Voters in the 4th Congressional District got their first look at the two contenders for the open seat at a debate in Rocklin this evening. Doug Ose and Tom McClintock faced off in an almost two hour debate. The event, hosted by the Placer County Lincoln Club, was packed with almost 500 people in attendance. Gary Dietrich, political report for local KFBK radio, served as the moderator.

Upon entering the room I noticed that there were lots of people with Ose for Congress stickers on their lapels but as soon as the debate started, it was clear that McClintock was the crowd favorite. Each candidate was given a four minute opening statement with the first turn going to Ose. He immediately launched into his campaign theme of being the only candidate “born and raised in Northern California.”

In his opening statement, McClintock set the tone for the evening by making it clear that this primary race is a battle between two factions in… Read More

A serious firestorm is brewing in greater LA over remarks made by Rev. Eric Lee made in front of Jewish philanthropist Daphna Ziman [Arden Realty] .

On April 4th Ziman was to be honored by receiving the Tom Bradley Distinguished Citizen Award by the black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi. After Ms. Ziman receive her award for her support of black foster children, she was followed by keynote speaker Rev. Lee.

Tom Bradley a pleasant if ineffective mayor of Los Angeles earmarked a milestone in LA politics by fusing the Jewish westside with Southside blacks into a dominating political force. Bradley was a 30 year cop who came up clean during some sordid years of LAPD before Chief Parker clearned house in the 1950’s. That once optomistic and youthful coalition now lies in tatters. How ironic the recepient of the Bradley award was insulted by an extended irrational anti Semetic attack.

Rev. Lee is President of the Greater Los Angeles Southern Christain Leadership Conference, an organization co-founded by Martin Luther King. Soon after Lee thanked Jesus for the Obama candidacy, he launched into an extended rant againsty Jews.

Looking directly at Daphna… Read More

San Diego City Councilman Scott Peters, while running for city attorney, voting for a 24 percent council pay hike and then reversing himself in the wake of public outcry, thus ensuring that his campaign opponents will not only refer to him as an out-of-control tax-and-spender, but now also a flip-flopper…

Proof that attorneys are no smarter than the rest of us.… Read More

A serious firestorm is brewing in greater LA over remarks made by Rev. Eric Lee made in front of Jewish philanthropist Daphna Ziman [Arden Realty] .

On April 4th Ziman was to be honored by receiving the Tom Bradley Distinguished Citizen Award by the black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi. After Ms. Ziman receive her award for her support of black foster children, she was followed by keynote speaker Rev. Lee.

Tom Bradley a pleasant if ineffective mayor of Los Angeles earmarked a milestone in LA politics by fusing the Jewish westside with Southside blacks into a dominating political force. Bradley was a 30 year cop who came up clean during some sordid years of LAPD before Chief Parker clearned house in the 1950’s. That once optomistic and youthful coalition now lies in tatters. How ironic the recepient of the Bradley award was insulted by an extended irrational anti Semetic attack.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

[Publisher’s Note: FR State Capitol Correspondent Jim Battin serves as a colleague in the State Senate with Dave Cogdill, the new Senate Republican Leader. In our continuing effort to help FR readers around the state (and nation) gain some insights into Cogdill as he begins his new challenge, we asked Battin if he would draw on some personal thoughts and observations… Which he has done in aces! I found this interesting and I hope you do, too! – Flash] First and foremost, Dave Cogdill is my friend.He also happens to be the new Senate Republican Leader.He’s a man that I enjoy spending time with and discussing the trials that face California.We frequently do that while smoking cigars.It’s not really so secret, but the Hyatt Hotel across the street from the Capitol Building has a great patio and fire pit where we frequently retreat to the patio to discuss the day’s legislative activities, or to unwind from a busy committee … Read More

Pope Benedict XVI answered some press questions on the flight from Rome to America, and veteran Catholic journalist John Allen posted transcriptions here.

The question dealt with the objectives of his trip, the clergy sex abuse scandal, immigration, the United Nations and the role of religion in public life.

Given the discussions generated in the local blogosphere over the display of "In God We Trust" in local city council’s and school board chambers, I thought the Pope’s answer to the latter topic be particularly insightful:

Lombardi: Thank you, Your Holiness. Now we’ll have a question that refers to American society, the place of religious values in American society, from our colleague Andrea Tornielli, the Vatican writer of the newspaper Il Giornale.

Tornielli: Holy Father, in receiving the new ambassador of the United States of America,

Once upon a time, when now-Congressman Kevin McCarthy was a Young Republican activist, we used to cross swords on some issues. One, in particular, was the Life issue. I was a passionate advocate for the party’s strong stand for the unborn and Kevin… Well, we didn’t agree. Then again, those schooled by moderates like former Congressman Bill Thomas and his moderate minion tended to…do as ordered.

Well, years have gone by now, and to Kevin’s credit, as he has found his own way, he’s moved to the right. Many acknowledge that while he still has some of Thomas’ pragmatic brinksmanship, he’s definately staked out a more principled stand on many issues (for example McCarthys’s been reasonably good on the issue of earmarks, where Thomas was a porker of some skill).

Anyways, I’ve been told that McCarthy will be announced as Chairman of the Platform Committee for this Summer’s RNC Convention… Congratulations! An honor for the Congressman, and for California. All of these years later, it will be Kevin’s job to make sure that the GOP stands tall for the Right to Life of the innocent… Read More

[Publisher’s Note: FR State Capitol Correspondent Jim Battin serves as a colleague in the State Senate with Dave Cogdill, the new Senate Republican Leader. In our continuing effort to help FR readers around the state (and nation) gain some insights into Cogdill as he begins his new challenge, we asked Battin if he would draw on some personal thoughts and observations… Which he has done in aces! I found this interesting and I hope you do, too! – Flash]

First and foremost, Dave Cogdill is my friend.He also happens to be the new Senate Republican Leader.He’s a man that I enjoy spending time with and discussing the trials that face California.We frequently do that while smoking cigars.It’s not really so secret, but the Hyatt Hotel across the street from the Capitol Building has a great patio and fire pit where we frequently retreat to the patio to discuss the day’s legislative activities, or to unwind from a busy committee schedule.… Read More