Check out the FR Weblog throughout the day. I’m taking the day off (except for compiling the day’s top stories in California politics, which are on the main page).… Read More

After taking a minute to read the top story on the Drudgeport, where Vice President Cheney apparently accidentally unloaded some buckshot into a buddy while out hunting, I made my way on an afternoon tour of some of the politic blog sites. I came across a great entry by LA Weekly columnist Bill Bradley on his New West Notes site.

Bradley talks about Assembly Democrats meeting in Monterey at their retreat – and about the power of the Democrats "Anchor Tenent" – the California Teachers Assocation.

His post begins like this:

Dems: The “Anchor Tenant” Speakers, Er, Speaks Willie Brown, the legendary wheeling-and-dealing former California Assembly speaker and ex-San Francisco mayor … Read More

Pete McCloskey, the former anti-Nixon Republican who is now an anti-Bush Republican, will receive a larger ratio of favorable media coverage vs. actual votes received than any American politician since Ralph Nader. Since announcing his intention to run in the GOP primary in California’s 11th congressional district against incumbent Richard Pombo, McCloskey has been the subject of rapturous profiles in most California newspapers, all of which frame his previous time in Congress by fawning over his role in the creation of Earth Day, his opposition to the Vietnam War, and his calls for the impeachment of Richard Nixon.

The fact that McCloskey is running against Pombo, who has been the subject of a continuing series of articles about his fundraising practices, his association with former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and his well-known hatred for the environment, makes this even an easier story to write. The implication underneath this McCloskey media bandwagon in clear: if only Republicans were smart… Read More

In my old stomping grounds of Staten Island New York….it’s called omertà ….at the Republican retreat it means no freaking blogging about what happened at the retreat.

But by now, you know I am a little on the anti authoritarian side of things. But rather than provide specifics on some of the policy discussions that a) I didn’t understand, and b) I didn’t understand…..I thought I’d pass on what I do understand.

It’s no big revalation that Ronald Reagan means a lot to us as a party. Yet I was struck that you could not only see, but feel the dynamic change when these guys came back from the Ronald Reagan Library. Oh sure…Air Force 1 was cool they said…but here was a renewed sense of purpose after reliving the… Read More

You can access all past commentaries here, though. Enjoy your Saturday! Jon… Read More

Yesterday, the release was issued from the Governor’s office that he has tapped a prominent personal injury lawyer, a Democrat, to be a judge on the Santa Cruz Superior Court – Paul Burdick.

Burdick’s appointment comes in the County of Santa Cruz where the Santa Cruz Sentinal had reported that a Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County was lobbying for the appointment of a Democrat, and a woman. I guess they got 50% of what they were looking for.

Burdick has some history as a public defender, according to today’s Sentinal article:

At the start of his legal career in 1979, … Read More

Working to format the interview with Arnie Steinberg that leads the main page today ate up my prime ‘commentary time’ today. So I will encourage you to read that piece. That said, there are a lot of crazy things in the news today, all featured on the main page.

President Bush talks of a foiled attempt by terrorists to attack LA. Susan Kennedy took $10k a month last year from a developer and someone it took the LA Times to let us know. Rep. Richard Pombo took his family on a 5,000 mile motorhome tour of national parks and billed the government? Then he called the trip a vacation on his website. Dumb. The Los Angeles Angels bested the City of Anaheim, 9 to 3. Barry Munitz, the high-spending head of the Getty Trust, is out. Much more more.

Did you miss my ten cents on Arnold and the upcoming GOP Convention? It is here.

Have a great day!

Jon… Read More

Working to format the interview with Arnie Steinberg that leads the main page today ate up my prime ‘commentary time’ today. So I will encourage you to read that piece. That said, there are a lot of crazy things in the news today, all featured on the main page.

President Bush talks of a foiled attempt by terrorists to attack LA. Susan Kennedy took $10k a month last year from a developer and someone it took the LA Times to let us know. Rep. Richard Pombo took his family on a 5,000 mile motorhome tour of national parks and billed the government? Then he called the trip a vacation on his website. Dumb. The Los Angeles Angels bested the City of Anaheim, 9 to 3. Barry Munitz, the high-spending head of the Getty Trust, is out. Much more more.

Did you miss my ten cents on Arnold and the upcoming GOP Convention? It is here.

Have a great day!

Jon

**There is more – click the… Read More