ROBERT GARDNER -- The Verdict

ROBERT GARDNER

This being an election year, we are undoubtedly going to be exposed to

what is called negative campaigning -- saying something nasty about your

opponent, the nastier the better. I am somewhat familiar with the

process, having been a victim of negative campaigning.

When I was appointed to the Superior Court of Orange County in 1947 by

Gov. Earl Warren, that appointment was not greeted warmly by those who

had run Orange County politics for a long time.

The tradition for judicial appointments was that they be old geezers,

retired from private practice and sitting out their declining years on

the bench. They were Republicans, of course, and most important, they had

always come from the county seat, Santa Ana.

Well, I was quite a shock. I was young, I came from Newport Beach, and

while a registered Republican, was of the liberal branch of the party as

represented by Hyram Johnson and Earl Warren, who were considered just a

tad short of being Communists by the old guard who had run Orange County

since its inception.

And so, at the next election, I drew an opponent -- an older man,

conservative Republican, from Santa Ana.

Shortly before the election, the Santa Ana Independent, a paper

supporting my opponent, ran a screaming headline that said “Superior

Court Judge Robert Gardner takes part in a lewd show at the local Elks

Club.”

Wow. Now that’s negative campaigning. Now for the true story.

I was at the Elks Club. It was Flag Day and I made a Flag Day speech

there at 7 o’clock. Then I went on and made several other Flag Day

speeches, after which I went home.

About the time I was snugly ensconced at home, the Elks had what was

called a “smoker,” during which a scantily clad young lady wiggled around

the floor for the edification of the Elks Club members.

Well, the Elks were outraged at the story and were going to take a

full page in the Santa Ana Register setting the story straight. However,

having come from Newport Beach, the home of hardball politics, I

persuaded them not to.

I knew the thing to do with negative campaigning is to ignore it. I

did and beat my opponent 3 to 1.

So that’s my advice to anyone who is the victim of negative

campaigning: ignore it. It often helps. The average voter usually rebels

against those who put on a negative campaign.

*

* ROBERT GARDNER is a Corona del Mar resident and a former judge. His

column appears Tuesdays.