Jerry Brown: Governor Bid Announcement Coming Tuesday

California Attorney General and former two-term governor, Jerry Brown plans to announce Tuesday that he's running as a Democratic candidate for governor again, CNN reports.

Brown, who served two terms as California Governor from 1975-1983, would return to the gubernatorial race with least $12 million in campaign funds and the support of some major Hollywood moguls.

Brown told CNN last year that his first tenure as governor may have been marred by over-ambition on ideas such as "promoting alternative energy production, encouraging diversity in government hiring, and reigning in government spending," that were unorthodox at the time. Brown's ideas earned him the moniker "Governor Moonbeam."

According to a poll conducted in mid-January by the Public Policy Institute and the Field Poll, Brown already leads the top Republican candidates -- Meg Whitman by 5 to 10 points, and Steve Poizner by 15 to 17 points.

Comments

[getsit]

04:32 PM on 03/02/2010

For all of you wanting one payor and/or a public health plan, Jerry Brown is currently investigating Wellpoint's Anthem Blue Cross in California..

In my work capacity I can say that , of all the insurance EOBs I see, Anthem BC is the worst at denying claims, canceling policies, forcing people into bankruptcy because of poor benefit options. The deductibles and copays are horrendous on these private pay plans. It's money directly into the coffers of BlueCross and very little paid out. Families think they are covered for a catatrophic illness/injury until they actually have one. Then they see just how worthless these plans really are (if they don't just get cancelled policy letters in the mail).

[medic628]

01:41 PM on 03/02/2010

Huffpo it is so repub of you to use the term moonbeam to refer to Jerry Brown. Just keeping up conditions!!

[planetmango]

12:47 PM on 03/02/2010

it is long past time to stop using the derogatory "Governor Moonbeam" moniker. please have a little more respect Huffpost.

[VioletDatura]

01:39 PM on 03/02/2010

Another school yard headline by Huffpo.

[Chopin]

03:25 PM on 03/02/2010

I'm all for Governor Jerry Brown. Don't sweat the label "Governor Moonbeam" that Republicans stuck on him. He can now wear it as a badge of honor, because in reality it's a testament to his visionary ideas 30 years ago that are perfectly rational, wise, and good for California today as well as the whole country. Take a look at the large windmill advertisements on frontpage Huffpost almost everyday. They are from Siemens, demonstrating the techonological leadership from Germany. Why didn't people listen and respond to the wise ideas and sensible solutions proposed by "Governor Moonbeam", and put California ahead of the world? The only alternative dead-end solution the Republicans prattle on endlessly about is offshore drilling for oil.

[SPacific]

12:05 PM on 03/02/2010

The "Moonbeam" tag was hung on him by the republicans because he was a young, successful governor who was ahead of his time promoting alternative energy sources, balancing budgets, reigned in spending....What else could they do but name call..........

[VioletDatura]

01:40 PM on 03/02/2010

yeah, and it's great that Huffpo jumps on their bandwagon. Way to go, Huffpo.

[shirleyfeeney]

12:01 PM on 03/02/2010

I'm actually looking forward to having him enter the race. Meg Whitman is already going after her GOP opponent with typically horrible, mean-spirited ads.

I'm behind you Jerry.

[protagonia]

12:28 PM on 03/02/2010

Me too!

[Just walkin the dog here]

11:37 AM on 03/02/2010

HP, stop with the "moonbeam" crap. He was a good governor, but your broad-brushing him as a wack-o is just not fair and could negatively influence people. Let people draw their own conclusions from what they hear from the candidates. What unfair tag do you plan on hanging on Whitman? Report news and platforms not tags, please!

[offred]

11:56 AM on 03/02/2010

Yeah, the statute of limitations on cutesy, obsolete titles was over the day Dubya left office. Brown was just ahead of his time, back during the days when America was the Biggest Swinging Dick on the planet, Oil was god, and Capitalism was the Light of the World.

"Ppromoting alternative energy production, encouraging diversity in government hiring, and reigning in government spending,..." What's so outrageous about that?

