FRIENDLY FIRE - Let me tell you how Brad Sherman lost my vote. Oh, I still believe him a decent man and a good representative of my core values and political goals. Up until last week, I had not decided. Both Sherman and Howard Berman are good congressmen, and both have served our community well. For me this was a toss-up.
Two things made the difference for me--one trivial and one important. The trivial point was what I believe was lack of judgment in bragging in his TV ad how he fought to have the 405 widened.
Now wideni ng the 405 is probably a good idea, and we will all be very happy when it is finished. It would have made a nice feather in his cap when completed. However, to list this as an accomplishment for those constituents who have to go through the Sepulveda Pass to and from West LA is not a great selling point.
Many of us are cursing his name while this work goes on. With on-ramps and exits seemingly randomly closed--sometimes with notice, sometimes not, sometimes with signage and sometimes not, this would be the time to run from any connection to our current misery.
Okay, that is at worst trivial and clearly not his fault. It may, in fact, bespeak good character to own his connection. But I take it as bad political judgment.
Much more important, and truthfully the act that tipped me to Berman, was his campaign's choice to go negative.
Some years ago I committed to deducting 25 out of 100 points from the first candidate to go negative.
Not wanting to be like the NBA or NFL ref who sees the retaliatory punch, I went back to check after seeing Sherman's attack on Berman. It was not vicious, but it was negative and, particularly in this case, so unnecessary.
So far Berman has remained positive, quoting his supporters and endorsers as well as presenting his policies. I hope he doesn't go to the dark side. He doesn't have to.
Running on their records each is admirable, but the choices of campaigns count--and for me they count heavily. Campaigns, by their choices and styles, reveal substance.
(Jonathan Dobrer is an op-ed contributor to the Daily News and Friendly Fire and is a syndicated columnist. This column was posted first at Friendly Fire. More on Jonathan and his books at www.Dobrer.com)
-cw
Tags: Jonathan Dobrer, Brad Sherman, Howard Berman, Congress, election, campaign, negative, negative advertising
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 42
Pub: May 25, 2012