When I asked Sen. Tom Harman why he’s running for attorney general, he immediately attacks the incumbent, Jerry Brown. Not to dwell too much on strategy since I said my follow-up on Harman’s candidacy would dwell more on policy, but I have to say it seems ill-fated. If Brown’s not running for another term as attorney general, and I think we can all agree he’s running to be governor again, then why attack him? President Obama pulled this trick off because he managed to equate his GOP opponent John McCain with President Bush, and he was also able to exploit it during the primary because Bush was about as popular as Tina Fey at a John Birch Society meeting. Does Brown have those same negatives? Is he despised statewide? I doubt it. He wouldn’t be running for governor if that were the case. You don’t see Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ramping up a challenge to Sen. Barbara Boxer do you? He knows how high his negatives are right now.

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At the beginning of the year, Sen. Tom Harman stopped by our offices for his annual visit with us to discuss the pressing issues of the day. It’s something I really appreciate. A lot of lawmakers, especially incumbents after they’ve established themselves, prefer to keep out of the spotlight and meetings with editorial boards have a nagging way of generating news you can’t control. That’s what you get when you invite a free-wheeling conversation with a room full of diggers. Journalists are nosy types who like to circle back over and over again with a rephrased version of a question until they catch a politician napping and revealing something they might not have wanted to let out.

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How’s this for a powerful symbol?

Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park) is willing to give up 18% of his salary, starting now.  He made the announcement this week as lawmakers consider ways to cover the gynormous budget deficit, especially after voters rejected the proposed bailout forged mostly by Democrats and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. That 18% amounts to $20,000 annually, Eng told me.

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