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NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina received a warm welcome here from the audience at the Hispanic 100 lifetime Achievement Award Gala. Before speaking, the two Republican candidates running for governor and Senate, respectively, downed shots of tequila as the crowd cheered them on.
Fiorina spoke first, saying, "Mucho gracias. This evening has spoiled me forever, from now on, I want to follow Paul Rodriguez [the emcee], and i think every speech should begin with a shot of Tequila." Then she let out a yell, "It was great!"
Fiorina says California and the United States have been deeply enriched by Latinos, and pointed out that 25% of all Latino small businesses in the U.S. are here in California.
And she said a guest worker program that works is desperately needed. She even went so far as to blame her opponent, incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer for killing the guest-worker effort in 2006.
"These are consequential times in California," Fiorina said, "these are times where we must choose to reinforce and reaffirm those things that made us great. Too often, bad government and policy is destroying opportunity in the state of California."
She spoke about problems like water shortages affecting farmers in Central California, which she blamed on federal protection of the endangered Smelt fish. Many farms have shut in the Central Coast and, in one city, Mendota, unemployment is about 40%.
Again she placed the blame squarely on Boxer. Boxer is the Chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Fiorina said it is Boxer's job to get that water turned on, but Boxer refused to do it.
"We must protect our frogs and our fish," she said, "we must protect our families as well."
Fiorina added that her first act as a senator would be to walk into senior Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office and get the water turned on.
She closed by saying it's time for a change: "We have to change the people we send to Washington. These are important and consequential times; this is a time for us to stand up and say and reaffirm what it is we believe in, who it is we are, and who we stand with...."
Whitman followed. She did not mention her Democratic opponent Jerry Brown by name, but did make one reference to "my opponent" and his lack of Latino-focused ads -- though the SEIU is certainly running ads in support of Brown, and in Spanish, hitting Whitman for the controversy surrounding her hiring of an undocumented worker, who worked in her home for nine years.
There was no mention of the former housekeeper or the Brown voice mail in which a Brown staffer can be heard referring to Whitman as a "whore."
"Now I don't have to tell you that we have an exciting election coming in 25 days," said an animated Whitman, "and we are in the home stretch, and you know what, we are going to win this thing."
Whitman framed the election as a battle for the soul of California: "Do we want to move forward? Do we want a beacon on the future, or do we want the same old policies of the past? I vote for the future. I bet you vote for the future."
Making her pitch to the Latino crowd, Whitman said, "Here is what every Californian tells me, every Latino Californian tells me, they want California to be great again." She added, "I want to work with Latinos; I can't win the election without the Latino vote."
She promised that Latinos will have a seat at the table in her administration.
She pointed out that the unemployment rate for Latinos is 17%, far exceeding the national average of 9.6%. "One-in-four Latinos are unemployed in California, and that just breaks my heart as it breaks yours."
She also promised to take on the failing California school system: "We are going to take on the leadership of the California Teachers Association, and we are going to get this done... . We are going to put more control into the hands of parents and local school districts. We are going to get the Sacramento bureaucracy out of the way."
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Jerry Brown's aide might be on to something...
From all appearances there's NOTHING these two won't do for a VOTE!
With any luck the Latino community will see right through this stunt!
Being upstanding family values women I can totally understand why there was NO mention of whether or not they ate the 'worm'! lol
Pfft, and what would make them different from every other politicain out there? Get a grip
In reference to the article TITLE: Agree to a public gang bang and everybody will believe you. (You pay for admission) What a chafed endorsement plea. Yippee we are still horny college girls! Vote for us. Sorry we gave at the office...
Lets see, here are two millionaires with high corporate determinations to keep the small working people on lower minimum wages and no affordable health insurance.
Both women that are selling American jobs overseas for profit...
Hmmm, seems to me the Latino population have some more soul searching to do...or has Whitman and Fiorina promised all of them jobs in there mansions?????
Sending jobs overseas like Obama is doing? there are plans in the works as we speak for Caterpillar to build a huge industrial complex in China to build mini scoopers and other heavy equipment. Wonder how those union boys and girls in michigan and pennsylvania feel about that. And I forget which Business is building a factory in Mexico. What about the 28000 jobs Obama shipped to brazil and Mexico with the stroke of a pen, with the drilling moratorium. And to add insult to injury he gives brazil and Mexico each 2 BILLION dollars of money that we had to borrow from China so that they could drill there. Wheres the outrage over all of this? ( crickets )
They should have chased it with a shot of vodka for the Russian-Americans, a shot of scotch for the Scottish-Americans, a shot of whiskey for the Irish-Americans, a glass of red wine for the Christians, a Budweiser for the blue collar workers and a glass of Chivas on the rocks for the richest 2% of Americans.
Now THAT would be the catalyst for a really enlightening stump speech.
Everything you stated is all bull.
Crickets don't chirp in the place you pulled these figures from.
Correction:
Hmmm, seems to me the Latino population have some more soul searching to do...or has Whitman and Fiorina promised all of them jobs in their mansions?????
