Whitman: "My Voting Record Is Inexcusable"
The Sacramento Bee had trouble finding any evidence she ever registered to vote prior to 2002
Updated 3:10 PM EDT, Fri, Sep 25, 2009
She wants you to vote for her, but she is quick to admit she didn't do much voting herself.
We are talking about newly-declared Republican candidate for California governor Meg Whitman.
The lack of a voting record charge is not new, but that didn't keep it off the front page of the Sacramento Bee Thursday.
It pointed out that the former eBay executive did not cast a ballot in the election for the man she now wants to replace. And there was no way the special election ballot (including one Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in 2003 could have slipped her mind. The lack of her vote followed a Business Week magazine article that called her out as one of a group of top executive with a "worse than spotty voting record."
Just hours after the Bee article was posted online, Whitman released the following statement:
"Voting is a precious right that all Americans should exercise. I have repeatedly said that my voting record is inexcusable. I failed to register and vote on numerous occasions throughout my life. That is simply wrong and I have taken responsibility for my mistake."
Following that honest assessment came the spin:
"California needs leaders who are accountable for their actions. I take responsibility for mine, while my opponent, Steve Poizner, runs from his. On everything from his position on taxes to his political contributions, Steve hides behind others or misrepresents himself."
For the record, Poizner's voting record is solid. He issued a press release of his own Thursday saying it is understandable that Whitman is ashamed of her record. "In the history of America, no one has been elected governor of a state with Meg Whitman's 25 year history of no show voting. She is unelectable and has tried to cover her lack of honesty with millions of dollars," according to Poizner.
And while the Whitman story may be old, that doesn't mean it won't leave an impression on voters.
The Bee reviewed Whitman's voting record in six states and found she regularly skipped voting. They had a hard time finding any evidence that she was even registered to vote in most of them.
The first bonafide record that could be found was from September 2002 in San Mateo County.
First Published: Sep 24, 2009 3:42 PM EDT on NBC Bay Area
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
