Most of the time. I wrote on Kos that it was HER that brought his candidacy for Governor some credibility and "gravitas", and helped him win. He was caught up with his Republican handlers from 03-04 and seriously got trounced in a special election where nurses, firefighters and police unions busted his chops and defeated all his slate of referendums.

He learned humility, and started listening more to her, bipartisan groups in the State Senate and Assembly, and with an impending threat of Warren Beatty considering a run in 05, he was told by Beatty that what he needs to get him to back off is if he becomes "more of a Democrat".

Maria gives him those creds. By and large, he's ok as a governor, though I am grateful we do have a large majority of Democrats in the Assembly and Senate. The CA Republican party is as hopeless a cast of misfits ever ganged up in a hole. They need to stay there. They are truly a gaggle of pathetic losers. Look at their leaders, Darryl Issa. Dana Rohrbacher. John Doolittle. Say no more.

So Maria has absolutely NOTHING TO LOSE in this endorsement. The state's been pushed to the brink environmentally with the current EPA blocking CA's bid for higher standards in vehicle emissions. If the gov doesn't do something soon, one of his promises to this state to be more of a Democrat evaporates.

Maria knows what she's doing.