Here’s a little advice forRepublican candidates seeking their Party’s endorsement and assistance in San Bernardino County elections: You can’t have it both ways. If you think political parties shouldn’t be involved in local or so-called ‘non-partisan’ elections, then don’t ask for their support only to later criticize their involvement if they endorse someone else. By doing so you run the risk of seeming disingenuous.

Consider Sunday’sSan Bernardino County Sun article by staff writer George Watson that profiles judicial candidate Larry Roberts, who placed second to GOP-backed Steve Malone in the June Primary (30.6% vs. Malone’s 44.8%). In it, Roberts explains how the GOP’s involvement in the election gives him “chills” because of its potential to frighten jurists from making the right decisions for fear of Party retribution. Read it here.

But when Malone points out that Roberts had also sought the party’s support, Watson’s report paraphrases Roberts as saying he… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger clearly enjoyed the debate.

In fact he took the opportunity to toy with his opponent. The Governor’s communications shop just put out the following In Case You Missed It.

It is much funnier if you read it while impersonating the governor’s accent.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

OnAngelides’ Tax Increases

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: "Well, I think that it is very clear and I can tell that the joy you see in your eyes… Read More

I heard something about a debate tonight so I thought I would check it out. As it turns out, right at 5:00 pm, the Cal – Oregon game starts, featuring two top 25 college football teams. Fresno State and Utah State are also on at 5:00 pm and I think there is a whopper of a program on the all new "Watching Paint Dry" channel, plus highlights of the 1983 World Series of Poker. Throw in the Dodger – Met game at 4:30 and you have a perfect storm – about 483 people in California will be watching tonights debate between Arnold and Phil.

I hope Arnold can handle the pressure of dealing with questions about the Iraq war – a central issue in all campaigns for Governor across the nation this year.

I’ve been asked to provide analysis tonight for one of the local TV stations. Can’t do it. Have to wash my hair.… Read More

I certainly agree with Mike Der Manouel’s post below — which is that virtually no member of the public will be watching this one and only Gubernatorial debate between Phil Angelides and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As a matter of fact, if the debate were not being sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association, I would suggest that it simply be videotaped, stuck up on the web, and the thousand or so people that would want to watch the whole debate can just surf on over to the CBA website and check it out — A few hundred reporters, a couple hundred campaign hacks, and other random assorted folks who are tuning in to see "The Terminator" make mincemeat out of "The Accountant."

As for me, I am sure I will not watch it live. After all, it IS on a Saturday night, which means that one would have to ruin a perfectly good weekend night out to see it. And with Schwarzenegger’s monumental double-digit lead in the polls, the only entertainment will be watching Angelides try multiple "Hail Mary" passes in an attempt to gain some traction.

If you are intent on watching the show, then I suggest you get out a… Read More

I read on the FlashReport today an article from the San Diego Union Tribune that was a bit troubling to stomach — apparently former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham is spending at least some of his time in federal prison being upset with the newspaper that ‘brought him down’ and thinking about others who are to blame for his situation. As a conservative who is engaged in the practice of politics, I get to see situations all of the time where the main stream media gets it wrong. But I simply don’t see how Cunningham can be mad at anyone in this situation besides himself. No one forced his hand and made him take millions of dollars in bribes in return for doling out federal goodies. No one asked him to betray all of us who walked precincts and helped him get elected. And no one can deny that in this case, the San Diego Union Tribune did America a favor when they exposed Cunningham’s… Read More

As everyone has said, with the Governor sitting on a double-digit lead with the California electorate, two things needed to happen in order for Phil Angelides to walk away a ‘winner’ in the hour-long showdown. 1) Phil Angelides needed to rise to the occasion, showing some sort of intensity and command of the race that has back lacking thus far, and 2) Arnold Schwarzenegger needed to at least stumble if not outright blow some portion of the debate. Neither of those things happenned and it is my opinion that Arnold Schwarzenegger clearly won the debate, not only because neither of the two items mentioned above took place, but because I thought that Schwarzenegger clearly did a better job. He was more comfortable, and it showed. He was articulate and on point, he understood how to be serious and at the same time inject levity into the debate, and he also did a good job in delivering his campaign points across to debate watchers.

Angelides was not able to shake off the persona of "Mr. Accountant" that makes me want to yawn every time he opens his mouth. Phil Angelides did win two awards from me tonight, which he can take… Read More

Towards the end of the debate, the Governor asks Phil Angelides why he won’t appear in a joint television commercial to push the big bond package on the November ballot. Good question. That borrowing package is the best thing that could ever happen to Democrats in the Golden State. If it passes, it will allow the legislature to ‘pass the buck’ on using the state’s ample general fund dollars for real infrastructure (other than bond interest payments) and instead let the liberals continue to spend what is now well over $100 billion annually on their social engineering programs. Californian’s should reject the big bonds borrowing, and force fiscal responsibility in Sacramento. As to why Angelides doesn’t want to appear on TV with Arnold — after this debate, Angelides knows for sure that the LAST PLACE he wants to be is on camera next to the Governor.… Read More

When it was all said and done, there was no real surprise that the Escondido City Council voted 3-2 Wednesday night in support of an ordinance penalizing those who rent to illegals, thus becoming the first such city in California.Short of someone in the council majority of Marie Waldron, Ed Gallo, and Sam Abed buckling in the intense spotlight, this ordinance was going to pass. By all accounts, any such buckling was not going to happen.

There was also no surprise over the tenor of the debate, the huge turnout for the council meeting, the media attention, the ACLU sticking its nose in, the…should I go on?We’ve seen controversial social debates before.

What is somewhat of a surprise, although perhaps it shouldn’t be, is the vehemence with which so many people — not just in Escondido and National City, but everywhere — are willing to stand up and advocate for that which even they admit is illegal.

Historically, even typically, these… Read More