There's some coverage on KCAL in the video section if you want to see a clip or two:
http://cbs2.com/politics
I sort of already told people I'm in the tank for Campbell, but I'll try to be as objective as possible.
I thought Campbell come off strong with stressing substance as the pillar of his campaign. He several times encouraged people to go to his website to see his spending cut proposals, while outlining through the debate where he has no intention to cut.
He works well against one of Poizner's weaknesses, which is that he seems rehearsed with some of that "Gosh, isn't our state great? Let me help you make it great again with some vague promises." These are the kind of narratives that I think people are burned out from hearing from politicians.
Poizner wants to cut taxes and has some spending cut proposals. In and of itself it sounds like great primary red meat, in addition that he came out swinging saying Campbell supported the 2009 tax increases and also tried to paint him as for legalizing all drugs across the board.
Campbell countered that he did not endorse that position, though he did sponsor the bill for medicinal marijuana.
Campbell's criticism on the budget proposals put forward by Poizner was the main difference of the night. He says that you have to first over come "the hard part" of making specific and sustained spending cuts before you can talk about tax cuts. He said cutting taxes without making enough spending cuts would only increase the deficit ultimately.
As an observation of Campbell's delivery, he comes off sometimes as a little too much like a legislator. I think initially it's good that he mentions his resume, because it is quite extensive next to Poizner and Whitman's. But that could get tiring if he's seen to be sort of like a Chris Dodd type in proposing his solutions.
Overall, I give the debate to Campbell, though I wonder who among the primary voters turned their brain off when they heard from Campbell that he authored a bill for medicinal marijuana, or what's more, heard a suggestion from his opponent that he would legalize all drugs.
I think it's at her own risk for Whitman not to show up to debate these guys and she is undoubtedly the loser of the debate no matter.
