I’ve been contacted by a couple of big wheels from Team Arnold this morning about this whole issue of the Governor appearing with Jerry Brown today. The message: The Governor today is going around the state touting a public policy victory with members of the legislature. The Governor’s stop in Oakland is less about Jerry Brown (or rather, not about Brown at all, they say) but about it being the home district of State Senate President Don Perata.

Of course, not lost on anyone is the fact that Jerry Brown is not just the Mayor of Oakland, but is also the leading Democratic contender for the office of Attorney General. So the challenge for the Governor is going to be how to "kick off" the Democrats who will cling to his pant legs, anxious to spend time with a Republican who is touting the largest spending plan in California history.

In my humble opinion, inviting enemies of freedom and liberty to fly on his airplane is not the best start. Especially given that Perata and Nunez… Read More

Have about 18 minutes to spare? Click here to see the video of Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate President Pro-Tem Don Parata, Speaker Fabian Nunez, Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, and Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia at a press conference in Oakland touting the achievement of placing the BIPARTISAN BIG BONDS on the November ballot. This stop is the first of four — in the home districts of the four legislative leaders — with stops in Orange County, San Diego and Los Angeles still to go.

[UPDATE: The Governor talked about immigration on Q&A at this event.]

[UPDATE: The Governor will campaign with Perata and Nunez into the fall. What will this mean for the ‘contrast campaign’? Especially for town-ticket… Read More

Today there was a lunch meeting at what was undoubted a political ‘hot spot’ in Washington, D.C. At this lunch was none other than Ken Khachigian (pictured to the right, who in his current incarnation is the Chief Strategist for GOP Attorney General candidate Chuck Poochigian, though you could look back and see names like Reagan, Deukmejian, and Herschensohn to see the kinds of candidates Ken has helped in the past). Joining Ken for lunch were several reporters from Human Events Magazine.

[Let me shamelessly plug Human Events for a moment. As you know, I keep an obsessive eye on California politics. For me, my weekly edition of HE that comes in the main is a Godsend. I kick up my feet in front of the fireplace at home, in the cushy leather chair, and in 30 minutes I really know what is going on in the nation’s capitol. Anyways, you can check out HE Online right here. You can always visit their site via the Websites Menu… Read More

Putting aside Bill Hauf’s entrance (re-entrance?) in the CD 50 race for a moment,let’s look at some of the Roach decision fallout/reaction/response/spin/you-name-it:

Jimmy Valentine, producer for Roger Hedgecock, ran this in today’s FlashFax (not to be confused with the FlashReport)… ROACH BAILS!! Let’s see it be the 8th of May, less than a month away from the June 6th primary, and finally Eric Roach, having consulted with the so-called gurus of conservatism, decides to abandon his quest for the 50th. Roach is toast. After the wrangle that he put everybody thru with his consulting and undermining Bilbray for weeks on end via his surrogate Jon Fleischmann (Flash Report: not to be confused with Flash Fax) we suspect he’ll find a welcome mat in the GOP about the same time that Ted Kennedy is welcomed aboard.

A firm grasp on reality does not appear to be a republican virtue. Local folks very late understanding that the House really is in jeopardy. The 50th is a very rare open seat (Delay’s in Texas open as well) that has no incumbent to claim automatic… Read More

For many years now, I have had the pleasure of working with Karen Hanretty. For years, Hanretty was Communications Director and spokesperson for the California Republican Party. So the two of us share a bond – alumnus of the State GOP (I served as Executive Director of the State GOP during the President’s first election campaign in the 2000 election cycle). After leaving the GOP earlier this year, Karen struck out on her own, forming a consulting practice to bring her public relations expertise to various clients. Karen has really started to make a name for herself because of her willingness to call things as she seems them – something that I admire a lot. Hanretty will be joining Dan Schnur as a State Capitol Correspondent, ensuring that we have the center-right to right spectrum covered!

Please join me in welcoming Karen to the FlashReport team! BIPARTISAN BIG BONDS I know that everyone is expecting me to come out of the chute decrying the BIG BONDS coming down the pike for the November ballot. Fear not, you will hear a lot… Read More

While absentee voters are starting to cast ballots today, the race to replace termed-out Assemblyman Russ Bogh in the 65th Assembly District GOP Primary is turning out to be one of the hottest in the state.

As of Friday, Hemet Mayor Robin Lowe had raked in the most in late contributions with $66,000. However, Lowe was lagging as of the March 17th 460 Form filing with $96,000 cash-on-hand, behind San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayers with $346,000 and Banning Councilwoman Brenda Salas with $180,000. Salas is currently in second place in the late contributions race with $46,000, while Yucca Valley Mayor Paul Cook has taken in $36,000, adding to his $78,000 C-O-H from the last 460 filing. Ayers shows only $25,000 in late contributions, but probably isn’t losing sleep because of his superior war chest. Since the March 17 filing, each candidate also has added whatever contributions under $1,000 may have come in minus whatever they’ve spent since then. The next reports come out May 25th.

Here’s someperspective oneach majorcandidate in this race:

Jim Ayers, notwithstanding a lot of steady… Read More

USA Today Covers La Suer Bill Targeting Convicted Athletes… I’m posting this a little late, perhaps, but what political junkie reads USA today? Glad I came across it now. La Suer’s AB 2165 would ban college students from team sports or collegiate sporting events if the athlete is convicted of a violent felony, until after paying their debt to society. This after last year’s state community college football champs (Grossmont College) apparently fielded some thugs…meaning thugs off the field…thuggery on the field is still ok, it is football.

Even the ACLU couldn’t have a problem with this bill, could they…or should I ask?

See the story here.

Those Damn Water Boards Will Get You Every Time… A press release from the campaign of 77th AD Candidate Joel Anderson referred tohis service as president of the Padre Damn Water Board. A prime example of just why you can’t rely on spell check. Other… Read More

Two of my favorite words. A couple days ago it was revealed that four city council members, the city manager and the attorney from my city of West Covina had an after meeting-eating excursion in Pico Rivera. See the my first review here. They met at a popluar politico steak house in Pico Rivera, the Dal Rae. You can see a story about the place here.

If anyone wished to buy me lunch there, please let me know. I won’t eat that much honest, but I need to send a press release out.… Read More