BOXER’S NEW BOOK Barbara Boxer has two titles now – career politican AND author. That’s right, she has a new book out, entitled "A Time to Run" that is seemingly and interesting read. Apparently the scenario has a liberal female U.S. Senator from California opposing a conservative female appointee to the Supreme Court (shock). Fiction or non-fiction? I’m not really sure. The San Francisco Chronicle’s political writer/analyst has takes a quick peak at the book.

I’m not saying what Carla’s

priorities are here, but she did make it to the ‘racey’ parts of the book, like this excerpt: "… Her shirt was very short, and Josh found himself mesmerized by her pefectly shaped silken legs, with kneecaps that reminded him of golden apples … and her… Read More

President Bush is coming into California to honor Ronald Reagan, and mark the addition of Reagan’s retired Airforce One plane to the Reagan Library’s extensive and tremendous facility. This trip and speech from the President are laudable, and commendable.

But, what should have happenned when the Reagan library event made the Presidential calendar was a call from the WH political operation to Governor Schwarzenegger’s political operation… Maybe the call would be like this: "Hello ‘Murph’ – it’s Karl. We’re going to be in your state right before the Special Election. The President believes strongly in paycheck protection, fair districts, as well as education and fiscal reform. We want to do a fundraising event for your measures while we are there."

Um….that call apparently did NOT take place. Instead,… Read More

The generic images of smoky back-room party politics have not been a realistic depiction (at least not in CA) for decades. While the back-rooms are used for storage now since it’s illegal to smoke in them anyway, party politics is back, with a punch. Parties are getting keen to the idea of weighing at all levels of election politics, including endorsing and spending money on behalf of not just legislative candidates, but local races too. Read more in a column I wrote that was published today in Capitol Weekly.… Read More

It appears George Bush doesn’t have enough problems with rank and file Republicans over the Miers nomination, government spending and immigration. Now his fundraising visit to California, two weeks before the special electionhas become a source of division. The official CRP spokesperson called the visit "ill-timed." Look for these fights to continue as issues like redistricting reform seperate California’s Republicans from the White House..

Read all about it in Jon Fleichman’s commentary here.… Read More

Much more will be wrtten here about businessman Bill Mundell (pictured with Prop. 77 initiator Ted Costa) as he gears up a campaign to challenge Dianne Feinstein in her bid for re-election. Mundell, who hails out of the Westside of Los Angeles, is a successful businessman, son of a nobel-prize winner in economics, self-styled libertarian Republican who has played a key role in Proposition 77, the Redistricting Reform measure. You can read Mundell’s bio here.

It is actually safe to say that without Mundell’s early financial support, it is dubious whether 77 would be on the ballot AT ALL right now – in a state as large as California, you must have a paid effort to gather the requisate signatures. In late 1997, I worked for Ron Unz on the successful Prop. 227 campaign (to end bilingual education) – a popular issue – and still it took a substantial paid effort augmenting a volunteer effort to get onto the ballot).… Read More

Well, not really but close. City Attorney and Democratic candidate for Attorney General is suing the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on nine counts of polluting the environment. Read it here.

Drum roll please. The Chair of the of the MTA is Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa.

Looking like an enviroin a Dem primary is always more important than the interests of a fellow Dem office holder.… Read More

For many years, the League of Women Voters sponsored debates for statewide office in California. The fact that those debates are now sponsored by other organizations is a direct result of the widespread belief among Republicans that the League long ago forfeited its claim to non-partisan status because of the increasingly one-sided partisan activity of its members. To their credit, some of the League’s leaders have begun the process of trying to move their organization back. But they’ve got a big job ahead of them.

Last year, I gave a speech to the League on the question of money in politics. Although I was identified as a Republican, I made it clear at the outset that I had not come to the group with a partisan agenda. I talked about fundraising, campaign spending and about the declining interest in politics and government among young voters. On my way out, one of the members stopped me to thank me for my speech. “I was very upset when I heard a Republican had been invited to speak and I was going to boycott the lunch. But you’re not like the rest of them.”

The woman probably thought she was giving me a compliment.… Read More

Prop. 77 Politics – Ohio and Common Cause There is a ton of stuff in the news today – expect this to only escalate until we get to the Special Election. The most interesting articles surround the Redistricting Measure, Proposition 77. I’m sure FR Beltway Correspondent Jason Roe sighed heavily when he saw today’s Featured Story — that Governor Schwarzenegger has come out in support of a similar redistricting measure in Ohio. Why Ohio? There the tables are turned and it is the GOP that wrote themselves an ‘incumbent protection plan’ – the Governor is trying to make a point – that redistricting should be taken out of the hands of the politicans – everywhere.

Yesterday in San Jose, the Governor paraded out the "yesterday’s news" politicans – former San Francisco Mayor Jordan and… Read More