California Prospecting : State Business Executives Rumored as Possible Clinton Appointees

Talk about timing. On Halloween--Oct. 31--John A. Young, a lifelong Republican who last September got on board the Clinton bandwagon in a most public way, retired as chief executive of Silicon Valley computer giant Hewlett-Packard Co.

Rumors are now thick that Young, 60, might just scare up a job for his “retirement” years as secretary of commerce for President-elect Bill Clinton. Or will that post go to John Sculley, chairman of Apple Computer, another California Republican who defected to the Clinton cause? Or perhaps to Roger W. Johnson, chairman of Western Digital Corp. in Irvine, yet another Republican who bailed out on Bush?

Nobody knows for sure whom Clinton has in mind for key Cabinet and advisory posts. But it’s a good bet that California’s high-tech community--not to mention the state’s lawyers, economists, academics and small-business executives--will be well represented once the Democrats take over in Washington.

In addition, the entertainment business--long a bastion of liberal, Democratic politics--will probably enjoy its best White House connections since the days of John F. Kennedy. Big bucks came Clinton’s way from Hollywood, where almost everybody this week is claiming to be an FOB (Friend of Bill), with a handful qualifying as EFOBs (Early Friend of Bill).

“California is going to have a real opportunity because we supported Clinton early,” said Regis McKenna, a veteran Silicon Valley publicist and venture capitalist. “I have a feeling that California will get favored-nation status.”

The Clinton camp is grateful for the early show of support from California business figures. Among those are such diverse executives as Ed McCracken, chief executive of computer manufacturer Silicon Graphics; Lawrence J. Ellison, president of software maker Oracle Systems; James G. Treybig, chief executive of Tandem Computers; Susie Tompkins, who heads Esprit, a San Francisco clothing company; Gerald M. Stern, in-house attorney for Occidental Petroleum; Derek Shearer, a senior economic adviser to Clinton on leave from Occidental College, and Mickey Kantor and Warren Christopher, influential Los Angeles lawyers.

Television producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason, longtime friends of the First Family-to-be, were close advisers to Clinton during his bid.

Other early support came from executives at Sony Pictures, led by Peter Guber, and independent producer Dawn Steel. Walt Disney Co. President Frank Wells was on a list of business backers. But it’s unlikely that any of these executives will end up in high-profile jobs within the Administration.

Some quid pro quos might be in order for the high-tech sector, on the other hand.

High-tech executives already have been buoyed by Clinton’s technology agenda, which includes investment tax credits to spur investment in manufacturing equipment, a push for an advanced communications network nationwide and research money for civilian projects that would come from defense-related funds.

The unexpected support from the high-tech “dream team” was a particular boon to the campaign at a key point last fall. But a year earlier, even before Clinton had declared his candidacy, he had begun building support in meetings with Silicon Valley executives, impressing them with his understanding of such issues as competitiveness, trade and education.

“All of these people were enormously important to the campaign,” Ellis Mottur, director of the business and high-tech constituencies for the Clinton campaign, said of the Clinton supporters. “Whether or not (they) are appointees (to Cabinet and other key positions), they will be key advisers.”

Mottur cautioned that no decisions have been made and that Clinton is poring over a long list of Democrats, Republicans and independents. Clinton has vowed to pick the best people regardless of political affiliation and to have a diversified Administration. That could certainly put people like Sculley and Young in line.

Neither would comment about the speculation. But Cindy McCaffrey, a spokeswoman for Apple, said: “Mr. Sculley is very happy heading up Apple Computer.”

Groves reported from San Francisco and Bates from Los Angeles.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

The election of Bill Clinton as President will mean new opportunities for scores of California business executives--either through appointments with the new administration or as policy advisers with access to the head of state. Here’s a partial list of business people likely to benefit from a Clinton presidency, and some President Bush backers who will not.

Who’s in

Apple Computer’s John Sculley

Retired Hewlett-Packard CEO John A. Young

Western Digital’s Roger Johnson

Insurance executive Eli Broad

TriStar Chairman Mike Medavoy

Walt Disney President Frank Wells

Producer Dawn Steel

Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Peter Guber

Television producers Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason

Who’s out

Lod Cook of Arco

Billionaire David Murdoch

Producer Jerry Weintraub

The Hoover Institution think tank

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Economist (and Los Angeles native) Michael Boskin

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman (and Redondo Beach native) Richard Breeden