If Jerry Brown’s keynote speech last night to a gala environmentalist dinner is any indication, the Democratic Party faces an uphill battle to win this year’s governor’s race. The rambling, alternately vague and academic, and often pointless address did little to inspire or excite a large, sympathetic crowd that was loaded with top Democrats. In fact, some party luminaries were openly aghast at the poor performance, with one making this succinct (if off-the-record) assessment: “We’re —-ed.”
Many years ago, he was a watchable maverick who sometimes took unorthodox positions and clashed with his party establishment. A champion of campaign finance reform, he took on a sitting Southern governor in a bitter race for a presidential nomination. But his glamour has gone with his hair, and his occasional senior moments make him unpredictable in a way that worries supporters. The quirky young man has become a cranky old man.
Sound like anyone else we know? So there you have it: Jerry Brown equals John McCain, minus heroism.
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