Deukmejian Says He Is Up Against 2 Bradleys

As Gov. George Deukmejian described it Saturday, he is running for reelection against two Democrats--the old Tom Bradley and the new Tom Bradley, with the new trying to cover up and run from the old.

The attack was directed at Bradley’s contention during an interview Friday that he had not endorsed the election of controversial Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird in 1978, even though he served as co-chairman of a committee that supported confirmation of Bird and other state Supreme Court justices on the ballot that year.

“Another classic example of revisionist history by the mayor to escape from his past record,” Deukmejian told a news conference at the state Republican Party convention here.

”. . . There may be some doubt about what the new Tom Bradley is going to do about the chief justice (this year). But let there be no doubt about what the old Tom Bradely did when the chief justice was before voters in 1978,” the governor added.

Sardonic Observation

Just minutes earlier, Deukmejian entertained more than 1,200 people at the GOP convention’s general session with the sardonic observation that Bradley is uncontested among major Democrats for his party’s gubernatorial nomination.

“Wrong,” Deukmejian continued. “It’s one of the fiercest battles in history--the old Tom Bradley versus the new Tom Bradley. No one knows who will win.”

What brought on the governor’s eager assault was the unexpected comment from Bradley on Friday to a San Francisco interviewer on Bird’s 1978 confirmation election.

“I was not one who was endorsing her. We were part of a committee for an independent judiciary. That was the approach I and the committee were taking,” Bradley said.

The mayor was co-chairman of a committee that was supporting Bird and all other justices up for election that year. At the time, Bradley noted that opponents, as they are once again doing in this election, singled out Bird for attack.

Among Bradley’s statements of support for Bird in 1978 was this, beginning with criticism of the chief justice’s political opponents:

“They have singled out one scapegoat (Bird) and made outrageous charges not backed up by facts. Our judges should not have to look over their shoulders to see who will attack their decisions based on political philosophy. It is important that we confirm these justices.”

Bradley campaign chairman Tom Quinn and Deputy Mayor Tom Houston both said Saturday that Bradley still sees a distinction between supporting the retention of a court on principle and endorsing individual candidates.

Said Quinn: “He supported Bird and the other justices eight years ago and he’s not trying to hide that fact.”

This election, Bradley has delayed a decision on whether to back Bird. In turn, Bradley’s leadership and conviction has been subject to almost nonstop criticism by Deukmejian, a long-time Bird opponent.

For his part, Deukmejian once again Saturday said he needed more time himself before taking a position on two other Supreme Court justices who were appointed to the court after Bird but who are also under attack by many conservatives. The two are Justices Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin.

Deukmejian said he was leaning against them, based on their record, but wanted to wait and see.

This angered Bradley deputy HoustoN.

“He’s a hypocrite for saying we can’t have time (to study Bird) but that he needs time (for the others).”