Whitman Not Expecting "A Liberal Crowd", Grilled Over Prop 8 Vote

California Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, the billionaire former CEO of eBay, was a major supporter of Proposition 8, the voter imposed ban that rescinded same-sex marriage. The San Francisco Chronicle's Leah Garchik writes the candidate recently invited a number of "high-profile high-tech Silicon Valley women" to "get acquainted" and was surprised to be ambushed by "such a liberal crowd."

Whitman, who had described herself earlier as objective, admitted she had voted for Prop. 8. She said that decision had to do with both her religion—Presbyterian—and her emotions. "What happened to the objective CEO lady?" asked her challenger. "Now you're emotional. ... You're all objective about everything; this issue you talk about emotions."

To the questioner, Whitman's blaming her vote on her religion didn't make sense. "I'm also Catholic; that's not going to fly for me. ... 'I have children who are unprotected. It's a matter of legal rights. It's a legal issue. I pay taxes just like you. Why do you get more rights than I do?' "

The discussion was civil, said the questioner, who admitted, "I was testy. She was not. ... When Whitman said, 'You know, I just wish we could have one term for everything: civil unions,' I said, 'Bingo, sold, I'll take it.' "

Would Whitman propose this during the campaign asked her challenger. That question wasn't answered. "She wouldn't say anything. ... She wouldn't say yes. ... She would not say, 'OK, I will do that.' "

Whitman—branding herself as a centrist, technology-friendly successor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger—initially supported anti-gay right-wing technocrat Mitt Romney and later John McCain in the 2008 election. "She wasn't expecting such a liberal crowd," said her challenger. "She said she didn't want it to be about social issues. I think she hates dealing with these issues."

Awww poor baby. Does Meg only want to talk about micro-lending and TIFF increment financing? Welcome to politics. Oh and good luck convincing millions of Californians to trade in their "marriage" for a "civil union."

(via Queerty)

You May Have Missed ...
Prop 8 Supporter Whitman to Run for California Governor [R20]
Cali. Gov. Candidate Whitman Modifies Positions on Gays [R20]

Personal injury lawyers

Free accident claims advice

Comments

[seahawk]

I'm not sure who her constituency is.
Women? If they didn't elect Hillary they're not going to vote for her.
Men are not going to elect her, not even sexist Republican men.
Blacks, gays, Hispanics? Whom is she going for? The 22% who supported Bush down to the wire?

She's over her head and will probably drop out before the primary.
(Then again, we're the state that gave you Reagan and Arnold. If she were a cute actress...)

[Andy Niable]

It's California, Land of Nixon Reagan Brown Schwarzenegger ... all bets (or is that bids?) are off.

[debt advice]

she so deserves it prop 8 yes