California: Pat's Last Putt

He had promised to reach his decision, in accordance with California tradition, "when the first snows fall on the Sierras." But the snows came in August last year. By last week, when Pat Brown finally got around to announcing that he would run for a third term as Governor of the nation's biggest state, the suspense had melted about as long ago as those first flakes.

On Brown, who usually seems as combative as a chocolate soldier, the decision worked like a bugle call. "Off to the races!" he cried at an 8...