Oct. 13--About 200 protesters came from around the Bay Area, and in some cases

even farther, to hold signs and shout into bullhorns in sweltering

heat Tuesday afternoon just outside the gubernatorial debate between

Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown at Dominican

University in San Rafael.

Supporters of third-party candidates not included in the debate, union

members and rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans were all part of

the crowd that gathered in a fenced-off area on Acacia Avenue.

"This is the first time I've been in a free-speech area, and I'm kind

of happy because sometimes they put it two blocks away," said David

Reichard, a 61-year-old Corte Madera resident and Peace and Freedom

Party supporter.

Tim Laidman, an El Cerrito resident, said he came to protest the exclusion of

Green Party candidate Laura Wells and others from the debate.

"It's more business as usual -- two corporate parties controlling the

information," said Laidman, 58. "It's nearly impossible for

third-party candidates to get coverage."

Wells herself was in the protest area wearing a green shirt and pin.

"I would love to get in a room with Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman," she

said. "I don't know which D it is, depressing, disgusting, but people

are really mad. Let's have other people in the debate."

A group of United Farm Workers of America members from Santa

Rosa came

to support Brown, shouting slogans like "California be aware; Meg

Whitman doesn't care" and "No Meg-usta," which means "I don't like" in

Spanish.

Yolanda Diaz, 51, said she traveled to San Rafael with the group

because Brown "offers better conditions for workers and migrants."

"His proposals are better," Diaz said, speaking in Spanish. She added

that Whitman fired her former housekeeper Nicky Diaz -- who is an

undocumented immigrant -- "like a piece of garbage."

Nearby, Barry Gilbert of San Rafael was holding his poodle Samantha in

one arm and a Meg 2010 sign in the other.

He expressed concern that big union contributions to Brown's campaign

would affect the Democrat's political decisions.

"The thing that's nice about Meg Whitman is because she's self-funded,

she's not obligated to anyone," Gilbert said.

"The excitement is there this year that hasn't been there in the

past," Gilbert said of the Marin County Republican Party. "(John)

McCain unfortunately didn't inspire people."

The lively scene extended beyond the protest area, with a group of

Brown supporters gathering outside Coleman Elementary School on Belle

Avenue and waving signs at passing motorists, and a resourceful family

setting up a lemonade stand at the corner of Grand Avenue and Acacia.

At 6:30 p.m., about 70 Democrats began watching the debate projected

live on a wall at their party's Marin headquarters at 4th and G

streets, as they snacked on potato chips, carrots and other fare. At

one point, the Internet connection went down, and party members waited

in suspense for a few minutes while the glitch got sorted out.

"I usually watch at home, but this looked like it would be very

interesting," said Juliette Anthony, of Marinwood. "It's good to talk

to everyone."

"I'm just kind of hoping that Jerry, for lack of a better word, sticks

a fork in (Whitman)," 22-year-old Steve Fishman, of San Rafael, said

before the debate. "She's been reeling lately, and this is an

opportunity for Jerry to give her the final blow."

David Holloway, a 53-year-old Novato resident, said he doesn't want

Whitman "to be able to buy the governorship of California."

"I thought Jerry Brown did a very good job," Holloway said after the

debate. "All of his years of experience really showed because his

answers were a lot more substantive. You could see he'd really been

there in the arena."

Down the street at Fourth and Lootens Place about 150 people gathered

at the Republican Party's Marin headquarters, spilling out onto the

street and cheering, clapping and yelling as they watched the debate

on a flat-screen television with slices of pizza in hand.

The crowd jeered when Brown called immigration enforcement a "federal

responsibility" and clapped when Whitman said marriage should be

between a man and a woman.

"Meg Whitman is what's right with America," Mario Pellegrini, of

Montara, said after the debate. "She's an expression of this new Tea

Party revolution that's taking place."

Stephen Nicholas, a 63-year-old San Rafael resident, called the debate

Whitman's strongest but said, "I'm inconclusive in terms of whether or

not I think she's going to win ... It's such a close race.

"California's a barometer for the rest of the nation," Nicholas added.

"Americans have to come out of the woodwork this time and really pull

together."

Gilbert, who had made his way from the protest to Republican

headquarters, said Whitman came across as "a forceful, forthright

woman."

"Jerry was nervous," Gilbert said. "He looked like he wanted to be in

some bar rather than where he was."

       
Contact Jessica Bernstein-Wax at jbernstein-wax@marinij.com

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