"I understand how it works. I'm offering myself at this age, this stage in my life. I'm independent, I don't have anything to prove I just want to go back to state government and just fix it," said Brown.
His republican opponent, former eBay chief executive /*Meg Whitman*/ is a billionaire who's never held public office but thinks she has a better way to fix it. She tries to paint a picture of Brown as a has been. Our most recent Eyewitness News poll shows Whitman with a seven point lead.
Brown hasn't had the money to run his own television campaign. All of his advertising to date had been paid for by supporters. His Republican opponent has spent at least $104 million of her own money.
Brown attended an annual union-sponsored /*Labor Day*/ breakfast Monday. He skipped wearing an apron and the food line where people like attorney general candidate Kamela Harris and lieutenant governor candidate Gavin Newsom served breakfast.
Brown's ads leave out the facts that the state faced a $1 billion deficit and record unemployment when he left office.
"I left the state structurally very sound but at a time when our national recession was deep and that was the policy of President Reagan and Chairman Paul Volker of the federal reserve," said Brown.
The next governor faces the possibility of a $19 billion deficit. Whitman has suggested about $17 billion in tax breaks and cuts.
"17 billion in tax breaks--that's her plan to get /*California*/ working. So a $19 billion deficit, we add 17 billion more deficit and where does all that money go? It goes to the friends; It goes to Meg," said Brown.
Brown acknowledged that he won't be able to match his opponent's spending in the final eight weeks of the campaign. However, the former governor promised to run a tough campaign.