[SPacific]

12:01 PM on 03/02/2010

The republican's worst nightmare: a Democrat who balances the budget......

[getsit]

01:33 PM on 03/02/2010

Just think of where we would be today if we'd really pursued his vision back then. How much cleaner, how freer of the middle east we'd be, there wouldn't have been a need to invade Iraq, our infrastructure and educational system would be much greater today instead of the 49 IN THE US.

[who38]

10:26 AM on 03/02/2010

Governos Moonbeam vs. Cheney in Drag. Just what California needs.

[AmericanDreamWarrior]

10:16 AM on 03/02/2010

He was ahead of his time back then? So now that time as caught up with him, wonsder if he'll still have ideas ahead of his time? After the debacle that Enron left and the Governators time in office, Cali really needs it. As a former Cali native and knowing how important a healty Cali economy is to the rest of the nation, if he gets it I hope he has ground breaking ideas.

[davesf]

10:19 AM on 03/02/2010

He's just as smart now as he was then. Try to remember what happens when you try to run a government "like a business," ok? That's the opposition party this time around. He's the right guy at the right time. Just like he was then.

[shirleyfeeney]

11:59 AM on 03/02/2010

You'll always be a CA native, you're just not a resident anymore ;) I'm a native NY'er who happens to live in CA now. NY will always be part of who I am.

[davesf]

10:08 AM on 03/02/2010

Funny thing, they called Jerry Brown "Gov Moonbeam" because he was in favor of really nutty, hippy stuff..like cleaning up the environment and moving toward alternatvive fuel.

I was working on wall street (don't get excited, I was a low level accounting guy), JB came down there to do a speech when he was running for the Dem presidential nomination; it was hostile territory for sure. He talked about alternative energy and energy independence for the US, and he talked about spending money on infrastructure projects for highways, bridges, etc.

After the speech, I saw a TV reporter interviewing a genuine "Wall St Guy" - and the WS Guy was saying "he's just a typical liberal, they hate business and kill jobs".

The Republicans haven't changed much, have they? Jerry Brown is a very cool guy, I'm happy he hasn't changed much either!

[who38]

10:28 AM on 03/02/2010

Jerry also wanted teachers to work for intrinsic rewards rather than real dollars.

[davesf]

10:38 AM on 03/02/2010

Link? Or just innuendo?

[Littlewords]

11:37 AM on 03/02/2010

He is far from those days and has remained a political player in California. He actually was mayor, of all complex and challenging cities, Oakland California. He is currently serving as California's AG. He is extremely well versed in the needs of California from city, legal, and political aspects.
While liberal on social issues, key to success in office in California, he has developed fiscal disciplines needed to correct the fiscally careening state that will be left be Arnold. However, Brown can be tough like Arnold, but with added smarts, political experience, and without the tauting abrasive nonsense from Arnold that infuriated and increased resistance from the State legislative body.

Compared to Meg, Brown is a California dream. Poizner will run against Meg for the Repub ticket but has a campaign financial hill to climb already facing $40M in her campaign pool aided greatly by her own personal wealth. That said, her commercials are all talking points and no substance. Oh yah, and that little thing where she never troubled to vote in the past. That will haunt her by Repub candidates and Brown. It kills me that the extremely wealthy see themselves as ready to govern when they never felt it important enough to vote....Carly suffers from this same outrage0us symptom living in her wealthly, better than peasants below me, bubble just like Meg.

[calibabe]

10:06 AM on 03/02/2010

Oh my, look at the HPers absolutely besides themselves because a politician been denigrated by the term moonbeam. Of course as rational, loving and always looking out for your neighbor kind of people you will insist on the same standards applied to those politicians NOT in line with your philosophies. To do any less would be - what's that word again - oh yeah - two faced.

[davesf]

10:17 AM on 03/02/2010

Are you actually reading the posts? Most here seem to think it's just kind of stupid, but no one seems to be saying you can't denigrate politicians. But go ahead, straw man arguments are the main tool Fox and you use. Next you'll say "People have been saying that the Huffpost posters are going insane about insults to Jerry Brown," when you're the one saying it. Typical.

