While I am off on vacation, I am still trying to find fun things to post to the blog — and I couldn’t resist this article by Sarah Kershaw in today’s New York Times.. Not only because it cites the FlashReport in the opening paragraphs, but because it highlights the fact that there is still a lot of unrest and unhappiness with Gray Davis’ former Deputy Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, (she is also a former Executive Director of the State Democrat Party) becoming Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Chief of Staff. The Governor has stated repeatedly (and told me directly) that Kennedy has been hired to implement his vision, not the other way around. But as conservative guru Morton Blackwell says, personnel IS policy. Well, I have spoken plenty about my unhappiness and discomfort with the Kennedy hire, but check out this article. You can read the post cited in the first paragraph here.
By Sarah Kershaw, The New York Times
SACRAMENTO, Dec. 22 – The enemies were on high alert and the blogosphere had a juicy news flash: Susan P. Kennedy, a prominent Democrat who will soon take over as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chief of staff, was spotted having lunch with the chairman of the California Republican Party at a popular steakhouse here called Chops.
"You should know our sellout Susan Kennedy is having lunch at Chops right now with your party chairman – probably re-registering," the blog, Flashreport, reported recently, quoting a Democrat as one of two informants about the lunch.
Since she accepted the appointment last month, Ms. Kennedy, 45, has been excoriated by members of her party crying betrayal and by conservative Republicans lobbing attacks at her – and at the Republican governor – in the news media, in the blogosphere and on one Republican Web site devoted entirely to the subject, www.stopsusankennedy.com.
"I don’t Google myself anymore," Ms. Kennedy said in a 90-minute interview at a coffee shop across the street from the Capitol. "Look at the way I’ve been described in the press; I’m a sycophant of big business and a foaming-at-the-mouth liberal in the same article."
Ms. Kennedy’s 25-year career in Democratic Party politics includes serving as deputy chief of staff and a cabinet secretary to Mr. Schwarzenegger’s predecessor, Gray Davis, who was ousted by Mr. Schwarzenegger in a stunning recall vote in 2003.
Read the rest of the article here.