I just got off of a national conservative blogger briefing with Senator John McCain, and let me tell you, that is one pumped up primary winner! He was with his colleague, Senator Lindsay Graham, and was very enthusiastic. I was going to ask the Senator about his campaign plans for California, since we’ve already begun to vote here. But it was like trying to call into a radio talk show, getting to ask a question. The format of these calls (and to the Senator’s credit, he holds them frequently) is that McCain talks for a few minutes, and then throws things open to Q&A. When that happens, the moderator tells you to push a button if you have a question. I swear to you my finger was ON the button at that time — and still, a half-dozen others ended up in the queue before me. Alas, I didn’t make the cut. Suffice it to say, though, that McCain (and he should be) is very upbeat today. (For a thorough write up from the call, check here on the NRO Blog.)

I’m sure that all 179 McCain supporters submitted as potential delegates… Read More

Former State Controller Houston I Flournoy was one of my instructors at USC. He was a statesman and a scholar.

He believed he was a Nixon pardon away from being Governor.

Flournoy passed away on Monday.

Fight On!

My prayers are with his family.… Read More

UPDATE 1:55 PM: WHAT THE BUCK? I thought I would add another interesting aside (which I am sure my friend Martin Wisckol at the Orange County Register’s Total Buzz blog will enjoy) — the one name that I thought for sure would appear as a delegate for Mike Huckabee is Orange County’s Buck Johns. Buck, who hails from Arkansas, held a huge event for Huckabee at his home and is quite enthusiastic about Huck. Fascinating.

OK – thanks to Democrat Secretary of State Debra Bowen, all of the submitted delegate lists for the GOP Presidential candidates are available on the SoS website here.

I note with some interest that California "Favorite Son" candidate Duncan Hunter did not even both to submit a delegate list, even to name three prospective delegates should he win his own House seat. A strong indicator that he is in the process of ending his ersatz candidacy.

Heck, even Alan Keyes, whom I frankly forgot was "running" for President, submitted seven prospective… Read More

I’ve been a member of the California Republican Party since 1993, an Executive Committee member since 1995, and Party Treasurer from 1999-2001. We had a conference call today with Chairman Ron Nehring to discuss strategy for 2008. While I will not get into the details on the call, I would like to make some observations:

1. The Governor left the State Party a steaming pile of crap, in the form of debt, from the 2006 campaign;

2. Not much has been done by the Governor, to be charitable, to help the Party retire it’s debt and build up a campaign war chest – he simply doesn’t care;

3. This is because, while the Governor, by virtue of being a (debatable) Republican, is traditionally the key fundraiser for the Party – this Governor’s actions convey a singular interest in one cause – his own approval ratings;

4. State Party Chairman Ron Nehring, like all previous State Party chairman, really can’t raise money apart from the help of a President and / or Governor – not Ron’s fault, although at some point, a chairman should at least TRY to raise money on his own;

5. So, the State… Read More

I spoke yesterday with Jackie Kucinich, a reporter with The Hill newspaper in Washington, D.C. She covers Congressional races, and has an eye trained, with everyone else, on California’s 4th District, where we should hear any time now whether John Doolittle is going to announce retirement plans.

She quotes me quite a bit in this article which talks about an interesting player in this scenario — former Congressman Richard Pombo.

It’s worth a read.

Oh, and for the curious — Jackie is, in fact, the daughter of Democrat Presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich. Despite that, Jackie seems pretty squared away.… Read More

For months know, rumors have circulated around that Congressman John Doolittle who represents California’s 4th District, east of Sacramento, was going to announce his retirement. The Congressman has been been in a tough political battle, that must be very frustrating for him. You see, he is battling against a federal investigation of him that has been very high profile, but has yet to actually result in any formal charges. Yet, in the court of public opinion, Doolittle clearly has problems. In a district that was literally drawn to elect a Republican, he barely won re-election in 2006. His former opponent, military veteran Charlie Brown is running again, and I have seen polling data that shows it would be a very uphill battle for Doolittle to get re-elected. The taint of the FBI probe has also had a significant and negative impact on the Congressman’s ability to raise needed funds for re-election, and has also caused a severe financial drain as potential resources for a re-election bid are diverted to pay legal bills.

I know John Doolittle well — and he is a good and honorable man. I find it hard to believe that he has broken any laws, and… Read More

Tomorrow morning I will have a bit lengthier critique of the Governor’s State of the State Address, but I thought I would post some immediate reaction, along with the full text of the speech (below) so that you have an opportunity to read it for yourself.

I think that I will preface my immediate comments by quoting an excerpt from the analysis given by Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Weintraub on his blog (free registration required), because I found these lines to be quite insightful:

It’s simply impossible anymore to categorize Schwarzenegger politically or ideologically. He is a fusion politician, taking ideas from the left and the right and the center as he sees fit. He is one of a kind.

Not long ago, I visited my favorite spot in Sacramento…the hallway where then-Governor Reagan’s picture hangs. I never walk through the Capitol without going there for inspiration, and I never fail to receive it. There were 2 things about Ronald Reagan that I can never forget: his effervescent smile and his optimistic message. I never saw him in person, but each time I saw him on TV, the part of my soul that belongs exclusively to my Country was always stirred. He made me proud to be an American.The last time I visited that portrait, I felt sad. I had just attended a RJC event at the Reagan library, where I reminisced on some of my fondest political memories, and I couldn’t help missing the days when President Reagan constantly reminded us of all the good things about America, and all the reasons to be hopeful about the future. We just don’t hear that message much anymore.

But tonight, I heard a message that reminded me of the Great Communicator. Here is an excerpt from Senator McCain’s speech tonight that I found especially moving:

We are the makers of history, not its victims.

Whatever the… Read More