California governor debate gets 'spirited' as Kashkari, Brown face off

By any measure, the debate Thursday was spirited, and it often verged out of control as the two men talked over each other. Mr. Kashkari, in particular, spoke over the panelists, often pivoting off their questions to attack his opponent.

"I feel like I'm getting a sales pitch here from Neel," Brown said.

"You learned your job well working at Goldman Sachs."

When asked why he's appealing the recent Vergara v. California court ruling that found the quality of California's public schools so poor that it violates some students' constitutional rights, Brown blamed the schools' woes on insufficient funding and problems communicating with students just learning to speak English.

Kashkari, however, accused Brown of putting the interests of the California Teachers Association ahead of struggling students.

"You had a choice between fighting for the civil rights of poor kids and fighting for the union bosses who funded your campaigns," Kashkari said. "You sided with the union bosses. You should be ashamed of yourself, governor."

Halfway through the debate, Mr. Kashkari concluded an attack on California’s implementation of the federal health-care law by saying he would not do away with the state’s health-insurance exchange, the largest state-operated marketplace to emerge under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Mr. Brown pounced on his opponent’s remarks, and then added an attack on his Wall Street background.

“There are so many glib statements here that don’t comport with reality that I don’t know where to start,” Mr. Brown said. “I feel like I am getting a sales pitch from—I don’t know whom.”

“You have learned your job well there, working at Goldman Sachs, with the rest of the people who wrecked the economy,” the governor continued. “It is kind of like the arsonist putting out the fire. I really appreciate that.”