[protagonia]

12:23 PM on 03/02/2010

A neo-con looking for double standards?

Finally found one?

Oh boy!

LOL!

[SimJack]

10:01 AM on 03/02/2010

Whitman's ad campaigns have started in SoCal and they are what you'd expect. Old school, mean, negative, lopsided, etc. The 'Mean what you say, say what you mean' tag line is hackish, corporate marketing at it's worst - totally empty and meaningless - like those stupid motivational posters you see in Sky Mall magazine. Coupled with the fact that she has no actual knowledge of how California or American government works, nor has she participated in the process as a voter, there should be grave concern about her abilities to handle the job, her true intentions and motivations. Her style is that of the typical corporate mindset, fascist and totalitarian.

[who38]

10:32 AM on 03/02/2010

"Mean what you say; say what you mean". Truly a meaningless, mean ad.

But, my favorite is her statement re/ how she has been involved in California.......so involved that she didn't vote for years.

This election is going to be a contest between an altar boy and a mother superior. Good luck, Jerry; you are going to need it.

[protagonia]

12:26 PM on 03/02/2010

Who would be your choice then?

[Anne Johnson]

11:05 AM on 03/02/2010

I really hope she doesn't win. She's not from here, has no idea what is best for California, and wants to run it like a corporation meaning if any jobs are created at all they would be low paying service sector jobs with no benefits. We do not need any CEO's as leaders. Look what happened when we had a CEO president.

[valcon]

10:01 AM on 03/02/2010

Moonbeam? Digging up a 30yr old smear for a headline? That was used to marginalize him years ago. Good job. Way to be original. I'm neutral on Brown but this is wrong.

[getsit]

11:20 AM on 03/02/2010

Brown has always been a deep thinker and a future planner. This accounts for the moonbeam title (he never deserved it) at the time hippies were at their peak. Mention alternative energy and planning for the long range future of California did not spell hippie to me. I believe strongly he will do well. More time in politics has passed and he is much more experienced.

We the people of California will really need help if Meg Whitman is elected. A non-voter (there is NO EXCUSE EXCEPT COMA OR DEATH FOR NOT VOTING), and a failure is the legacy she will bring as governor.

[GlenParked]

09:58 AM on 03/02/2010

He was an excellent governor and during his time as mayor of Oakland, where I happened to live at the time, he transformed the city from an run-down pit to a vital hub of activity and liveability. He's got my vote already; I shudder to think what would happen to the state in the hands of Meg Whitman!

[who38]

10:33 AM on 03/02/2010

He did do a good job in Oakland but who provided the funds?

[getsit]

11:22 AM on 03/02/2010

He was advocate for Oakland and he used the funds he had wisely.

[protagonia]

12:25 PM on 03/02/2010

What answer do you have to your question?

[SnapShots]

09:50 AM on 03/02/2010

Definitely not name dropping here ... just here to say I had dinner with Mr. Brown four times when he was mayor of Oakland, all of them social (not business). One of those times was when he and his wife took a weekend getaway and visited a friend here in my tiny, rural mountain town, which was a great opportunity to just casually sit around and talk. Not only is he down-to-earth, but he's a living, breathing wealth of intelligence, knowledge, aptitude and ability. Nobody's perfect and I don't idolize anyone, but he's definitely capable of running California. He's got my vote for sure.

[seenitall]

09:58 AM on 03/02/2010

Lucky you!

[seenitall]

09:46 AM on 03/02/2010

His dad was governor when I was a kid...he beat Nixon. Brown will be an excellent governor again. I wonder if Willie Brown will have a spot in his administration? Can you imagine??? The republicans' heads would explode!

[getsit]

11:25 AM on 03/02/2010

Willie Brown is a wheeler and a dealer. He knows how to get things done. And people listen to him. I think he knows where all the bodies are buried as well. He would be an asset.