McCarthy, Hurt by Bird Link, Will Attack Curb

Democratic Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, conceding that he was being hurt by reelection opponent Mike Curb’s campaign linking him to the decisions of state Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird, said Friday he plans to counter by attacking the GOP candidate as immature and lacking in conviction.

McCarthy played for reporters a new 60-second radio ad that asserts that Curb, who served one term as lieutenant governor, made one excuse after another to explain his controversy-marred public life.

The ad portrays a fictional game show called “The Excuse Game.”

‘What Was Your Excuse’

The moderator, in a mock interview with Curb, says: “You started your campaign this year apologizing for your behavior when you served in public office before. What was your excuse?” Then, paraphrasing Curb’s own election announcement, he answers the question himself: “Oh, you say you’re more mature now. That’s very good, Mr. Curb. A lot of people use that excuse.”

The ad also says that Curb missed all but two of 57 meetings of the state Lands Commission of which he was a member because of a conflict-of-interest created by oil company contributions made to his campaign, retreated from a comment calling Gov. George Deukmejian “fiscally irresponsible,” and waited until he was 29 to register to vote because he was “too busy.”

McCarthy played the commercial for the first time publicly during a breakfast interview with reporters at the Sheraton Townhouse. Curb had also been invited to the breakfast so that the two could debate, but he declined, holding to his policy of avoiding all joint appearances with McCarthy.

During the interview, McCarthy conceded that Curb’s radio and television ads attacking him for his support of Bird was having a negative effect. Public opinion polls show that the chief justice faces an uphill fight for reelection because of a series of decisions overturning death penalty cases.

‘Everywhere I Go’

“I get asked the question everywhere I go,” he said, adding that he suspected that it was Curb supporters, for the most part, who kept asking him why he was supporting Bird.

McCarthy said voter surveys confirmed that he was losing support. “If you pound somebody enough with negative radio and television spots, you are going to erode their numbers,” the lieutenant governor said.

As for Curb, McCarthy said the Republican was using Bird and Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, who has endorsed Curb, as “a crutch.”

“At 41, he has to stand on his own two feet, not on Rose Bird’s, not on George Deukmejian’s, on Mike Curb’s two feet,” McCarthy said. “This fellow has no personal convictions on anything--that’s what marks him. It’s not a matter of changing views. I don’t think he’s ever had anything other than a seasonal view on any issue.”

McCarthy also said that Curb could not point to “a single accomplishment of note” and that his four years as lieutenant governor under Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. were marked by “pointless controversy.”

McCarthy said Curb’s campaign forced him to begin running television ads in Sacramento and Los Angeles this week, about a week before they had been scheduled to air. The Democrat said he plans to spend about $1.5 million on radio and television ads between now and the Nov. 4 election. Unofficially, Curb has already spent about $1.8 million, including $1.3 million in the primary campaign, and from here on he will be able to at least match McCarthy’s spending, Curb’s campaign director, Bill Roberts, said.