On guard!

One thing that many politicians, Hollywood celebrities and national sports figures are realizing the hard way these days is that the phrase "off camera" no longer exists.

With camera phones an appendage for most people, comments are fair game 24/7. Just ask Helen Thomas, the national news columnist whose long public career as a White House journalist ended over some idiotic remarks she made about Israel. Her long news career was over in the seconds it took for those comments to circle the globe.

And last week, Rep. Bob Etheride was caught in a video confrontation with two student cameramen outside a fundraiser for Nancy Pelosi in Washington.

"Who are you?" Etheride demanded, while grabbing the young man's wrist. The act was caught on camera, of course, and Etheride, a seven-term North Carolina Democrat, had to apologize for his actions.

Throughout the summer leading up to the November elections, the hotly-contested races for governor and U.S. Congress will be dominating the news and those unrehearsed sound bites could become election breakers for some who can't harness their emotions. In past years, the savvy incumbent politicians who have already survived the election wars would seem to hold an experience advantage.

In California, experience may not be a big plus for Jerry Brown, the Democratic candidate for governor. Many voters weren't even born when Brown served as governor in the mid-70s and early 80s. Given the state's budget disaster, voters might feel the need to sweep the slate clean of incumbents and career-minded politicians.

If it's business experience California voters want in trying to solve the state's budget crisis, then they have it in Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay who is Brown's opponent, and Carly Fiorina, who's challenging three-term Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer for her U.S. Senate seat. Fiorina's business resume includes being CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

With the news media and the video phones at every turn, the image-conscious candidates better be on their guard. Being firm and opinionated is one thing but when candidates come across as haughty or arrogant, that can be a voter turnoff.

Many felt that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi crossed the line of smugness and arrogance during the crucial health care vote when she carried a large gavel - a symbol of her authority - as she walked past protesters who were chanting "Kill the bill!"

If Fiorina wants to play up the arrogance factor against Boxer, she can point to a clip from last June when the irritated senator chided Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh during a hearing before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Boxer was upset when the general addressed her as "ma'am" instead of senator, and demanded that she be called by her proper title.

The general meant no disrespect and according to one military source, the term even elevated her stature. The Navy and Coast Guard typically use "mister" or "miss" to address officers below the rank of commander, and "sir" or "ma'am," or a specific title, to address anyone at that rank or higher.

These images - Pelosi strutting with her giant gavel and Boxer dressing down a brigadier general who she felt slighted her office rank - are not flattering. Voters are turned off by these self-promoting acts and would rather see that energy used to tackle things that do matter, like the high unemployment, and out-of-control deficit spending.

As the national debt escalates into the trillions of dollars, the poll numbers show many sitting congressman sinking to historic lows. By the end of summer, the heat - and surely the disgruntled voters - will get to more than one candidate.

By Jim Zbick

jzbick@tnonline.com