Whitman critics hold presser

Steven Greenhut: Despite efforts by the Meg Whitman campaign to shut down a press conference critical of her by denying it a room, a group of influential conservatives held a lobby press conference denouncing Meg Whitman’s post-primary positions on the immigration issue. Celeste Greig, chairman of the California Republican Assembly, emphasized that she wants Whitman to be successful, but is disturbed by the way Whitman has softened her position on the Arizona anti-immigration law following her win over Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

Former California Republican Party Mike Schroeder questioned whether Republicans will turn out en masse given Whitman’s lukewarm positions on the issues. He noted that Whitman backed away from her “no new taxes” pledge after winning the primary and that her forces are launching a convention effort to overturn the party’s position on Prop. 14, the top-two primary. She supports it and most party activists are strongly opposed to this open primary system — one that would reduce the party’s influence and would promote the election of more “moderate” candidates.

He also said that Whitman was all over the map on efforts to suspend AB32 — the state’s job-killing anti-global-warming initiative.

Clearly, there is dissension at the convention. The question remains whether conservatives will bite their tongue and swallow their pride and vote for a candidate who seems to oppose them on crucial issues, or at least who has no well-defined positions on the issues, or whether they will rally behind Whitman in order to stop the dreaded Jerry Brown.