First Take: Grudging respect for Brown’s campaign strategy. Legislature’s last-minute moves

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Critics and naysayers who said Jerry Brown’s summer campaign silence would be a death sentence are now voicing grudging respect for his ability to stay close to Meg Whitman in the polls.

But George Skelton says the time has come for Brown to make his case to voters.

With just two days left in this year’s legislative session, special interests are making last-minute moves to get pet projects through the Legislature.

A California energy panel has promised millions to an ethanol firm founded by a Schwarzenegger ally.

Some teachers are not happy that The Times released data about how their students performed on standardized tests.

-- Anthony York

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