Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 05/25/1998 All articles from this issue

KRON-TV's Rollin Post brings political analysis to the Los Altos Morning Forum

printer friendly version

By Cecilia J. Keehan

Special to the Town Crier

Although covering politics is what he enjoys most, Rollin Post did admit to the Los Altos Morning Forum on May 19 that this year he is experiencing "gloom, but not doom" over his chosen field.

The former KRON-TV political analyst, who retired last year, said "The single most important issue in the June election that the candidates won't discuss is reapportionment." He pointed out that "those we elect this year will sign the bill for reapportionment in 2001."

After the 2000 census, he said California could add at least three and possibly four or five additional seats to its 52-member congressional roster and "the party in power will control redistricting and the state for the rest of the decade."

In the 1980s, Democrats controlled the California Assembly and the Senate but since Gov. Jerry Brown didn't have an interest in reapportionment Phil Burton took it on, resulting in the "most imaginative creative districts." Post said that Burton packed Republicans into 11 or 12 districts where no democrat could ever win, and he did the same for heavily Democratic districts where Republicans could not win.

As a result, "Instead of having a 3-to-5 majority, Democrats had a 10-to-12 majority over Republicans in the House of Representatives," he said.

Turning to the June ballot, Post said it is the longest and probably the most complicated in the state's history. "Cross-filing was not one of the better ideas that has happened to politics recently."

Post said that Gov. Earl Warren won a term by winning in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Post believes that the purpose of primaries should be to select candidates of a party who will oppose candidates of the opposite party. "The primary is a selection process, not an election," he said.

Post noted that Congressman Tom Campbell is a strong booster of open primaries because he believes it is the only way for a moderate Republican to win in a primary since the candidate could expect to win some Democratic votes. However, Post senses mischief when a candidate runs unopposed. The other party might help elect the opponent easiest for their candidate to beat in the general election. While he doesn't think this will happen, he said it could.

Turning to the candidates, Post said he didn't have a problem with wealthy people running for office, a reference to Al Checchi's gubernatorial campaign. However, he does have a problem if there has been no party involvement.

Post said Congresswoman Jane Harman's campaign for governor is an improvement in that she has run for office and has a record.

Gray Davis, the other gubernatorial candidate, has a long career in California politics, and Post pointed out that he had often run the state during Jerry Brown's absence. Republican Dan Lungren ran unopposed in the primary.

Keehan is the program president of Morning Forum. Morning Forum is a members-only lecture series held at the United Methodist Church of Los Altos. To get on a waiting list for membership, write to: Morning Forum, P.O. Box 274, Los Altos 94023-0274.