Supporter Letters to the Editor

By Fred Balin, Palo Alto – The ball is in Gordon's court.
Two nasty, misleading attack mailers aimed at Yoriko Kishimoto and funded by $70,000 from the South Bay Labor Council rudely slap the State Assembly District 21 Democratic primary campaign into a window of sharp insight and pivotal decision.
 
Crudely veiled as a critique on transportation policy, an area of the candidate's expertise, the ghosted Kishimoto head shots, juxtaposed with jammed freeways, warning signs, and sarcastic text reveal something more fundamental. It is the fear of an elected state official who has a proven record of the utmost independence and integrity matched by unwavering allegiance to the public interest, reasoned analysis and civility.
 
And in a brilliant turning of the tables, she adopts the mailers as a badge of honor and sets a worthy challenge to her reputable competitors, Rich Gordon and Josh Becker.
 
There is no place for such negative campaigning within a District 21 Assembly race.
 
County Supervisor Rich Gordon is the choice of the Labor Council. His campaign is heavily financed by its members, and he recently contributed $2,500 for seats at the Labor Council's May banquet.
 
In Will Oremus' fine series on the candidates last week, he explores Gordon's evolution from youthful social activist to establishment politician at midlife. "I'm still a guy who pushes the envelope," he states.
 
The quality of Assembly candidate Gordon's response to the negative attacks by the Labor Council at this pivotal moment will be a clear indicator not only of the extent to which he will push an envelope in Sacramento, but whether we will see similar special-interest attacks in future District 21 Democratic campaigns.
 
Link to Original: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15208747?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com