Jerry Brown mulls bid for California attorney general

[Freddie Stubbs]

Oakland mayor has already served as governor

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- Jerry Brown already served eight years as governor of California, campaigned unsuccessfully for U.S. president three times and once for Senate and is now mayor of Oakland.

What possibly could come next for the politician once dubbed Governor Moonbeam for his fanciful ways? He says attorney general of the richest and biggest U.S. state.

Brown, 65, remains passionate about public service and told Reuters in an interview that he is seriously considering a run for California's top law enforcement officer in 2006.

"Attorney general is what interests me," he said from his office at Oakland's City Hall. "It's a job that has now the whole issue of homeland security, anti-terrorism, the matter of the environment, global warning, corporate accountability," he said.

more: http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/08/14/jerry.brown.reut/index.html

[CMT]

1. he was also secretary of state of California

prior to being Governor. He is more than qualified.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. As a Democrat?

Brown is no longer registered as a Democrat. I wonder if he will run as an independent or re-join the party?

[LuminousX]

3. Green Opportunity

This would be a great opportunity for the Green Party to get some more people of stature within the party at the state level and also dilute Nader as the only voice and face of the party.

[salin]

5. When and why did Brown "deregister"?

Wasn't his political comeback serving as state chair for the dem party?

[ronnykmarshall]

8. Late 1990's

I know that he became a indy before he ran for Mayor in 1998.

He may have re-reg'd as a democrat.

[salin]

10. It doesn't look like it on this website

http://www.jerrybrown.org/

Says he won the primary (don't think there was an indy primary) in June (for his run for Mayor).

That said, On another link from that site - it says that state senator Joe Dunn is preparing to run for Atty General - HE is terrific. I like Jerry - but Joe is the Man!

[salin]

11. Then again

I just found this. Sounds like he ran as "an independent" but not as a member of The Independent Party (ala Ross Perot). Does the I haven't left the party, the party has left me, thing.
http://www.progress.org/brown01.htm

[NashVegas]

12. Here

In recent days the media has taken note of my re-registration as a nonpartisan voter in Oakland. Leaving aside the fact that I am now seeking a legally nonpartisan office, I freely admit my disenchantment with the current state of the Democratic Party.

In point of fact, both major parties today are for sale and available to any candidate with a sufficient bankroll. Both parties look to the same sources for huge quantities of campaign money and both employ identical techniques of manipulation. Their programmatic differences increasingly lie in the eyes of the beholder.

http://www.jerrybrown.org/archives/populistroots.html

[David__77]

4. I won't support him...

He's been a flake on important issues and no friend of labor in Oakland. I think we CA Democrats can do better. Further, he's needlessly a magnet for GOP criticism, if it's devoid of substance or not. He's had his day, let's move on to others. I'd like to see Darrell Steinberg, Antonio Villaraigosa, Sheila Kuehl and others move forward...

[davidinalameda]

6. why?

why doesn't he run for president or something and leave the state alone?

[shanti]

16. he's already tried that

he ran for president in 1988 i believe.

[twilight]

7. and a fine Attorney General he would be

Jerry Brown has lots of brains - we need this in our gov't in case you haven't noticed!

He is a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT and never has been anything but this. I saw him being interviewed just LAST week and he reaffirmed his consistent positions on various issues.

I voted for him for President. I voted for him 2X as governor and I would definitely vote for him as Attorney General.

He is a rare talent and the people really need an Attorney General with the type of creative and tactfull mind that he has.

I met Jerry Brown in 1978 when he was running for President. Talk about a load of great energy and vibes! Wow! Jerry has it and I was really hoping to see him become the President of the United States someday. I remember even my boss at that time said that "Brown is light years ahead of his time". He was indeed very right.

He has done a lot for the City of Oakland. Anyone that can make a dent in Oakland has much good to be said for them. I remember when he became Mayor he said, "Some heads are going to roll". And boy did they ever! You can now walk around at Jack London Square without being afraid of being robbed and/or mugged.

He is a good man and I am very tired of hearing all of the tacky hits people swing at him. However, they seem to roll off of him like water luckily.

Go Jerry! This Californian likes you a whole lot!

:kick:

[ronnykmarshall]

9. He left the party

I remember it was before he ran for mayor of Oakland.

[shanti]

17. that was 1988 that he ran

for president. 1978 was when he ran for governor, and i remember that too because i stumped and voted for him.

he's a very intelligent man, but he had his time in the spotlight. he's not the same man anymore...

[Piperay]

13. Oh goodie

now we can relive "medfly Brown" and "Governor Moonbeam" all over again. :-( Just what California needs more freakshow images. :argh: I liked Jerry Brown when he was governor but he needs to just go away so we can move on.

[NashVegas]

14. Governor Moonbeam

Didn't he earn that nick by proposing a network of computers, linked by satellite?

Uncanny, idnit?

[jiacinto]

15. No

He left the Democratic Party. And I frankly don't see him winning.

[JackSwift]

18. He left the party sometime 98 or after

he may have rejoined. But he basically said all democrats were corrupt in a way that implied that even the rank and file, the folks doing voter reg, etc. that was really offensive.

I will never vote for Jerry Brown for anything again.