From the SF Chronicle:
California, which grew accustomed to Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame treatment for its former celebrity chief executive, may be returning - to use a line coined by Gov. Jerry Brown - to the politics of "lowered expectations" when it comes to Sacramento's biggest show, the workings of the governor's office….72-year-old Brown underscored those strengths in his 2010 gubernatorial drive launch on the Internet, when he looked directly at the camera and told Californians that "at this stage in my life" he wasn't looking to a future political campaign but to secure California's future, said Joe Trippi, Brown's campaign-ad strategist. "He's giving you, up front, an explanation on why he needs to do it; he doesn't have time to screw around," said UC Irvine political scientist Mark Petracca. Whether cutting his staff or demanding cuts in state employee cell phones or state-purchased cars, Brown is "not kidding around," Petracca said. "He's of a particular age where time is more precious - and I think it makes people take you more seriously."

For the full story, please visit http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F01%2F30%2F....