KFI’s John and Ken are the most listened to talk radio show hosts during the LA Drive time. Today, Steve Schmidt, the Governor’s Campaign Manager was on to discuss Arnold view of the National Guard proposal from DC.

Schmidt speaking on the Governor’s behalf asked critical question aboutthe Bush proposal. He said the Governor wants a "permanent solution.". One option would be to support the creation of the California Border Police. Then we don’t have to worry about stress on the Guard.

Schmidt is an able street fighter for the Governor.

Schimdt promised to call back with a report about the upcoming Arnold/Vincente Fox meeting. You can register to hear a podcast of the interview here.… Read More

Publicly traded companies have certain ‘quiet periods’ when they cannot talk about their earnings and insiders can’t buy and sell stock. I am not advocating any sort of quiet period for politics but the idea does have merits for consultants like me. Here’s why:

On an average day I get asked 50 times by another consultants or voters or activists or member of the media what I think about any given candidates’ chances in the upcoming Primary Election. I am flattered that they respect my opinion and am glad to offer it when appropriate.

However, very often my opinion is mixed with hard knowledge of polling data. This often presents a dilemma for me, and other political professionals I presume. I never want to say anything bad about a client or their chances of success–even if I know they are going down in flames – I don’t want people to think I have no idea what I am talking about if I say super positive things simply in the name of loyalty.

So when you ask a political consultant how a client of is going to do – keep in mind that the answer might be more wishful thinking rather than a cold… Read More

Jill Buck is the Republican candidate for the 18th Assembly district. She is unopposed in the primary and will face either Alameda Fire Chief Bill McCammon or Mary Hayashi in the general. She sent this statement on immigration out today in an "insiders only" e-mail (I know that she considers FR readers campaign insiders, plus she said it was okay to post this!). Here’s this ex-Navy officer’s take on border control: While I was in my twenties, I gave birth to three children. Each pregnancy was more difficult than the last, and the third trimester was always a tremendous physical challenge. What does that have to do with illegal immigration? Simply this…if women who are about to give birth can cross the border illegally in order to bring a U.S. citizen into the world, then an Al Qaeda operative can cross the border illegally in order to take a U.S. citizen out of the world.… Read More

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m starting to hear more and more people—namely Democrats—complaining that the better schools in the better neighborhoods get the better, more senior teachers. Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente said it this morning in a debate he, Ron Dellums and Nancy Nadel had on the Ronn Owens show on KGO (all three are running for to replace Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown). It occurred to me that this issue might be the issue to cause a split between the Democrats in the legislature and the California Teachers Association.

There is always so much talk about “equalizing” school funding between schools, how about we “equalize” teacher experience between schools? The teachers’ union will have to stand up for the teachers with the most seniority (who you know don’t want to go teach in those yukky inner-city schools) and the Democrats will be torn between the CTA and the argument that students attending poor, inner-city schools are the ones who most need experienced teachers.… Read More

Last week, near the East steps at the Capitol, when my Calaveras Legislative Frog Jump contestant, Bury Bonds, lurched hard left from the starting pad I was hoping it would not be indicative of the rest of the week, [nor Bury’s leftward lurch further indicative of this Capitol in November] Bury finished mid pack, without any performance enhancements. Last year was about 3rd.Hmm.

Alas, my eminent domain reform bill, ACA 22 was up in Assembly Housing and Communal, er, Community Development and after impassioned testimony by witnesses having had property bulldozed already or threatened to do so, the committee voted party line with 2 Reps supporting limiting eminent domain to true public uses and 2 Dems opposing…plus 3 Dems abstaining. Maybe if the committee members were present during testimony, they would’ve been swayed a bit. Well, OK, they wouldn’t.

This whole reform has been ignored for most of a year by this legislative body. Senator McClintockintroduced twobills on the Senate side,… Read More

Sunday, the Union-Tribune effectively ended the campaign of candidate Scott Packard in San Diego’s 74th Assembly District GOP Primary. Until fairly recently, Scott (son of former Congressman Ron Packard) was a Nevada contractor. Turns out Scott got his contractor’s license revoked in Nevada because he was found guilty serious ethical and financial violations. And he didn’t pay the fines, or a $100,000+ lawsuit judgment from one of his clients that successfully sued him. Then the Union Tribune pointed out that Scott now works for a local construction company (you guessed it) without a California contractor’s license. A representative of State of California was quoted as saying “it doesn’t sound good” that they will grant him a license after his antics in Nevada. Spiraling…

The majority of Scott’s endorsement’s are local city mayors (Carlsbad Mayor Lewis, Encinitas Mayor Guerin, Oceanside Mayor Wood, San Marcos Mayor Smith, and Vista Mayor Vance). This morning, there has been much speculation on whether or not they were made aware of Scott’s history before they endorsed, and when they will start jumping… Read More

While many of us wonder what happened to the GOP courage in the midst of the recent negotiations and votes on the bond bills (although Democrat Assemblymember Juan Arambula had the guts to stand up to his party and vote the way he thought his district wanted him to), I did witness a display of courage Friday night at Pacbell, I mean SBC, no it’s AT&T Park (I meant to post these sooner, but Mother’s Day festivities kept me from my computer). My husband—a Giants fan—hates to go with me to Dodger-Giant games because I wear all my Dodger paraphernalia and he’s sure that he’s going to get punched out. So I took my mom this weekend to celebrate our day and we were awed by this fellow Dodger fan who had the guts to wear an anti-Barry Bonds t-shirt in the midst of the upper-deck ticket holders (who seem drink a whole lot more than the folks sitting in the charter seats down below). Of course, Giants fans are waiting (and waiting and waiting) for Barry to hit his 714 home run to tie Babe Ruth’s… Read More

My understanding is that only half of the Sample Ballots and NONE of the actual ballots have been mailed out from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. DEVELOPING…… Read More