Brown rallies the union faithful at Labor Day speech in Sacramento

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Working through a Labor Day weekend full of campaign events and the launch of his first campaign ad, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown came to Sacramento on Monday to rally the union faithful.

Speaking without notes, an animated Brown said Californians faces ‘tough choices’ and ‘shared sacrifice’ in the months and years ahead. ‘It’s going to mean doing stuff out of our comfort zone -- all of us.’

Brown accused the campaign of the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee, Meg Whitman, of ‘trying to create fear and loathing on the campaign trail.’

‘It’s not a time to scapegoat illegal immigrants or scapegoat public employees,’ he said.

Brown said that Sacramento ‘is a little screwed-up,’ but vowed to focus on solving the state’s budget problems. ‘We’re going to bring in groups -- business, labor -- and we’re going to talk about it. It’s like a big collective bargaining’ session.

Brown also focused on his long political record as an asset, and said he would speak candidly if he is elected governor.

‘I’m going to level with you. I’m going to tell you the truth,’ he said. ‘California is not a logo to be rebranded by Meg Whitman.’

He attacked Whitman’s plan for what he called $17 billion in tax breaks for the wealthiest Californians. ‘This is not a time to be driving a bigger hole to take care of the most powerful and the most affluent people in the world,’ he said.

Brown acknowledged he was far from perfect, and that looking through his record would reveal some ‘warts’ and said ‘you get a little scar tissue as you do things in life. But I’m a real person. I’m not an advertisement,’ he said. ‘No more puffy plans and snappy slogans. This is a time for truth.’

-- Anthony York in Sacramento