State Politics in Real Time

The 1998 campaign for governor of California finally took on some focus Wednesday as the four major candidates came together for the first time to discuss critical issues facing the state. At last, the three Democrats and one Republican left their cocoons--the totally controlled paid television commercials that have dominated the campaign up to now.

The 90-minute candidate forum hosted by The Times was particularly important because two of the contenders, Democrats Al Checchi and Jane Harman, are new to statewide politics and virtually unknown to voters except through their ads.

And it was notable because a Republican participated in what basically is a contest among Democrats for that party’s gubernatorial nomination. Republican Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren joined Democrats Checchi, Harman and Lt. Gov. Gray Davis because this is the first election under the blanket primary law approved by voters two years ago. The measure allows every voter to cast his or her ballot for a candidate of any party.

Another forum, a bilingual one sponsored by the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion and KMEX television, is planned in Los Angeles on May 23. It will be carried by Spanish-language stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield. Lamentably, these may be the only joint meetings of the candidates before the election, now less than three weeks away.

The candidates were well prepared. They generally responded directly to the questions within the time limits. And for the most part, they were relaxed and in good humor. There were a few sharp personal barbs, but they did not seriously interrupt the discussion.

Above all, the forum illustrated the importance of having candidates appear directly before the voters to explain and defend their political philosophies, their goals in office and their positions on specific issues. One result of the forum may be that voters will see far more of the candidates this summer and fall when Lungren is matched head-to-head with the Democratic nominee selected on June 2. Lungren and the Democratic nominee have been invited to return to The Times to discuss the issues again in October.

In his concluding remarks, Lungren--already assured of the GOP nomination for governor--invited the winning Democrat to join him in a series of general election campaign debates beginning in June. Lungren talked of the two candidates traveling up and down the state together debating the issues, much as Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas did during their 1858 Senate campaign in Illinois.

Considerable negotiation will be required to agree on the number of meetings and the format. They are not likely to resemble the classic Lincoln-Douglas matchups, however; those debates went on for hours. But the candidates should consider detailed discussions, face to face, focusing on individual issues such as education.

California state government, operating on an annual budget of more than $75 billion, is a vast, complex enterprise. The voters deserve the opportunity to know as much as possible about those who seek to lead the state for a four-year term. And the more the candidates share their ideas and visions with the people, the more likely they are to earn their respect and trust.