LOS ANGELES (CNN) - Meg Whitman says she was wrong.
The Republican candidate for governor of California Thursday night issued a statement on her failure to vote in multiple elections in California. Whitman, the former eBay CEO and former adviser and surrogate for John McCain's presidential campaign, calls her own record "inexcusable" and "simply wrong."
Whitman, who officially announced her bid for governor at the beginning of the week, issued her statement after GOP gubernatorial challenger Steve Poizner criticized her for her lack of votes, and after an investigation by the Sacramento Bee newspaper that pointed to her failure to vote over several decades in five states where Whitman has lived since 1979.
"Voting is a precious right that all Americans should exercise. I have repeatedly said that my voting record is inexcusable. I failed to register and vote on numerous occasions throughout my life. That is simply wrong and I have taken responsibility for my mistake." said Whitman in her statement.
"California needs leaders who are accountable for their actions. I take responsibility for mine, while my opponent, Steve Poizner, runs from his. On everything from his position on taxes to his political contributions, Steve hides behind others or misrepresents himself. I look forward to a vigorous campaign and to a discussion of the issues that matter to the people of California," added Whitman.
Poizner issued a statement of his own Thursday, saying "in the history of America, no one has been elected governor of a state with Meg Whitman's 25 year history of no show voting."
From CNN Politics
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Although this is not a good excuse for not voting but, I think Whitman was busy running successful businesses during that 25 year stretch. Maybe she can turn around California's economy, and hopefully she is smart enough to realize that a tax hike might be needed in order to maintain the states budget.
inexcusable, yet she's asking voters to excuse her.
Exactly how did Whitman "take full responsibility for her mistake" in not voting?
Sounds like an empty phrase to me. Just confessing that you acted like almost half of the citizens of the US is all you did.
And another Republican campaign dies by its own hand....
Just because she was Ebay CEO does not means she will be a good Governor for the Golden State. Afterall her records of non-voting shows that she does not care about one of the most fundamental right of an American Citizen.
She did not vote for many years and now what? Especting middle class to come out and vote for her? What a joke.
We need more serious candidates!
She doesn't vote but wants everyone to vote for her.....
Republicans like this seem disingenuous to me: they run for public office, but they don't even believe in the government they are working for!
How can Republicans ever govern properly when they don't believe in Government?
She should drop out of the race – completely unacceptable. Com'on Meg,
no voting for 25 years and you are a CEO?
She must be a Republican because she will say anything to get elected.
So she never voted, she can't run for gov? Who cares about her voting as a private citizen? Let's just talk about how evil & wrong she is for Cali because she is a Republican! That's more important than anything else! Stop Republicans from any office!!!!!!!