California: No Business like It

Speaking at a $125-a-plate dinner in San Francisco, his bulk pared from 193 Ibs. to a near-svelte 185 Ibs., California’s two-term Democratic Governor Pat Brown vehemently accused Ronald Reagan’s supporters of plotting a “revolution of the right.” Appearing in a 30-minute statewide telecast, well tanned and decked out in a red-white-and-blue necktie, Republican Challenger Reagan charged that Brown had been “taken over by militant left-wing radicals.” Thus, though the argy-bargy already sounded as familiar to most voters as a come-on-over radio commercial, the rivals last week wordily marked the formal opening of California’s gubernatorial campaign.

It was not—being California—all talk. After his San Francisco oration, Brown and 8,000 of the faithful attended a show-biz spectacular featuring a galaxy of stars including Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Ella Fitzgerald and Trini Lopez. Frank Sinatra, who interrupted a movie he is making in London to put on the show, crooned a few ballads and, taking leave of the Governor backstage, flew off in the Sinatra Enterprises plane, leaving the Brown campaign kitty $225,000 fatter. Not to be outdone, Reagan, himself a late-show idol (among his credits, Brown likes to remind voters, is Bedtime for Bonzo), will be getting support on the stump from the likes of John Wayne, Irene Dunne, Chuck Connors (The Rifleman), and Senator George Murphy.

“Simple Morality.” For all the star dust, the political issues were hardening. Reagan of late has scored the Governor for failure to curb “runaway crime,” claims that the state’s welfare system gives able-bodied workers “pay for play,” and last week rapped Brown’s handling of troubles at the University of California as “appeasement of campus malcontents and filthy-speech advocates.” The overriding issue, says Reagan, is “simple morality.”

This barrage has put Brown on the defensive, prompting him to present new welfare and law enforcement programs and to move somewhat to the right—notably by hedging his support for the state’s open housing law. Reagan meanwhile has taken a more moderate stance on many issues, has expressed support for unemployment insurance and assured organized labor that he has long shared its opposition to right-to-work laws. He has also politely declined Barry Goldwater’s offer to campaign for him.

The candidates are edging closer in other respects as well. Back in June, the California Poll gave Reagan 52% of the state’s vote v. 37% for Brown and 11% undecided. Since then, many Democratic voters who supported Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty in the Democratic primary have been trickling back to the Brown fold. As a result, the latest California Poll shows that Reagan now holds only a hairsbreadth lead, 46% to 43%. A more direct popularity test came last week when both candidates and the usual panoply of show-biz celebrities rode in a parade commemorating Los Angeles’ 185th anniversary. The lustiest cheers by far were for someone named Bob Hope.