Reuters Seems Stunned That Jerry Brown Is Participating In A Debate

The headline:

Calif. Governor Jerry Brown to debate long-shot challenger Kashkari

Then:

California Governor Jerry Brown, a popular Democrat, will debate his long-shot Republican opponent Thursday night, kicking off the state’s election season early with anticipated scuffles over education, high-speed rail and the state’s economy.

Brown, who served two terms as governor from 1975 to 1983, returned to the state’s highest office four years ago, and now seeks his fourth term at the helm of the most populous U.S. state with high approval ratings and a rapidly recovering economy.

Get it kids? Kashkari’s a long-shot! They should say that a few more times to make it clear.

Forget the biased “rapidly recovering economy” nonsense-there are some unfunded pension liabilities looming on the horizon that could swallow this economy whole. To his credit, Brown has kinda/sorta tried to address them but the California legislature is comprised mostly of Titanic captains and nobody wants to see that iceberg.

What struck me here was the tone of the article, as if a candidate in a race who enjoys a comfortable lead in the polls shouldn’t deign to acknowledge his or her challenger.

If Kashkari does well in the debate and doesn’t implode before November, this could merely be a tune-up for a run in four years, when that iceberg is getting closer.