Ill take a 23 dollar an hour job right now. Hell yeah, sign me up. At least they know how to create jobs
Better remember to bring your "papers", rangerjohn...otherwise you'll be bounced out on your second set of cheeks pronto.
A fact that I'm sure all those hired in other countries for the American jobs that these two had a hand in outsourcing are ecstatic over.
That Firorina is a real hoot...she was caught on an open microphone and camera getting ready for a spot on a Sacramento TV station, shortly after she became the Republican candidate for state senator, dissing Barbara Boxer and, of all things, Boxer's hair. Now women will be women and I appreciate that...that's all well and good...even amusing at times. But now Carly is running an ad touting the "arrogance" of Boxer because she politely asked a General to address her by the title of "Senator", which she is duly entitled to. Most, if not all, the males in the Senate would probably ask no less. Carly emphatically states in her new TV bite that "she will end the arrogance" in DC. I wonder how a junior senator (from any party) would be able to accomplish that herculean feat? Maybe shipping jobs to other countries provides her with that enviable talent. Maybe not...
If you want to see real "arrogance" at work, watch the link video below...it's the top video and a more in-depth version is in the middle. What you don't see is Carly's reaction and facial gestures AFTER she was informed that the camera and microphone had been rolling and caught it all for posterity. She couldn't wiggle around to make herself small enough in that chair. Truly priceless...
http://starcasm.net/archives/51437?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Starcasm+%28Starcasm%29
It sure doesn't appear Ms. Fiorina was holding a winning hand in talking about "hair" at that time. But watch it for yourself.
MORE TEQUILA!!!!
I've seem and lived through Jerry Brown once, Meg Whitman couldn't do worse. So I'm voting for her.
LOL!!!
So you won't vote for a guy who had record surpluses as Governor, had the endorsement of Howard Jarvis when he ran for reelection in 1978 and had The American Conservative call him more fiscally conservative than your patron saint, Ronnie Raygun? So go ahead, vote for the drunk!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Brown
Hey Rabbit, sorry to say that is the wrong attitude. The stakes are much higher now than when Jerry was our former governor and the fact is that both of these women made their bones by keeping "little" people down and by pushing jobs out of the state. The blame game has not ceased either. To say that Meg could not do worse is kinda silly. They said the same thing about Arnie the Governator: he couldn't do worse. THAT is not why we elect people. We elect them to do better... for ALL of us... not just the rich and entitled. So, yes, you have a right to vote for anyone you desire but I hope everyone looks at all of the issues facing California before they vote. Thanks.
Partaking of alcohol! In public!! And with a bunch of Hispanics!!! There goes the "family values vote"........ Better a few beers with the "hickie types." Oooops!!!
I would like to know how many of those Latinos are her legaly? I bet if the imigration department comes by they will running for the hills. I also lived under J.Brown Mr. moonbean and I thought he did a rotten job. The women can't be any worse.
Hmmmmm How do you wash Hippie Browns Whore comments. Just good ole boy salty language. You guys know your in trouble, Nov 3rd is on the calendar as a liberal/progressive prozac day. Mr Obama has a bill on his desk to distribute free prozac for you guys and Prozac/hormone coctail for the ladies.......so it wont hurt too much!
What do you suggest we call a women in bed with big business ? Madame ?
Personally I am not worried. Not all liberals are asset poor or unemployed. However, you should worry, because Republicans do not have a magic button that they can push that is going to boost GDP, currently 2.4 percent, to 6 percent, the level of growth needed to reduce the unemployment rate below 6 percent. Here is another tip for you...the Great Recession of 2008 has masked the transition of the economy from a skills-based to knowledge-based. In other words, if your are a 50-year-old white male and made your living prior to 2008 with your hands, you should find something else to do with them. Reaching for a Bud is probably not a bad idea.
Some of you writers are bigoted and blind about your devotion to the democrat party, wake up and smell the roses as don't look now but your country and state are being destroyed.
I love Tequila, but they are both whores in the sell Cali down the river sense
Whitman's plan to solve the illegal imagration problem is to ship all American jobs overseas. That way the illegal's will have to go oversea's to get a job. Problem solved!
Most jobs that have been shipped overseas are jobs that the Unions drove overseas. Hmmmm
Typical Corporatist point view. Ship all the good paying jobs overseas so American's can not improve their standard of living and keep the min. wage jobs here in America so the average American's will remain poor. And your proud of that point of view? Shame on you for being so greedy.
Funny, I might have said the same thing about blind devotion to the Republican Party.
California is the 8th largest economy in the world. The State Gross Product (GSP) in 2006 was $1.85-trillion. This issue in California is not whether its being "destroyed" or even "broke". The root of the problem in California is it's lopsided distribution of wealth. The explanation to California's condition is not complicated. You basically have a very few people who are very rich who have decided they do not want to pay taxes to support California's growing number of poor people. Rich people like Meg Whitman will always be insulated against reality; secure behind their privately patrolled enclaves -- for a while. Here's a tip for a opportunist petty capitalist like yourself -- buy stock in companies that build personal armored vehicles. Rich people in California will be buying a lot of them shortly. Will you be able to afford one?
