CA gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman, is turning down an opportunity to debate her opponents at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group forum.
Both Democratic candidates (Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom), as well as the remaining Republicans (Tom Campbell and Steve Poizner) will be at the September 16th event.
Whitman's camp says a prior commitment to a Fortune Magazine "Most Powerful Women" Summit is what's keeping her from the gig, but The San Francisco Chronicle's Carla Marinucci says there's trouble if a front-running meme forms (Whitman didn't participate in a May debate over budget ballot issues -- both Poizner and Campbell did).
.... just a thought: if it starts to look like there's too much heat in this kitchen for the political rookie CEO -- heat that the male candidates will show up to take -- then Meg's political goose could get cooked, fast.
