Whitman vows to ‘make history’ at Orange County campaign stop
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Meg Whitman kicked off her pre-election day sprint around the state Saturday morning, rallying scores of supporters at the Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.
“We’ve got the chance to make some history here don’t we?” Whitman said after making a dramatic entrance by driving up to the event in her green “Take Back Sacramento Express” bus.
“We have the chance to put a proven job creator in office for the first time in many, many years. We have the chance to create real change in Sacramento.... We’re going to take back California for our children and our grandchildren. You know what else we have a chance to do? Put the first woman governor in California in office.”
Standing in front of the Millennium Barn and huge California flags, the candidate was surrounded by supporters crowded into bleachers who carried hand-painted signs handed out by the campaign that said “Jobs are on the way,” “Meg=Hope” and “A new CA.”
She was joined by GOP state treasurer candidate Mimi Walters, controller candidate Tony Strickland and insurance commissioner candidate Mike Villines. In the face of a barrage of polling that shows Democrat Jerry Brown leading Whitman, she insisted that the race is close.
“So this is exciting isn’t it? We are going to win this race on Tuesday,” Whitman said as the crowd cheered and clapped orange-and-green thundersticks together.
“Our polls show this is a dead heat. If we are in a dead heat on Tuesday, we win this whole thing.”
Whitman went through her standard talking points -– that she planned to cut taxes, reduce government spending and fix schools, and reiterated her criticism of Brown as a career politician and job killer.
“You know I’m a proven job-creator,” said the former EBay chief. “That’s what I’ve done my entire career. Jerry Brown has been part of the war on jobs in Sacramento for 40 years, and it’s going to end on Tuesday.”
She said her prospects depend on her supporters’ efforts, from volunteering at a phone bank to e-mailing their friends and family.
“Guess whose hands this election is in? Yours,” Whitman said. “You have the power to turn this election. Tell your friends, tell your relatives.... Make sure they get out to vote. This is going to be a close election but you have a chance to take back this state.”
She ended her six minutes of remarks by leading the crowd in a chant. “So, are you ready to get California moving again? I’m ready, are you ready?” she asked, and the crowd responded, “We are ready! We are ready! We are ready!”
-- Seema Mehta in Costa Mesa