Allow me to let you Anglo innocents in on a deeply held Mexican-American secret -- Mexican small businesses cannot make a profit without hiring and exploiting illegals. I am a fifth generation "Hispanic" Californian and my grandfather ran two businesses that exploited "wetbacks". Don't think those cheering brown faces standing behind Whitman are anything else other than petty capitalist, of the worst kind. Cubans call them "worms". Meg was among her fellow thieves and right at home.
Whitman sure as hell can't go after the math teachers. 17% unemployment is 1 out of 6, not one out of four.
Jim
A math teacher
I guess it is good that you are a math teacher and not an English teacher. Your reader's comprehension needs a little work. 17% percent nationally. 25% here in the state of CA.
D Ithy,
You better work on your reading comprehension. The 25% figure in the story is the percentage of Latino small businesses that are in the state of California. The 17% is the Latino unemployment rate, compared to the national average of 9.6%. The story does not make it clear whether the 17% unemployment rate for Latinos is a national average or the state average. Either way, it says nothing about 25% unemployment rate in the state, except for her one in four comment, which would make it 25%, but they do not say that is the rate.
What did they put in the Tequila to cause this group of Latinos to say "bravo" to two right wingers who don't give a damn about Latinos, Hispanics, especially the poor, especially illegals. This crowd must've been real drunk to support these two - nothing like turning against your own kind. If they get elected, I assure you they won't be supporting the Latino-Hispanic communities. All they care about are rich whites in California and elsewhere. Talk about voting against your own people...
Amazing how you blatantly pc you liberals are, until one of your own slips up and is actually recorded saying things unacceptable. Then you all jump up and hit the "whore" trail. Im not sure there is going to be enough prozac for the 3rd.
That aid shouldn't have said it even if it IS the truth. No, progressives and liberals aren't pleased with it any more than the Fascists are. But it was said and an apology was made. Just like when the same thing happened with Republicans in past campaigns saying things about Democrats. Big deal for a brief period and we move on.
Do I understand you to mean that republicans = facists? Then shouldn't it be democrats = communists instead of labeling them progressives or liberals?
delete
In response to 14.1 - Jonathan:
Not sure what you preaching, but it is far from the truth! The top 1% of wage earners in CA pay 48% of the income tax base. What in the world do you want?
I am actually for taxing everybody fairly! It stuns me that folks have zero tax payments who make $20K a year. When I made $20K a year, I paid both federal and state income taxes and got virtually nothing back in a tax return.
What's wrong with this country?
Give me, give me...
I think you would find that on average, the poorer the person, the more state resouces they use. And then they do not pay any taxes. That is why I am for a flat tax. Everyone contributes the same percentage to the cost of running the state. No deductions. No deductions for people with more kids, no deductions for rich fat cats and their loop holes. Why should someone that has made a success of themselves, studied, and worked hard be penalized whereas someone who truely was a screwup in school and has not been able to hold a job more than 6 months gets a free ride.
It should be a choice, if you want to be a screwup and make minimum wage, fine, you pay 10%, want to be a millionaire fine, you pay 10%.
Yea, these two are real pips playing to what they perceive is the norm for Latinos. Drinking shots of taquila. Sure that's what those people from below our border do, sit around all day and drink taquila and take our jobs picking strawberries. But that'll get their votes won't it? What a couple of bobosas.
I'm surprised they didn't serve canned menudo.
...In their votes over the past two years republicans have made it clear they are opposed to regulating Wall street, the 'too big to fail', faulty imports, or anything else, have voted against extending unemployment benifits four times, raising the minimum wage and helping those facing foreclosure, yet say they 'feel your pain' and are all for middle class America.......If they are not in it to benifit the elitist, why do they spend $140 million for a $176,000 per year job.....My grandpa used to tell me, " when you listen to a politician, you have read between the lines and pay more attention to what they do not say, than what they do"
"MUCHO GRACIAS"???
People, please don't be stupid. Do not allow these twits in. Not that I'm worried right now. :) Thankfully.
My kind of women! Rather than vote for Moonbeam and Boxer, Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina are worth trying to see how they will do. What do we have to lose? Boxer, Moonbeam and Feinstein have been in office way too long. Once they got their noses in the public trough, you can't seem to get rid of them. It is time for real change!
Pathetic.
You mention no issues or policy changes you want to see happen. All you do is call names. You are a typical republican. If fox tells you to swallow, you stick it down your throat.
open wide, low information voter
I am certain that most Latinos see right trough these two skanks.
Rabbit chasing.....you need to stay home on voting day. You have the mentality that put the governator in office. No, I am not a great fan of Brown. He sure is not the visionary his father was. But he has had a lot of experience and learning since his last stint as governor. Do your homework, or find a coup of rabbits and do what you do best!
The mud here is getting deep, need to find some waiters.