried about. this can't go on all summer without huge problems for the GE.

[housewolf]

26. Jerry Brown had a real purpose in staying in the campaign until the convention

There's this "thing" called the "Platform Committee." They meet several times before the convention to write the party's platform that the candidates will be running on during the fall campaign.

Jerry Brown had control of a chunk of delegates. Delegates equal leverage. It gave him a proportionate number of delegates on the Platform Committee. They were able to add and modify "planks" in the platform resulting in a more progressive platform that the Clinton campaign. It also gave him some leverage at the convention. It enabled him to address progressive issues during the convention. It gave voice to progressive issues during the fall campaign. Remember, the Clintons were not favorable to progressive issues. They were high-lelvel DLC'ers - strongly pro-business, "centrists", right-leaning Democrats. Jerry Brown's efforts kept progressives from being completely steam-rolled by the Clintons.

[AllentownJake]

39. Nope

The Clintons kept him from addressing the convention. Watch the War Room. They cheer when they accomplish it.

[Zomby Woof]

77. Brown DID address the '92 convention

I just graduated from college the month before. It's very vivid... he gave an impassioned, firebrand populist speech. I remember my grandparents were visiting, and my granddad and I were flipping the channels back and forth between the Democratic Convention and the baseball All-Star game - Ken Griffey Jr. was representing the Mariners (I was living in Seattle), and I wanted to see him play, but we're both political junkies so watching the convention was a must. We stopped the channel flipping when Brown came to the podium. I remember being a bit surprised at my granddad's favorable response to Brown ("Everything he says is absolutely correct!"), as my granddad was rather conservative - but he knew how deleterious Big Money was to the process, and hating war like he did, didn't care for Bush Sr., no matter how popular that first Persian Gulf venture was to most Americans.

That was also the last convention we watched together. He died in 1994.

[housewolf]

89. I was in the convention hall the night he spoke (NYC, 1992)

I haven't seen "The War Room" and don't know why it would state such a falsehood as that Jerry wasn't allowed to speak.

It _was_ an issue and took some negotiating, but he did address the convention on Wed night, before Clinton spoke on Thursday night.

I was among the thongs that paraded down to the stage to honor him and thank him for running. I wasn't a delegate but I got to use some borrowed credentials and get into the hall that night. .. it was a highlight of my life.

[havocmom]

48. Yep. He was not gonna be the nominee and he knew it. That was not his fight

He was Jimminy Cricket to Clinton's Pinocchio. He was our conscious trying to keep us on the right course.

I will always vote for Jerry Brown if his name is on a ballot in my hand. My first vote in an election, Jerry Brown for Gov. He is a brave and honest champion, not marketing PR and triangulation.

[housewolf]

90. I'll always vote for him too, given the opportunity

I love to see him in any elected office. He earned my trust in a way that I trust no other politician has.

[kid a]

27. She has until June 3rd then. Then....out out damn spot!!!!!

[PM7nj]

30. Was Jerry Brown hell bent on ruining Clinton's chances in November?

I don't know, I was a kid then.

[havocmom]

49. No, he was hell bent on being a voice to remind Clinton not to go too far right

He WAS the voice on the left and the buzzing in Clinton's (and the party machine) that reminded them they have to acknowledge progressive ideals instead of just run over them for expediency's sake.

[saltpoint]

32. Brown's presence in the Democratic Primary in 1992 was nothing

short of breathtaking, at least if you were a progressive.

Joan Didion writes:

- - -

"Governor Brown, who did not get to be governor of California for eight years by misunderstanding either politics or the meaning of political gestures, remained a flaw in the convention's otherwise seamless projection of its talking points... . He maintained so apparently quixotic a guerrilla presence in New York that Maureen Dowd began referring to him in the TIMES as The Penguin. He worked out of the ROLLING STONE office. He got messages at Dennis Rivera's Hospital Workders Union Local 1199. He camped one night at a homeless shelter and other nights at my husband's and my apartment. He passed up the balloon drop and the podium handshake to end the convention with his volunteers, finishing the night not at the DNC's four-million-dollar fundraising gala but at Elaine's."

