Opportunity Squandered : Why hasn’t Southern California made a better case for itself?

In the critical days of testimony on the latest round of planned military base closings, Southern California looks to be coming up short on clout.

It’s not that the arguments of local Orange County leaders to spare El Toro Marine Corps Air Station lacked merit. Some rightly focused on the Pentagon’s questionable early figures on the true cost of moving to Miramar Naval Air Station. Gov. Pete Wilson and the state’s two U.S. senators ably cited the disastrous effect of base closings.

But in Northern California, partisans got a boost from additional congressional firepower, which won’t hurt with a Democratic Administration in Washington.

Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-Berkeley), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, led the charge to save Alameda Naval Air Station. His strong presentation--and congressional position--seemed to impress Chairman James Courter of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

By contrast, El Toro’s logical congressional defenders have been unwilling to defend the base, waiting, they said, until all the data was in--as the clock ticked. But if they needed more information, why didn’t they oppose closure until the facts suggested otherwise? Instead, their supine posture amounted to resignation.

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) may be feeling some pressure from both sides in his district, some who want the base and some who don’t. And Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), with his long-shot presidential ambitions, has a position in line with what might be expected of a congressman from New Hampshire. He has been taking the statesmanlike view.

So goes this study in contrasts. Northern California has its act together. Sadly, Southern California’s representatives don’t.