Late yesterday I returned from my three week trip to Great Britain. It was a fun time and it was great to spend so much time in another country, really getting to know the people, the places, and yes, the politics. That said, all FR readers will be happy to know that I have little intention of sharing my personal vacation experiences with you on this website, unless they somehow tie into California politics.
That said, it is great to be back in the United States in time to celebrate our nation’s birthday — especially having flown here to ‘the colonies’ as they are still referred to, tongue in cheek, by some Britons. Anyone who needs to understand what our freedoms bring to us here in America need only travel abroad — even to a country as ‘civilized’ as Great Britain, and understand that we truly are privileged to live in the greatest country on the planet!
We’ll keep this July 4th commentary short — and the news synopsis on the main page is short as well. As I like to point out, political reporters like to enjoy their holiday weekends just like the rest of us!
I would like to take a moment and thank Nicholas Romero, the FR’s Managing Editor, for doing a great job stepping up to totally run this website the past few weeks. Nick has become an important and valued part of the FR team and I hope you all appreciate him as much as I do! I’d also like to thank the many FR contributors who stepped up to pen daily commentaries in my absence. There is always so much going on in California politics — and we have no shortage of folks here who are ready to tell you what they think about it!
I’ll be spending a good bit of time today catching up, and sifting through a few thousand emails. 
But I did want to note the passing on June 28, while I was gone, of my good friend Wendell Cutting. For those of you who did not know Wendell, he was truly a dedicated Republican — who was selfless and tireless in his work on behalf of freedom and humanitarianism. Since back in his college days when he helped Congressman Duncan Hunter’s father in an unsuccessful bid for office, Wendell has been closely tied to Duncan Hunter, working for him for many, many years. Wendell is a former President of the California Republican Assembly (we used to talk about how the two of us were the two youngest serving CRA Presidents during our time in that position). Wendell was extremely involved with an organization called the Rescue Task Force, which he co-founded, which is responsible for bringing countless millions of dollars of relief aid to poor and needy people all over the world. You can read the San Diego Union Tribune’s obituary on Wendell here, and read more about the Rescue Task Force here. The Rescue Task Force produced a video-tribute to Wendell that you can see here. Wendell had been valiantly fighting cancer for many years now, out-surviving by years the predictions of doctors who said he should have been gone long ago.
When I was CRA President, many years after Wendell, he was there for me with guidence and advice. Years later, when I was struck with cancer myself, Wendell was there again with faith, advice and kindness. God bless you Wendell. You were a true friend to many, including me. You will be missed.
Enjoy America’s birthday!
Jon
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