ALTERNATIVE HOPEFULS STAGE MELLOW GOVERNOR'S DEBATE

There are five alternatives to voting for Republican Dan Lungren or
Democrat Gray Davis for governor, and all five spent nearly three unusual
hours Monday explaining why Californians should choose them.

Candidates of the Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, Natural Law, Green and
American Independent parties genially jousted with each other at Chapman
University in Orange County -- bookended by two empty lecterns bearing name
cards for Davis and Lungren.

``I'm happy this event happened. It's kind of a breakthrough,'' said Dan
Hamburg, Green Party candidate and the best known of the alternative
candidates. ``The process of (mainstream) candidate debates has so
thoroughly been taken over by the campaigns.''

On topics ranging from public works and public schools to genetic
engineering and legalizing marijuana, the five offered widely varying
solutions and positions.

The message from Steve Kubby, Libertarian candidate, and American
Independent Party candidate Nathan Johnson to most issues was less
government intervention.

Gloria Estella La Riva, Peace and Freedom candidate, advocated socialism
with free health care for those who need it, free public schools and
universities and a public takeover of utilities and financial institutions.

>From Natural Law Party candidate Harold Bloomfield came a call for more
government and health care money to be spent on prevention.

Hamburg espoused elements of both Bloomfield and La Riva's platform.

Unlike the sterile, well-choreographed Davis and Lungren debates, there was
no advance approval of questions, several of which came from audience members.

And there was no finger-pointing or bickering among the five. During a
break, Bloomfield urged candidates and audience members to hug three
people, practicing what he preached with three of the other four candidates.

Even though Davis and Lungren were absent, their names came up frequently.

``If you continue to vote for the lesser of two evils, you still have
evil,'' said Kubby, who credits marijuana with holding his cancer in abeyance.

``We are the Socialist Party,'' said Gloria Estella La Riva, the fiery
Peace and Freedom candidate.

``Gray Davis proposes lowering the age of the death penalty to age 14. Dan
Lungren, he brags as attorney general he has carried out the death penalty
and wants to expand it. They both plan to carry out the same racist and
reactionary programs of Pete Wilson,'' La Riva said.

``This is the level on which the campaign is being run by both the
Democrats and Republicans.''

Pointing to how little the two major parties differ on issues, Johnson
called them ``Demicans'' and ``Republicrats.''

Hamburg is a former one-term Democratic Congressman from Ukiah who
registered Green in 1996.

Of the five, he is the only one with a chance -- a very slim one

- --to affect the outcome in the governor's race.

In the latest Field Poll, 5 percent of those surveyed say they are voting
for a minor party candidate. In the Field Poll on the U.S. Senate race, 2
percent say they are voting for an alternative candidate.

``The other candidates are equally unknown in both races -- except for
Hamburg,'' said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.

``Hamburg is going to get more than 1 or 2 percent of the vote, it appears
to me,'' DiCamillo said. ``He will impact the race if it becomes one
decided by a few percentage points.''

Just like their major party counterparts, the candidates skillfully dodged
some tough questions.

When asked how they would pay for improvements needed in public schools,
four said how important education was but were mum on where the money would
come from.

Bloomfield said savings from spending more on preventative health care
would cover the costs.

On other issues, all agreed that genetic engineering required more
oversight and that genetically altered food should be labeled as such.

Kubby, La Riva and Hamburg favor legalization of marijuana.

Johnson favored school vouchers paid to parents that could be used in
either private or public schools. La Riva strongly opposed the idea.

La Riva and Hamburg opposed the three strikes sentencing law. ``Prisons are
concentration camps for the poor,'' La Riva said.

Bloomfield said rehabilitation was at the `'core of a humane society'' and
that studies have shown inmates who practice transcendental meditation have
a lower recidivism rate.

All agreed the current political system is corrupt.

``When we have a chance to lead California, we're going to kick some a--,''
Bloomfield said in his closing remarks, sparking a round of laughter from
the other candidates.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski