Associated Press is reporting that longtime conservative Reagan confidant Lyn Nofziger has passed away. Lyn has been a friend to me these past almost 20 years, and I will miss him dearly.

Here is the AP Report:

WASHINGTON — Franklyn "Lyn" Nofziger, the rumpled and irreverent conservative who served President Reagan as press secretary and political adviser, died of cancer Monday. He was 81. Nofziger died at his home in Falls Church, Va., said Eldin Girdner, a family friend. … Read More

RALLIES ON IMMIGRATION REFORM Tens of thousands of protesters, in what was clearly a coordinated statewide effort, held rallies to protest what they consider to be unacceptable solutions to the country’s illegal immigation problem. This is a national debate, and while the FR is a California-centered publication, there is probably no other state that is as negatively impacted by the failure of the federal government to address this problem than ours. Mike Der Manouel has a commentary on the main page on this issue — but it seems to me that you can divide the issue into two parts. The first part — the easy part — is border control. Congress needs to put up a security barrier between Mexico and the United States, and take seriously the role of tracking who is coming into this country. Pursuant to this is an obligation to exclude from entry anyone… Read More

RALLIES ON IMMIGRATION REFORM Tens of thousands of protesters, in what was clearly a coordinated statewide effort, held rallies to protest what they consider to be unacceptable solutions to the country’s illegal immigation problem. This is a national debate, and while the FR is a California-centered publication, there is probably no other state that is as negatively impacted by the failure of the federal government to address this problem than ours. Mike Der Manouel has a commentary on the main page on this issue — but it seems to me that you can divide the issue into two parts. The first part — the easy part — is border control. Congress needs to put up a security barrier between Mexico and the United States, and take seriously the role of tracking who is coming into this country. Pursuant to this is an obligation to exclude from entry anyone… Read More

50th Polling … KGTV Channel 10 released a "favorable/unfavorable" SurveyUSA poll, which you can see here. Not sure how useful this is with out detailed info. If you’re gonna ask only one question, why not ask how the respondent will vote … but, what do I know? Here’s the toplines … for the frontrunners:

Name/Favorable/Unfavorable/Unfamiliar Busby / 38% / 26% / 20%

Bilbray /23% / 20% / 29%

Kaloogian / 20% / 18% / 40%

Morrow / 19% / 20% / 35%

Roach / 20% / 24% / 32%

Uke / 15% / 22% / 39%

If you buy these numbers, Eric Roach’s advertising has definitely impacted the race, with a higher familiarity than Morrow and Kaloogian, but it has also increased his negatives.

Weekend Events … One of the premier annual political functions in San Diego County, certainly the best put together for/by an East County politico, isn’t even a dinner… Read More

Just received this from Datamar:

Democrat Busby Tops 18-Candidates List, But Sum Of Next Four Candidates Exceeds Her Total

Bilbray, Kaloogian, Roach Lead Republican Candidates

San Diego – A poll was released today by Datamar Inc. regarding candidates from all political parties in the 50th Congressional Special Election to be held April 11th. This survey questioned 50th Congressional District high-propensity registered voters — voters who voted in the 2004 Presidential primary and general elections and in the 2002 gubernatorial primary and general elections.Unlike the survey I noted this morning (see post below), Datamar does ask the obvious question, "If the election were held today, for whom would you vote?":

Busby 36%

Bilbray 11.7%

Roach 11.2%

Kaloogian 10.6%

Orren 5%

Morrow 4.8%

Uke 3%

I’ll stop at that point in the list. See the entire survey results here.… Read More

Yesterday I wrote about Steve Schmidt, who is now closing in on two months as the campaign manager for Governor Schwarzenegger’s re-election. There was a story in the Capitol Weekly that was focused on Schmidt’s first three paychecks, which were pretty large. As I said in my piece, Schmidt not only got a hiring bonus (remember, he relocated his family to California from a pretty sweet-gig in the Administration in D.C.) but also may be the best investment that the campaign makes for the discipline and organizational skills he will bring to the campaign. This will pay off the most dividends if Schmidt can introduce some ‘consulting reform’ to the statewide campaign. A look back at traditional statewide campaigns and ballot measure efforts, most definately including the Governor’s past campaigns in both regards, show that a small group of consultants walk away with… Read More

Yesterday I wrote about Steve Schmidt, who is now closing in on two months as the campaign manager for Governor Schwarzenegger’s re-election. There was a story in the Capitol Weekly that was focused on Schmidt’s first three paychecks, which were pretty large. As I said in my piece, Schmidt not only got a hiring bonus (remember, he relocated his family to California from a pretty sweet-gig in the Administration in D.C.) but also may be the best investment that the campaign makes for the discipline and organizational skills he will bring to the campaign. This will pay off the most dividends if Schmidt can introduce some ‘consulting reform’ to the statewide campaign. A look back at traditional statewide campaigns and ballot measure efforts, most definately including the Governor’s past campaigns in both regards, show that a small group of consultants walk away with… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger is making a bad call in saying that he will not appoint a new Chairman to the California Prop 10 Commission, which would have the effect of terminating Rob Reiner, who was appointed by Gray Davis, and who’s term has expired (apparently you serve ‘until replaced’). In today’s San Diego Union Tribune, the paper editorializes against this unfortunate decision. The piece can be found here.

The Governor should reconsider this decision. And, oh yes, he should also come out publicly against Reiner’s tax-increase measure right away.… Read More