The New Governor Wants a Dog

Gov-elect Jerry Brown wants a dog, but his wife isn't going along.

That's probably the most human -- and certainly the most likely to be repeated -- detail in Capitol Weekly's interview with Brown's wife, Anne Gust, who by every independent account I've heard is going to be running the Brown administration (though she downplays some of that talk in this interview).

What Gust is not talking about is just as interesting. She sees herself as a doer and an administrator, and is not talking about being involved in particular causes. Of course, who needs that if you're functioning as a chief of staff (even if you don't have the title)?

One bit of free advice for Browns: no need to be coy. Anne Brown would make a terrific chief of staff. So make her chief of staff. Yes, it goes against conventional political rules (one of which might be: don't hire a chief of staff you can't fire). But this is a Jerry Brown administration--no Californian is expecting something completely normal.

Contact Us