Bill Simon Resurgent?

Let's hope not. Here is my short critique of his prior candidacy, written on the eve of the 2002 general election. OpinionJournal.com posted it in response to an article by the estimable John Fund. Every criticism I forwarded then applies doubly now, for two reasons.

First, Simon wasn't even the top vote-getter among statewide Republican candidates in the last election. That distinction goes to State Senator Tom McClintock, who garnered 100,000 votes more than he did in an airtight race for State Controller. Second, he has failed to articulate any alternative vision for California since his defeat.

While the case can be made that Darrell Issa deserves unified Republican support for bankrolling the recall effort, Sen. McClintock is the clear choice as to who should replace Davis in the Governor's chair. Never a favorite among the mealy-mouthed, feckless GOP establishment, he has consistently articulated a limited government agenda that is desperately needed in this time of economic crisis.

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Simon Is No Ronald Reagan

One of Bill Simon's first appearances on California television was a commercial where a Remington-style statue and a burgundy leather placard appeared in the backdrop. He was clearly trying to assume the mantle of Ronald Reagan, as both were hallmarks of the Gipper's Oval Office. (The placard reads "It CAN be done.") As a result, I viewed the nascent Simon campaign with a jaundiced eye.

Ronald Reagan was hardly a political neophyte when he ran for governor in 1966: He had spoken on matters of public concern for almost two decades, from his stint as president of the Screen Actors Guild to the pro-capitalist and populist themes he embraced as General Electric's corporate spokesman.

Those interested in Ronald Reagan's political ascendancy should read Matthew Dallek's superb book, The Right Moment. Mr. Reagan had the backing of several wealthy entrepreneurs to be sure, but he adroitly overcame the perception that he was a shill for corporate interests by successfully engaging in spontaneous, detailed Q&A with reporters. In contrast, Mr. Simon's refrain throughout this campaign when pressed about a particular of public policy has been "I'll get back to you on that." This from the self-proclaimed "candidate of ideas."

The Simon campaign is a textbook example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, almost from the very moment he won the GOP nomination with the help of Gov. Davis's $10 million anti-Dick Riordan advertisement barrage.

Why, for example, has the campaign never made an issue of that fact that Mr. Davis could have used his emergency powers to avert an energy crisis, simply by running California generators at full capacity?

Instead, there are false accusations about Mr. Davis collecting money in the state capitol building, the gross mishandling of superfluous matters like whether Mr. Simon would declare a Gay Pride month, and the repeated inability to tap into voter disgust with Mr. Davis's "pay to play" method of governance. Even with a resounding victory, Mr. Davis's presidential aspirations are non-existent, with a permanent state budget gap of around $15 billion and a charismatic appeal that makes Joe Lieberman look like Jon Bon Jovi.

As a last ditch effort, Mr. Simon could lift a flippant line from Bob Dole's 1996 presidential run: "I'll be Ronald Reagan if that's who you want me to be." But Ronald Reagan was always more than a statue, a placard, or a misplaced catchphrase. One would think that today's Republicans, including the current president, could at least attempt to live up to his example and his ideals.