Whitman, Brown Wield Governator as Club

In the California governor race, apparently California’s governor is the man to beat — or rather, to beat up. Democratic candidate Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman are attempting to link one another to unpopular governator Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose approval ratings are hovering at a near record low of 23 percent, according to PBS Newshour’s The Rundown.

Attorney General Brown debuted a TV ad that juxtaposes clips to make it seem as though Whitman is parroting Schwarzenegger’s statements, such as "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" (Schwarzenegger), and "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for different results" (Whitman).

Calling the comparison “a false equivalency,” Andrea Rivera, Whitman’s campaign spokeswoman, released a statement noting that Brown and Schwarzenegger both supported a 2009 ballot initiative “that would have raised Californians’ taxes by $16 billion.”

Whitman’s latest ad highlights the $20 million-plus that unions are spending for Brown, casting him as organized labor’s "puppet." Over the image of Brown as a marionette, the narration asks: "Jerry Brown, again? He sure comes with strings attached."