If you struggled through the Presidential debate last night like I did, you knew two things would come from it. The first is that the McCain Campaign would start to use "Joe the Plumber" in their messaging. The second is a skit on Saturday Night Live featuring Joe. Well, check out the ad below from the McCain for President campaign… One down… … Read More

We here at the FlashReport hear that there is an interesting political movement emerging in San Bernardino County. Apparently, and I wouldn’t have known this, it is getting harder and harder to find a wedding singer in those parts. Because of this, liberals in the 63rd Assembly District, currently represented by Dentist-turned-Legislator Bill Emmerson, are running a behind-the-scenes effort to pull the rug out from Emmerson’s Democrat opponent, the wedding singer, Mark Westwood (pictured).

I guess the presumption is that if Westwood were to become a member of the State Legislature, his time to “rock out” weddings and bar mitzvahs would be severely reduced. Actually, it’s not only that special once-in-a-lifetime event in your life that Westwood wants to “rock” – if you check out the website of the… Read More

In the midst of our own election in California and with a workload that would rival the weight ofAgamemnon’s armor,I am nevertheless in Columbus, Ohio, the state capitol for a few days, and there is no escaping full-blown court room political drama. More than 200,000 "voters" here will be required to cast "provisional" rather than regular ballots as a result of a Federal Court order that attempts to reconcile huge discrepancies between the secretary of state’s voter rolls and the actual voter roles of local election officials. Fast at work here have been ACORN and other Democratic voter registration groups that have been accused for vote rigging. Apparently, one individual here was registered to vote 72 different ways by these "do-gooders." In a tight, heavily campaigned swing state, that could make a difference. It looks like Florida all over again, but a midwest version, in this current Presidential election.

There is an underlying dirt to this election coming from the Obama supporters. Enemies lists. Threatening anonymous letters to Republican activists. Voter fraud. I predict we will… Read More

Just the other day, I won an auction on eBay, purchasing the Lil’ Lion Elite costume for my son, Matthew, who will be celebrating his second Halloween this year.

As I was completing this transaction on the world’s largest internet auction site, I had three thoughts. The first was that I was thrilled that someone didn’t come along in the final seconds of the auction and beat my offer. The second was that my wife would be thrilled that I "got" the costume. And lastly, it made me realize I hadn’t really given much coverage here on the FlashReport to the rising GOP phenomenon of Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay who now has such a high profile within the GOP that the party’s nominee for President, Senator McCain, mentioned her specifically as a potential pick to serve as Treasury Secretary should he be… Read More

Just the other day, I won an auction on eBay, purchasing the Lil’ Lion Elite costume for my son, Matthew, who will be celebrating his second Halloween this year.

As I was completing this transaction on the world’s largest internet auction site, I had three thoughts. The first was that I was thrilled that someone didn’t come along in the final seconds of the auction and beat my offer. The second was that my wife would be thrilled that I "got" the costume. And lastly, it made me realize I hadn’t really given much coverage here on the FlashReport to the rising GOP phenomenon of Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay who now has such a high profile within the GOP that the party’s nominee for President, Senator McCain, mentioned her specifically as a potential pick to serve as Treasury Secretary should he be… Read More

A John McCann TV spot, up heavily on broadcast and cable….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NFQc1gjdCw… Read More

When I served as the Mayor of Woodland I attempted to get an ordinance passed that would have prevented "public education" campaigns with city funds for any issue pending on the ballot during the sixty days prior to the election. I could not even get a second for my motion.

What happens is that a government entity really wants a bond, parcel tax or other revenue increase to pass a vote of the electorate. In an attempt to "educate" the electorate they send out mail, e-mails, do forums or other things to tell the electorate all the good things that will happen if the measure passes.

I think this is wrong. It is legal but wrong. All of these efforts don’t directly advocate for the passage or defeat of the measure — they just provide information.

Today I got an e-mail from the High Speed Rail Commission. Here is the link so you can get all the good information too. It does not advocate for the passage of Prop 1A or even mention it but it certainly tells me all the good things that come with high speed rail.

As we… Read More

Sorry if my blogging has been on the light side — I’m actually in Sacramento for a couple of days. And while you might intuitively think that would lead to MORE blogging, not less, most of the meetings and conversations that I have up here are "off the record" as I continue to nurture the relationships that let me bring you breaking news, and accurate "intel" on the inner-workings of the Sacramento political scene.

Today I have a meeting of the California Republican Party Board of Directors that will take most of the day, as we go over and approve the final stages of the State GOP Victory Program.

I have to run right now — but I will try to blog later. