Seems to be that it would be a pretty big honor, at the relatively young age of 27, to be named associate deputy director of communications in the Office of the Governor. And I am sure that in the five or so months that Amanda Fulkerson has worked with communications veterans like Adam Mendelsohn and Aaron McLear (Aaron, you’ve come a long way from working for the RNC), she has learned a tremendous amount in what amounts to a ‘trial by fire’ job as Arnold Schwarzenegger draws media coverage from all around the world, on a constant basis.
Naturally, in the course of doing her job (which I hear from folks she does very well), she has a responsibility to work with third-party messaging (that is to get ‘strategic partners’ on efforts by the Governor to weigh in publicly, on message, in support of the Governor’s agenda, and in support of the Governor). That said, you have to wonder what her reaction was when Mendolsohn and McLear, stalwart Republicans both, pulled Amanda aside and said, we want you to go out to some of the Governor’s loyal GOP appointees out there and do like you do with our other efforts, get them talking points, but this time, we need to attack Senate Republicans, who are digging in because they want to lower spending in the California budget.
I’m sure they all felt a little guilty, since, of course, I am quite certain that all three of them feel that state spending is way out of control. Nevertheless, as professionals, it’s not their personal beliefs that matter now. Undoubtedly Arnold’s Chief of Staff Susan Kennedy (the former Executive Director of the California Democratic Party), trying to get a little cute, asked if we couldn’t get Republicans to beat up on Republicans (kind of a win-win for her, no?). So, Team Arnold goes into their action-mode, and what do we get?
While I couldn’t tell you exactly how things went down inside of the Governor’s office that resulted in this latest odd turn in the politics of a state budget, the scenario I outlined above is quite probable.
That said, you want to assume that the Governor himself was not consulted on such a strategy… "Governor, we want to go ahead and see if we can get some of our Republican supports to attack Republicans in the legislators for wanting a budget that spends less…"
Anyways, it is, of course, very disappointing. We should all hope that the Governor in the solitude of his office would be looking at that bust of Ronald Reagan, and saying "God Bless those principled men in the Senate" — after all, as someone who has stated publicly his affection for the late Nobel-winning economist Milton Friedman, the Governor knows how terribly big and bloated state government has become. Just because he has changed his tactics (for the worse) since his 2005 special election defeat doesn’t mean that he has changed his opinion about what he would do with state government if he had the votes.
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August 4th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I don’t feel sorry one bit for Amanda.
Unfortunately, she got her orders, but didn’t she stop someone or the Governor at their tracks and say “There has got to be another way?”
Then again, when you are an subordinate you can’t even question your superiors motives and intentions, which is very sad, because you need to have a paycheck or you could be fired for insubordination.
How much does Amanda make doing this job anyways? Is it worth the taxpayers money for her to conduct this kind behavior for the Governor?
It is very disappointing to see this going on in the Governor’s office. They sure have enough time to dance around this silly game, at the expense of hardworking California taxpayers.
Folks the California Budget is serious stuff, not child’s play.
August 4th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Jon, why do you praise Mike Villines for doing what you attack?
You can’t kiss up to everybody.
August 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I hadn’t heard about Mike Villines attacking Senate Republicans. Is this happening?