Top Photo by R. Robertson: Nurses arrive fresh from a protest at the home of Meg Whitman to enthusiastic greetings from supporters the Raging Grannies.

The California Nurses Association, along with other union leaders, say that gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's agenda would punish the middle class and push the state deeper into recession. Whitman's agenda includes cutting 40,000 state government jobs, dramatically reducing public employee pensions, deregulating industry and cutting welfare benefits.

Nurses know that Whitman is trying to drive a wedge between union leaders and their rank-and-file. They say it is a tactic only a multimillionaire candidate could afford to try, because of the expensive micro-targeting it requires.

CNA co-president Deborah Burger said recently, ''I think it's important for us to be able to communicate to our patients and the community just what California's in for if they get a corporate CEO in charge of California.''

At a rally held at Cañada College today, the nurses were treated to musical greetings from the Raging Grannies and Petty Theft before speakers took the stage.