Another Candidate Awash in Wealth and Lacking in Experience

So now comes Bill Simon, the latest megabucks businessman trying to buy his way into the governor’s office.

The pattern is familiar: Never held any elective office. Never even run for an office. Never been tested in the political arena. But he’s running for governor because Sacramento lacks political leadership and he, of course, can provide it. After all, he has been a leader in business.

And “in other areas of my life,” Simon says. “For example, I was president of my college class.”

That’s a hard sale in California, the seventh-largest economy in the world, constantly careening from one crisis to another. Voters like to have some familiarity with the person they put in charge. The applicant could be a career politician or a movie actor. But people need to have seen more than a TV ad campaign--about a candidate who emerges from someplace other than a dark vault.

At least, that has been the experience of previous self-financed candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate. Ask businessman Al Checchi, who dropped $40 million losing to Gray Davis in the 1998 Democratic primary.

Republican Bill Simon, 49, moved to California only 11 years ago. He’s an L.A. investment banker, active philanthropist, former assistant U.S. attorney in New York and son of the late William E. Simon, treasury secretary in the Nixon-Ford administrations.

Unlike those earlier super-rich candidates, Simon vows, his campaign won’t be completely self-financed. He wants to bring others into his effort, financially and emotionally. Privately, he’s talking about spending $15 million in the March 2002 primary and $50 million overall before November--half of it his own money.

Historically, however, political investors are reluctant to back zillionaire novices who really don’t need the cash and have no track record.

Simon made his debut Thursday night in an Ontario airport hotel. Handlers had kept him under wraps for three months--”I’ve been waiting to get up to speed,” he says--and this was his first political speech.

The forum was a fund-raiser for state Senate GOP Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga, who’s neutral in the primary contest between Simon and Secretary of State Bill Jones. But he thought Simon would be a good draw; 350 showed up, paying $99 each.

The speech received a cordial response--no whoops or cheers. His remarks were delivered almost flawlessly, working off a prepared text. He was articulate, but lacked passion. One person later equated it to a businessman calmly making a presentation to potential investors. That’s not the usual way to rally political followers.

Simon said Republicans must offer “an inclusive message of hope and optimism.”

But more than that, he attacked Davis: “What we lack, unfortunately, is a leader with the courage to speak the truth and do the right thing. . . . We didn’t elect a governor at all; we really elected a fund-raiser-in-chief. . . . We are in this [energy] mess today for one reason alone: Gray Davis failed to act last summer when this crisis could have been averted.”

It turns out, however, that in the 1998 primary, Simon contributed $250 to that dastard Davis. Last August, he also donated $500 to Democratic state Treasurer Phil Angelides. And he gave $1,000 each to Democrats James K. Hahn and Kathleen Connell in the L.A. mayoral race. (He also gave $1,000 to Republican Steve Soboroff and held a $35,000 fund-raiser for him.)

Why did Simon donate to Davis and Democrats? Friends asked him to, he says. “But I support Republicans.”

Before the speech, Simon also held his first news conference. Only one TV crew and five reporters showed.

His voice was confident, but his answers cautious. “He tries to be thoughtful,” said his veteran consultant, Sal Russo. “I realize not a lot of politicians are.”

Some highlights:

* Energy. Higher consumer rates are long overdue. . . . He generally opposes wholesale price caps, “but in the short run we may need them for a temporary period.”

* Abortion. “I believe abortion is wrong, but I’m going to enforce the law. . . . I don’t intend to be an activist governor [on] abortion.”

* Guns. “We have enough gun controls right now.”

* Schools. He voted against the last voucher initiative. Too broad.

* Roads. Lanes should be added; not sure how to pay for them.

* Water. New storage is needed; not sure what kind.

* Environment. Against offshore drilling. “Characterize me as environmentally sensitive.”

Simon seems like a decent guy. Pleasant. Handsome. Bright.

Too bad he’s not willing to start off in a lower position--where he could get up to speed before running for the top job.