Check out this behind-the-scenes clip, from yesterday’s Schwarzenegger interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos (warning: it’ll pop up, after an annoying ad).

The video begins with the Governator asking his interviewer how he stays so trim. The two then get into a discussion of workout regimens, with Stephanopoulos saying that he’s currently into "super-slow" weight-training.

That prompts Arnold to outline what he calls "the shocking principle" — "you never let the muscle know what’s coming next, because you shock it . . so what you do is you always surprise the muscle."

Sounds like an apt metaphor for a Governor who sometimes shocks and surprises us with his swings from left to right to somewhere in between.… Read More

Those watching the Oakland mayor’s race should check out Chip Johnson‘s column in the San Francisco Chronicle today. Johnson rightly points out that former Congressman Ron Dellums is long on rhetoric but short on details in his campaign for mayor. Johnson says that Dellums offered soft-on-crime views during a recent meeting with the Chronicle’s editorial board. For example, Dellums said he doesn’t support the Oakland Unified School District‘s zero tolerance for violence or drugs because he thinks it disproportionately affects African American and Latino youth.

With the election just six weeks away, maybe Dellums will… Read More

Rasmussen has a new survey out on the Governor’s race here in California and it is good news for Schwarzenegger.

You can catch their release here.

Angelides: 36% Schwarzenegger: 49%

Westly: 40% Schwarzenegger: 48%… Read More

When the unions are quiet the Governor’s approval ratings start inching up, so its no surprise the California Teachers Association is up on radio blaming Arnold for a supposed lack of "college opportunity" tied directly to his borrowing of education money a last year to shore up the budget.

The latest ads were heard on Newstalk 580, KMJ, a Fresno based station with huge reach in Central California.

Although this new ad is not up on the CTA Website yet, the rest of last year’s ads against the Governor are – and there is no reason to believe the summer of 2006 will be any different or any less effective.

Arnold’s fortunes in November are tied to one strategicaspect of his campaign – how does he deal with teachers, nurses, firefighters, cops and prison guards? If his campaign does not aggressively define these groups before they define him again, he won’t win re-election.… Read More

Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia announced the following as the members of his Leadership Team.

I’ve made an inquiry to find out exactly the responsibilities of some of these positons. Caucus Chairman and being the Vice Chairman of a key policy committee are more or less self-explanitory in terms of added responsibility (and presumably staff positions). But it is unclear to me what you "get" if you are one of five Assistant Leaders or Six Whips. Do these folks all meet as a leaderhip team? Is there staffing augmentation? Do tell! In the meantime, you can figure each of these folks played a key role in the election of Plescia, either in helping him to get votes, or helping him by getting out of the way…

➢ Republican Caucus Chair: Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton

… Read More

[Today’s guest commentary is from Adam Probolsky.]

Folks, I have a real hard time with anyone telling me in what language I have to communicate. Especially when its not English.

Today’s Flashreport features an exclusive column from OC Supervisor Chris Norby on multi-lingual ballots. As a pollster, I deal in many languages because my job is to identify public opinion. So sometimes that requires us to survey people in the language in which they are most comfortable speaking. But I sure wouldn’t want to be forced into such a practice. We only do it when it is necessary or prudent.

If you have tried to circulate recall papers or a local initiative for signatures lately chances are your attorney told you to publish the notice and circulate petitions in as many a five (5) additional languages: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese.

What a crock.

I mean no disrespect, but in the business of collecting signatures for a ballot measure, circulators do not have the time nor the interest… Read More

Wall’s Appointment to CRP Board… The CRP Board appointed longtime SD activist Warene Wall to its ranks on Friday. Here’s Ron Nehring’s take on it, sent to SD GOP folks:

I’m extremely pleased to announce that minutes ago the California Republican Party Board of Directors confirmed the appointment of our own Warene Wall to be the new Vice Chair/South of the state party. Warene replaces Keith Carlson, who was elected CRP Treasurer at our February convention.

Warene is a first class member of our leadership team, and I’m certain she will do a great job in her new position on the CRP Board of Directors. The appointment does not affect her position as our 2nd V/C in San Diego.

Three years ago, there was not a single San Diegan on the state party board of directors. Today, Warene is the *third* San Diegan on the state party board, joining my self and Assemblyman George Plescia, who joined the Board when he became Assembly Republican leader on Monday.

Congratulations!

Ron Although there had been rumblings about others… Read More

Several weeks ago, all hell broke loose in Ventura County when longtime US Representative Elton Gallegly stated that although he filed as a candidate for re-election to his seat, he would not run for re-election due to health concerns. This announcement spawned a last minute flurry of activity over who would, and could, legally file for and run for that seat. For a while it looked like an unknown challenger, Michael Tenenbaum, would waltz into the seat due to being in the right place at the right time. After significant pressure from national GOPers, including the Speaker of the House, Gallegly decided to campaign for his seat and is likely to be re-elected. (Notably, shortly after Gallegly announced his decision not to run, I suggested here on the FlashReport that he should be re-elected regardless of whether he campaigned to prevent a no-name from becoming the unintended beneficiary of a nominally open seat in Congress).

Now, legislation sponsored by State Senator Jim Battin (R-La Quinta), is being put forward to fix the glitch that could… Read More