The Spine

A Staple Of California Politics

  • TNR Staff
  • November 13, 2006 | 9:39 am
  • 2 comments
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It's been a long time since Jerry Brown dated Linda Rondstadt. It's been an even longer time since Jerry Brown was a Jesuit seminarian. He was governor of California, and he ran for president three times. Then, in a diminution of ambition, he ran for mayor of Oakland and won, a very difficult post.

During his tenure, the homicide rate apparently doubled. Last week, he was elected attorney general of California, 56 years to the day that his father, Pat Brown, also to be governor of the Golden State, won his race for attorney general.

It's a bit strange to imagine Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger sitting together in one administration. But, each of them may be weird enough to appreciate the other. I like Jerry, and the truth is that I once toyed with backing him for president. I don't remember what happened. Maybe he backed out before I could walk in.

In any case, Jerry is an interesting man, very interesting, if you're willing to listen to spiritual reflections stated as absolutes. But, one thing one can never say about Jerry Brown is that he was rancorous and mean-spirited. The truth is that he was always without rancor. And, though he sounded dogmatic, he was always willing to listen. And sometimes he would change his mind.

COMMENTS (2)

11/13/2006 - 1:31pm EDT | teplukhin

one thing one can never say about Jerry Brown is that he was rancorous and mean-spirited

If there's one thing that characterizes the 2006 election results, it's the triumph of common-sense decency over nastiness and hatemongering.

Jim Webb over Allen's scurrilousness and faux-redneck posture. Lieberman's high road over the slime and smears of the KosKidz. Blue-collar Michigan voters (see the huge victory for the MCRI) defeating the lies, slime and slanders hurled by the bipartisan establishment's racial pandering lobby. Hope, after all.

11/13/2006 - 1:38pm EDT | kmdoakpark

Brown is an interesting man and, while there have been chagres of inconsistency thrown against him over the years of his long and varried career, I think it is, as Peretz suggess, due more to an open mind. He does have a sharp intellect and he does finally seem to be showing some discipline as he matures...or grows up at the age of 70. He was a very good mayor of Oakland. Who knows ? With his new wife at his side, he might finally have the stability to make a difference at AG, much like he did in Oakland.

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