Kerwin Swint is a Professor of Political Science at Kennesaw State University . He wrote a book in 2006 called Mudslingers: The Top 25 Negative Political Campaigns of All Time.

California has two campaigns that make the list but the last one was in 1950.

This is an excellent book for political junkies. Some of these tactics that were used by these candidates even decades ago are pretty outrageous.

In California I actually see more hard hitting races in Democrat primaries. They seem to have no problem going for the jugular early on.

On the Republican side we have a couple races coming up in 2008 that could certainly make the list and at least one in 2010 that has great possibility.

In Mudslingers the races that rose to the top of the list usually involved race and accusations of extra martial affairs.… Read More

Test… Read More

In a recent court filing that does not bode well for the initiative process and "expressive rights" in California, Target Stores is picking on an individual signature gatherer to obtain a court order against any such activity at Target Stores.

In a Complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in late August, and just recently served, Target Stores, represented by Morrison and Foerster (New York Mayor Bloomberg proclaimed yesterday "Morrison and Foerster" day in New York City), is suing an individual initiative signature gatherer and 100 Does for a permanent injunction and trespass to enforce Target’s blanket policy of "prohibiting all groups and individuals from using its property for expressive activity."

The lawsuit would bar all expressive activities, including signature gathering for initiative campaigns, in front of Target stores, to avoid "potential for congestion in front of entrances to Target stores" and the "potential for interference with business operations." Almost all the allegations in the Complaint are general in nature and no specific allegations or facts… Read More

Normally in this space we would have today’s political commentary. And there is plenty going on in the news on which to comment — a new redistricting proposal (that excludes redrawing U.S. House lines), the growing food fight between Speaker Fabian Nunez and the California Nurses Association, or Rep. Pete Starks’ apology after making an ass out of himself — to name a few. That said, these wildfires raging all over Southern California make it very difficult to just ‘dive in’ to political analysis, as if somehow today should be ‘business as usual’ for the FR. Like many, I have spent much time watching television, listening to the radio, and surfing the web, trying to stay up on what is going on, and where. I am overwhelmed with sympathy for people who are losing their homes, and awed by the bigger-than-life task of trying to manage and suppress all of these fires. It is clearly a testament to good firefighting skills that, given that well over 400,000 acres have burned (with over 900,000 people evacuated), that there has been so little loss of life. I know a significant number of people… Read More

It’s ‘raining’ ash downtown today. It leaves a disgusting film on you if you are outside for any period of time. Tourists, language students, and the homeless own the streets.

The homeless have actually gotten particularly aggresive… maybe because the ash and heat (it’s like 90 some odd degrees but no real sun) and maybe because the streets are pretty barren and they don’t feel restrained by crowds.… Read More

Normally in this space we would have today’s political commentary. And there is plenty going on in the news on which to comment — a new redistricting proposal (that excludes redrawing U.S. House lines), the growing food fight between Speaker Fabian Nunez and the California Nurses Association, or Rep. Pete Starks’ apology after making an ass out of himself — to name a few. That said, these wildfires raging all over Southern California make it very difficult to just ‘dive in’ to political analysis, as if somehow today should be ‘business as usual’ for the FR. Like many, I have spent much time watching television, listening to the radio, and surfing the web, trying to stay up on what is going on, and where. I am overwhelmed with sympathy for people who are losing their homes, and awed by the bigger-than-life task of trying to manage and suppress all of these fires. It is clearly a testament to good firefighting skills that, given that well over 400,000 acres have burned (with over 900,000 people evacuated), that there has been so little loss of life. I know a significant number of people… Read More

The freeways on the way downtown were wide open, at rush hour. From what I can tell downtown is largely shut down. Tourists and the homeless are just about the only people in the street. City buses and the trolly are stopping and no one is getting out or in. A dull haze hangs over the city, and the smell of smoke is everywhere. San Diego has ground to a halt.… Read More

Doing his best to prove there is a God, mean-spirited extremist Congressman Pete Stark took to the House floor today to stop the bleeding for House democrats by apologizing to his colleagues, the President and the troops. In his own words "I hope with this apology I will become as insignificant as I should be."

Pete Stark can never be as insignificant as he should be.… Read More