- Joan Didion, POLITICAL FICTIONS, "Eyes on the Prize"

- - -

[monmouth]

34. Was he dating Linda Ronstadt at the time? I liked him too....n/t

[goclark]

46. Yes, I recall that he was dating Linda ~ I love the Brown family

[Steely_Dan]

35. So....

You think Hillary is hoping that Obama gets shot. Gog, I love you Obama people.

-P

[Swamp Rat]

36. I'd take Jerry Brown over Bobby Jindal for our governor in a nanosecond.

[crispini]

40. I hear he's on McCain's shortlist

that would be very interesting

[Swamp Rat]

42. Jindal is 100% against abortion, NO exceptions, and promotes 'intelligent design'

[crispini]

47. wow! The fundies would love him.

he'd be a good choice for McCain then.

[Swamp Rat]

50. He's Catholic.

D'oh! :D

[Hippo_Tron]

79. You know, if somehow McCain/Jindal does win this election there is a tiny bright spot

And that is that Mitch Landrieu gets to be our Governor. I know he's not perfect, but a hell of a lot better than Piyush.

[Swamp Rat]

80. Yeah, you rite!

[kwenu]

54. It's 2008. We need our resources to concentrate on McCain. I don't care about Jerry Brown's example.

[havocmom]

91. LOL It is good to take the good of the past and bring it into the future

Jerry Brown offered some light down the path less traveled. If more pols would take that path, we and the world would be better off, in 08, and well beyond. He is a PUBLIC SERVANT unlike a prom queen wanna bee who thinks the public is to serve her.

[KSinTX]

55. Fascinating Clinton chose note RFK when Brown was more 'a propos'

Now you've really cemented my belief in the meaning of her words. Thanks for this stunning revelation.

[lastliberalintexas]

66. She actually did mention the 1992 campaign

Responding to a question from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader editorial board about calls for her to drop out of the race, she said: "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know I just, I don't understand it."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/usvotes/story/2008/05/23/clinton-gaffe.html


I don't like what she said either, but it really sounds more of a jumbled, garbled response than anything sinister.

[NashVegas]

57. Jerry Brown Was Nominated at the 1992 Convention

In a speech that was broadcast by all the networks, he seconded his own nomination and spoke of his father Pat Brown, another former Cali governor. He cried as he spoke of his father's dreams.

Of course, the votes weren't there to make Brown the nominee.

[midnight]

62. To those of us who are into alternative energies-

Jerry Brown gets credit from me. He was successful in promoting tax rebates for solor panels way back in the day. Try to be a bit more repectful to the leaders of the Democratic Party.

[cascadiance]

64. Jerry Brown was great... He was the first presidential candidate I supported in 1976...

Tried to get him a delegate in the Iowa caucuses then on campus, but had to settle for joining with to make an uncommitted delegate then.

We need to get back to having free bachelor degree education like he had in California that will bridge HALF the divide we have now with Indians who are in a much more competitive position for our jobs on both cost of living basis and they get their bachelor's degrees paid for too, amongst other things...

[saltpoint]

70. Brundle_Fly, this has turned into a damned interesting post.

Thank you.

[Brundle_Fly]

84. I am here to provoke

a little discussion...

have to say its nice to see DU'ers behaving nicely.

[WillyT]

78. And Maybe You Ought To Take A Look At This:

Link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6122243&mesg_id=6122243

Brown knew it was over, and pulled back.

To bad Hillary doesn't have the same good sense.

:shrug:

[Radical Activist]

82. Hillary is the latest gadfly also-ran who stayed in too long.

Its time that the media and party take Hillary no more seriously than they took Jerry Brown for staying in too long.

[progetto]

86. Jerry doesn't deserve this trash

My first vote was for Jerry as CA Governor. Jerry's a very principled man with a lot of ideas (some not so good). Not the best politician, but at least I never had any reason to question his character.

Hillary's remains in doubt.

[AZ Criminal JD]

92. In 1980 Teddy Kennedy was in it until the Convention.

And then wouldn't let President Carter shake his hand on the platform after the vote.