Whitman refuses to pledge an end to negative ads

Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman declined to stop airing negative ads on television at the annual Women’s Conference in Long Beach Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Her opponent, Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown, pledged moments before to end the negative advertisements after host Matt Lauer posed the question.

“Sometimes negativity is in the eye of the beholder,” Brown said, before agreeing to take down his negative ads if Whitman did as well. “If Meg wants to do that, I’ll be glad to do that.”

Whitman, however, responded that she would only take down only those ads that seemed like a personal attack on Brown.

“I will take down any ads that could be even remotely be construed as a personal attack, but I don’t think we can take down ads that talk about where Gov. Brown stands on the issues,” Whitman said.

Both made an appearance at the conference with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.