I’ve been away from a computer since early this morning. Seems appropriate to note that ex-Assemblyman Mike Duvall has jumped out of the frying pan, and it remains to be seen if he falls into the fire.

As Barry Jantz noted below, ace political reporter Carla Marinucci, anxious to let all Republicans who missed her at convention that she is back in town, blogged about GOP candidate Meg Whitman’s having supported Barbara Boxer early on in her 2004 re-election. For my part, reading about Whitman’s check to Boxer was not news — that had been out for a while. But it was the fact that she was visibly out there, with her name on media release put out by the incumbent whacky-left Senator that startled me (see it below).

In reading the Marinucci story, Whitman’s spokesperson says, get this, that her support of Boxer was anti-tax. Nice.

A lot of… Read More

Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and her team have been having to endure what is now over a week of intense scrutiny after an investigative piece published in the Sacramento Bee last week concluded that until just a few years ago there is no sign that Whitman had voted in any elections.

Normally when a candidate is faced with a "bad" story, the tactic of the campaign is to try and "starve it" and wait it out — change the subject. Sometimes, though, stories become big enough that you have to deal with them with a press statement, or at a press conference.

This story apparently has enough legs that Whitman has decided to actually create a professional video message to supporters and potential supporters, confronting it head on…

Check it out below…

… Read More

In the continuing saga of what some might describe as "Which Republican candidate’s history can top the others in the surprising category," Carla Marinucci at the SF Chronicle has the news that Meg Whitman both endorsed and contributed big bucks to Senator Barbara Boxer in 2003.

Absent from the Whitman spokesperson response in the article is any acknowledgement from the candidate she now considers the Boxer support a mistake. So, does she stand by it?

I wonder what Bill Jones must think?… Read More

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass has sent water policy novice Assemblywoman Anna Caballero to Washington D.C. to as one of the Democrat's “chief negotiator” for California's water crisis.

Why does the Assembly Speaker Karen Bass believe Asm. Caballero is one of the top negotiators on water for the Golden State, when Asm. Cabellero has only introduced two water related bills and the one that seeks to improve the Central Valley water crisis, Asm. Caballero lifted 90% of the language from Senator Cogdill's bond bill?

This doesn't make Asm. Caballero and expert in water. It makes her an expert in photocopying and taking other people's ideas.

With Asm. Caballero in Washington D.C., what immediate actions will our damaged region receive? Will the pumps be turned on, or will there be another study, more delay and empty promises, and more lost jobs? The people in the Central Valley were hopeful when the Assembly Leader Alberto Torrico stated the that Latino Caucus in supporting a proposal that puts the people over politics and improves the Central Valley, not special environmental interests. … Read More

According to Forbes Magazines just-released "Top 400 Wealthiest People" list, Margaret "Meg" Whitman of Atherton, California, comes in at #326 with an estimated worth of $1.2 billion.

Well, you may have to subtract a couple of bucks from that as she recently bought me a cup of coffee. Though I suspect it won’t bump her down to #327.… Read More

When I fly to Sacramento I typically blog about the politicos on the flight. Sacramento being the mecca for California politics, there is always a familiar face on that flight.

Today I am flying up to San Francisco, and I am relatively pleased to say that I don't recognize anyone on my flight!

I did spot some familiar faces in John Wayne Airport — coming off of their flight from Sac were Dick and Linda Ackerman! So it is still a small world.

Wheels up!… Read More

I’m pleased to report that my long-time friend, Laura Cunningham, is seriously exploring a run for Orange County Clerk-Recorder. She received encouragement to run after Sup. Chris Norby jumped into the 72nd Assembly District special election, instead.

Laura has already racked up some significant endorsements, such as OC Supervisors Bill Campbell and Pat Bates, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, former Supervisor and current Assemblyman Jim Silva, as well as a number of local elected officials. John Lewis and Matt Holder, who have run a number of successful county-wide races, have agreed to serve as her consultants.

I’ve known Laura for many years, and think she would make a tremendous Clerk-Recorder. She brings leadership skills, political savvy and organizational and operational experience from both business and government. Given her breadth of political experience and connections, Laura will make a formidable candidate."

This may be déjà vu for some long-time OC politicos: Laura ran for the post 12 years ago when incumbent Gary Granville decided to retire. She… Read More

Affecting my old Assembly district, Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, comes todays news that the PacifiCorp group, who owns a series of dams on the Klamath River which runs basically parallel to and near the Oregon-California border, has agreed to surrender its ability to produce clean renewable Hydro power, which does not bode well for new projects of any kind in California.

This settlement agreement has been a long time in process, about nine years, with farmers, fishermen, local tribes and a plethora of environmental groups all wrestling along with many government agencies of 2 states and the federal level and the actual owners of the dams. 4 dams now are slated to be destroyed and removed if the provisons ofthe agreement come to fruition. Indeed there are 29 signers to this settlement agreement draft. The net loss to Californians and Oregonians will be low cost, renewable, green hydroelectric power that serves about 75000 customers, power that will have to be replaced. With theever tightening noose of regulations of how and where electricity is sourced for… Read More