Jerbal slammed Dianne Harman but loves Linda Ackerman
We tend to forget things in local politics over time – but thank God for search engines and blogs. What once was in the headlines is there forever, lurking and waiting to be found. With that in mind, a friend of mine remembered another female GOP Assembly candidate who was married to a legislator. But while Red County editor Matt “Jerbal” Cunningham has nothing but good things to say about Linda Ackerman, the housewife and fundraiser who is running for the 72nd Assembly District, he had nothing but bad things to say about Dianne Harman, the wife of State SenatorTom Harman, when she ran for the Assembly.
The Morning after that election Jerbal posted:
“Dianne Harman: Her main qualification for the office as the other person’s name on her marriage certificate. West OC voters aren’t stupid and unlike voters elsewhere in the state weren’t ratify spousal succession.”
Going back to the beginning of the campaign, Jerbal led one of his first Dianne Harmann-bashing posts with this:
“This first time candidate, only vaguely familiar to the voters as the wife of the sitting Assemblyman.”
and Jerbal desbribed Dianne this way in another post:
” Legislative spouse/yoga master Dianne Harman.”
And another post:
“It’s interesting that Harman didn’t mention to the reporter that she runs a yoga instruction center, or that she’s past president of the yoga instructors association, or that a Google search turns up lots and lots of references to her yoga business, but none about her “antique and art appraisal business.”
While Jerbal now is at odds with Steven Greenhut, who supports Chris Norby against Linda Ackerman, during the Harman race they both agreed that Harman was an awful candidate.
Jerbal approvingly… quoted Greenhut:
“Diane Harman, whose only claim to fame is being married to Tom Harman… She is flailing away looking for issues she doesn’t seem to grasp.
And while we’re quoting greenhut, I wonder how Pro-Life Jerbal truly feels about Mrs. Ackerman given the prominence Jerbal gave this Greenhut quote:
“Republican leaders (i.e. Dick Ackerman) have used all their political might to assure that a pro-choice candidate will win the 34th District senate seat.”
Jerbal also made his feelings clear here:
“I hope she comes in third in the 67th Assembly District GOP primary, but I must say that her campaign newsletters have improved remarkably from the insipidness that used to characterize them.”
Not Jerbal , but Lurk did approvingly quote Greenhut:
“Harman’s only claim to fame is being married to liberal Republican Tom Harman, who has won the primary for state Senate. Dianne Harman has no political experience and is backed by the usual crowd of Huntington Beach enviro-leftists.
And back in the day, Jerbal had a lot of nice things to say about pervy Mike Duvall:
“Mike Duvall: A great guy and someone I’ve come to know as a conscientious elected official”
Matt Cunningham outed sex-abuse victims.
Thanks for reminding me about Dianne Harman.I had forgotten about her and the froth her candidacy whipped up in certain quarters. She was unqualified (IMHO) and was merely riding on her husband’s name.
So what IS the difference between her and Linda Ackerman?
Nice call Art! I bet you won’t see old Matt C. posting comments on this one! Funny, Harman used to be the Devil himself to conservative GOPers but just this last meeting Scotty Baugh had him as the keynote speaker at the monthly meeting! How about a trading card post with a list of the O.C. GOP leadership and tell us who they are. I know Kermit Marsh, Mark Bucher, Jack Anderson, and Fred Whiticker are a few but I think there are more. Please let us know who has control of the GOP in the OC.