Moments ago the MSM media reported pro-American center-right candidate Sarkozy had smashed Socialist candidate Royal 53%-47%. Sarkozy’s first public comments were straight to the United States: that we "can count on France as a friend". Cheers.

The humorous aspect to this French election, and our election in November, is that the Sarkozy won by promising the French a closer relationship with the United States, a tougher crackdown on terrorism, and a more free economic system, while the Democrats took control of Congress by promising a closer relationship withSocialist France, a policy of retreat on terrorism and the war, and a less free economic system.

Many Hollywood stars over the past several years have mentioned that they’d like to move to (Socialist) France. Looks like it would be easier to just stay home.… Read More

It seems that 53% of French voters have had it with big government socialism. As a result of their decision, and the words of (gasp) conservative President – elect Sarkozy, I can now release the power of my personal income on the consumption of French products again. Whew! Not a moment too soon I might add. Before I give you anxious readers the list, let me state unequivocally that my boycott of all Peugeot | Renault vehicles still stands, for obvious reasons.

Here are the top 10 French products I now plan to use:

1. Dom Perignon (best bubbly on the planet)

2. Louis Vitton (handbags – the wife is now very happy)

3. Michelin (tires for my German Audi)

4. Sofitel (upscale hotels)

5. Smart & Final (groceries)

6. Krups (great coffee makers)

7. Dannon (yogurt and water, etc.)

8. France (going this summer)

9. Nexium (acid reflux – need it to watch John Boehner explain the GOP "agenda" on Sunday Morning talk shows)

10. Mephisto (shoes, etc., accidentally spent $112 there this morning before I knew the outcome of… Read More

This morning after dropping of my daughter at German school in Temple City, I went down the street to the 49th Assembly District Victory Elephant Breakfast (VEB). This meeting is held and has been held on the first Saturday of the month at the Denny’s on Rosemead Blvd since the 1980’s. I actually attended it back then and do so every so often. Today’s speaker was State Senator George Runner. He did a great job talking about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and answered questions. There were 30 or so people there. While what George said was valuable, more precious was his presence. The GOP nominee in 2006 got 28.90 percent of the vote. In other words Democrat territory. They have had some success electing and re-electing Republicans at the local level and work GOTV in the election years. George drove at least an hour one-way to do the breakfast. … Read More

I’m up in Fresno for a California Republican Party Leadership Summit with fellow Board Members, and County Chairmen and County Treasurers from all around the Golden State. We’ll be doing a lot of ‘roll up your sleeves’ work to prepare for the upcoming 2008 elections. At lunch, local Congressman George Radonovich will be talking to us, and we’ll see what word he brings from Washington (nothing good, I suspect). Anyways, FR’s former Managing Editor Nicholas Romero was on hand last night as the Orange County Lincoln Club (click their ad to the right for more info) hosted former Tennesee Senator and Law & Order Actor Fred Thompson at their annual dinner. It was a major event and their most well attended annual dinner in the Club’s history. Congratulations to the Lincoln Club for such a successful event. That said, I think all of the attendees were hoping to be on hand for the moment when Thompson’s ‘rumored’ and ‘wished for’ candidacy for the White House would become a reality. Alas, last night was not the chosen night for such an announcement. Still, if you make your… Read More

I’m up in Fresno for a California Republican Party Leadership Summit with fellow Board Members, and County Chairmen and County Treasurers from all around the Golden State. We’ll be doing a lot of ‘roll up your sleeves’ work to prepare for the upcoming 2008 elections. At lunch, local Congressman George Radonovich will be talking to us, and we’ll see what word he brings from Washington (nothing good, I suspect). Anyways, FR’s former Managing Editor Nicholas Romero was on hand last night as the Orange County Lincoln Club (click their ad to the right for more info) hosted former Tennesee Senator and Law & Order Actor Fred Thompson at their annual dinner. It was a major event and their most well attended annual dinner in the Club’s history. Congratulations to the Lincoln Club for such a successful event. That said, I think all of the attendees were hoping to be on hand for the moment when Thompson’s ‘rumored’ and ‘wished for’ candidacy for the White House would become a reality. Alas, last night was not the chosen night for such an announcement. Still, if you make your… Read More

Today we feature a good amount of coverage on last night’s GOP Presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. We have post debate ‘spin’ from representatives of the three ‘front-runner’ candidates — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney — as well as a note from Duncan Hunter’s campaign. As of my writing this, a couple of members of our FR team have penned their observations over on the blog page, and we, of course, feature on the main page an extensive listing of articles from around California (and a few nationally) about the debate. I will make a few general observations about the debate.

With the field of candidates so wide (ten), there was not enough time in an hour-long debate for any one candidate to really take command and leave this debate in a substantially better position than before. I was really impressed with Sam Brownback’s performance. That was the most notable surprise to me. I think … Read More

Today we feature a good amount of coverage on last night’s GOP Presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. We have post debate ‘spin’ from representatives of the three ‘front-runner’ candidates — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney — as well as a note from Duncan Hunter’s campaign. As of my writing this, a couple of members of our FR team have penned their observations over on the blog page, and we, of course, feature on the main page an extensive listing of articles from around California (and a few nationally) about the debate. I will make a few general observations about the debate.

With the field of candidates so wide (ten), there was not enough time in an hour-long debate for any one candidate to really take command and leave this debate in a substantially better position than before. I was really impressed with Sam Brownback’s performance. That was the most notable surprise to me. I think … Read More

Others have weighed in at length, so this will be brief….30 seconds at best, yes or no at most.

We’ve become a world of snippets — of 30-second sound bites — so I guess we could have hoped for no more substance than that, not even when it comes to the most significant issues of the day.

Complex issues and the resulting complex questions are deserving of more than 30 second snippets and Chris Matthews-forced, "I’ll have to ask you to give ayes or no"simple answers.

Yes, I realize that with 10 "debaters" (this was no debate, by the way)and limited time, there may have been few other choices than the format selected. As well, this early in the process, all of the potential players have to be invited, further forcing the format.

Yet, I have no sense now of anything more than before, except each candidate’s ability to package an answer succinctly. There was John McCain, often looking like the only one of the bunch concerned about federal spending, when the record tells differently. There too was Ron Paul, perhaps one of the few willing to address runaway spending from a constitutional… Read More