After helping our friend Hugh Hewitt through security and to the “spin room” Nick and I decided, with a while to go before the debate, to pay our respects to the Gipper.

As I write this, we’re beside his memorial, where President Reagan sleeps forever. On the memorial is a quote from Reagan, that reads: “I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right wull always eventually triumph and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.”

Stationed around the burial site are Cub Scouts (Troop 3732) asking us not to take any photos today.

Reflecting here, it is apparent that there will be no other President who will live up to Ronald Reagan. Nor should anyone try. He was one of a kind…… Read More

Nick and I have been “working” the spin room for a while now. The big “to do” was the press conference where Rudy Giuliani threw his support to John McCain. We had virtually front row seats for the action. I’ve done quite a few media interviews, and CRP Chairman Ron Nehring has been doing twice as many… T-minus 71 minutes ’til the debate…… Read More

Nothing. Nil.… Read More

This is hot off the presses from Team McCain:

CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP TEAM State Chair The Honorable Bill Jones – Former California Secretary of State Honorary Vice Chairs Mayor Alan Autry, Fresno Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles County The Honorable James Brulte – Former State Senate… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

The Post-Arnold?

Meg Whitman, the retiring chairman of the Internet auction site eBay, is telling colleagues she has no current plans to run for governor of California as a Republican in 2010 when Arnold Schwarzenegger is termed out of office. But my California sources tell me the 53-year-old corporate powerhouse caught the political bug this year raising money for Mitt Romney, with whom she worked at the venture capital firm Bain & Co.

This month, Ms. Whitman made the rounds of key Republican groups in the state and got a warm reception. She would bring a sterling record of running eBay for a decade along with the advantage of being a fresh face on the California… Read More

With the leftover 2007 bills the main core of our file, the talk is that we are trying to grind it all out today/tonight and allow members to get back to their districts, etc. [perhaps to tryand save the failing Prop 93 campaign?] Some of these bills include stuff that couldn’t pass muster the first time, like the SUV tax bill, or others that were just held in committee previously. It should be a long but battle-inspiring day trying to stop the "triple star oppose" bills, which is the term our caucususes forthe really bad ones, like the SUV tax.… Read More

FR Friend Joel Fox has been a McCain for President man for a long time, having served as a Statewide Co-Chair for his run in 2000. He’s President of the Small Business Action Committee. *Later on I will be posting a piece from Assemblyman Bob Huff that talks about his decision to endorse Mitt Romney, and is quite critical of McCain — so for all of those looking for balance — it’s coming…*

So without further introduction, Joel’s piece on McCain:

The California budget mess should echo with Republican voters as they consider their vote in the upcoming presidential primary election. Out-of-control spending has crippled California’s fiscal standing. In Washington, pork barrel spending destroys common sense and undermines the voters’ respect for the stewards of our tax dollars. Controlling Washington’s proliferate ways is one important… Read More

Tonight Senator John McCain won big in Florida. It is obviously the big story.

The story that should stand out to political observers is the impact Florida Governor Charlie Crist is having in his state. Crist stepped up to endorse McCain a few days ago. He helped shape the outcome of the race for President.

The key thing is that Crist is not just celebrating a victory for McCain tonight. He is celebrating a huge victory at the polls tonight as his state just voted in favor of a $9 billion property tax cut.

California state government faces a deficit of at least $18 billion. Florida meanwhile just passed tax CUTS totaling half of that. Imagine. I predict that we will see a tax increase considered in Sacramento before the end of the summer.

Look for Florida Governor Charlie Crist to be a regular name mentioned when Vice-Presidential… Read More