History UsefulNotes / JerryBrown

Brown started as a Fiscal Conservative, cutting his own perks like the limo and mansion and balancing California's budget, and a Liberal in other senses (death penalty, environment, gay rights, campaigning against Proposition 13, etc). Before term limits were introduced to California, Brown left after 2 terms to try for the Senate. He lost, that and the 1976, 1980, and 1992 Democratic Primaries. After 6 years in self-imposed political exile, he returned as Mayor of Oakland (1999-2007), using his brand of politics to strengthen the mayor's office and reverse the downward trend of the city. After 8 years he ran for Attorney General, won and held the position for 4 years under Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger. During this period, both he and Schwarzenegger refused to defend the [[HeteronormativeCrusader anti-gay]] Proposition 8 in the ''Perry v. Schwarzenegger'' lawsuit which ultimately deemed it unconstitutional, Brown arguing that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment and should be repealed. He later succeeded him as Governor, winning an election against Website/EBay CEO Meg Whitman.

The youngest Governor of California, and later the ''oldest'' Governor of California, a perennial presidential candidate, and a man who deserves the nickname of Moonbeam.

[[caption-width-right:220:"I've been in office and I've been out of office. And if I were to choose, I'd rather be in office."]]

36 years after he first took office as the 34th Governor, Jerry Brown was inaugurated as the 39th Governor. He served two further terms before reaching his term limits in 2019; apropos of nothing, his successor, his erstwhile lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom, is a distant relative of folksinger Music/JoannaNewsom.

Born April 7, 1938, Edmund Gerald Brown is the son of [[LikeFatherLikeSon 32nd Californian Governor Pat Brown]], has spent a long life being everything BUT a normal politician:, Secretary of State, Governor (1975-1983), a failed run for Senate, 3 failed runs for president, A Mayor, Attorney General, and finally Governor again (2011-2019).

Born April 7, 1938, Edmund Gerald Brown is the son of [[LikeFatherLikeSon 32nd Californian Governor Pat Brown]], has spent a long life being everything BUT a normal politician:, Secretary of State, Governor (1975-1983), a failed run for Senate, 3 failed runs for president, A Mayor, Attorney General, and finally Governor again (2011-present).

36 years after he first took office as the 34th Governor, Jerry Brown was inaugurated as the 39th Governor.

He is also the Governor Brown in the Music/DeadKennedys song "California Über Alles". Ironically enough, frontman Music/JelloBiafra admitted Brown was a pretty good guy around the 2010 election. In the 1979 film ''{{Film/Americathon}}'', Jerry Brown is parodied as [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President Chet Roosevelt]], played by Creator/JohnRitter.

!!Tropes pertaining to Moonbeam:

* ArchEnemy: To Bill Clinton in 1992. During the campaign, Brown jumped on Clinton's shadier practices. At the Illinois primary, Brown brought Hilary into the argument, which ''[[BerserkButton really]]'' set Clinton [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNl_dMVmuZQ off]].
* CoolOldGuy
* TheFriendNobodyLikes:
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Dad was a Governor, so was Jerry. Of course, Jerry was Governor ''twice''. Take that, Dad!
** Additionally, Jerry's sister, former state treasurer Kathleen, ran unsuccessfully for [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_gubernatorial_election,_1994 California Governor in 1994]]; losing to incumbent Republican Governor Pete Wilson (who pulled a stunning comeback from trailing by [[MiracleRally 23 points]]).
* LongRunners: Although he did take a break in the nineties.
** HesBack: Multiple times.
* OldShame: Mike Royko, the journalist who coined the term "Governor Moonbeam", later expressed his regret at doing so, stating that Brown was "just as serious as any other politician".

Brown started as a Fiscal Conservative, cutting his own perks like the limo and mansion and balancing California's budget, and a Liberal in other senses (death penalty, environment, gay rights, campaigning against Proposition 13, etc). Before term limits were introduced to California, Brown left after 2 terms to try for the Senate. He lost, that and the 1976, 1980, and 1992 Democratic Primaries. After 6 years in self-imposed political exile, he returned as Mayor of Oakland (1999-2007), using his brand of politics to strengthen the mayor's office and reverse the downward trend of the city. After 8 years he ran for Attorney General, won and held the position for 4 years under Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger. During this period, both he and Schwarzenegger refused to defend the [[HeteronormativeCrusader anti-gay]] Proposition 8 in the ''Perry v. Schwarzenegger'' lawsuit which ultimately deemed it unconstitutional, Brown arguing that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment and should be repealed. He later succeeded him as Governor, winning an election against {{EBay}} CEO Meg Whitman.

The oldest Governor of California, a perennial presidential candidate, and a man who deserves the nickname of Moonbeam.

** Additionally, Jerry's sister, former state treasurer Kathleen, ran unsuccessfully for California Governor in 1994; losing to incumbent Republican Governor Pete Wilson (who pulled a stunning comeback from trailing by [[MiracleRally 23 points]]).

He is also the Governor Brown in the Music/DeadKennedys song "California Über Alles". Ironically enough, frontman Music/JelloBiafra admitted Brown was a pretty good guy around the 2010 election. In the 1979 film ''{{Film/Americathon}}'', the President is a parody of Jerry Brown.

He is also the Governor Brown in the Music/DeadKennedys song "California Über Alles". Ironically enough, frontman Music/JelloBiafra admitted Brown was a pretty good guy around the 2010 election.

He is also the Governor Brown in the Music/DeadKennedys song "California Über Alles". Ironically enough, frontman Jello Biafra admitted Brown was a pretty good guy around the 2010 election.

* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Just count all of them.

* LikeFatherLikeSon: Dad was a Governor, so was Jerry.

Brown started as a Fiscal Conservative, cutting his own perks like the limo and mansion and balancing California's budget, and a Liberal in other senses (death penalty, environment, gay rights, campaigning against Proposition 13, etc). Before term limits were introduced to California, Brown left after 2 terms to try for the Senate. He lost, that and the 1976, 1980, and 1992 Democratic Primaries. After 6 years in self-imposed political exile, he returned as Mayor of Oakland (1999-2007), using his brand of politics to strengthen the mayor's office and reverse the downward trend of the city. After 8 years he ran for Attorney General, won and held the position for 4 years under Creator/{{Arnold Schwarzenegger}}. During this period, both he and Schwarzenegger refused to defend the [[HeteronormativeCrusader anti-gay]] Proposition 8 in the ''Perry v. Schwarzenegger'' lawsuit which ultimately deemed it unconstitutional, Brown arguing that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment and should be repealed. He later succeeded him as Governor, winning an election against {{EBay}} CEO Meg Whitman.

He is also the Governor Brown in the DeadKennedys song California Über Alles. Ironically enough frontman Jello Biafra admitted Brown was a pretty good guy around the 2010 election.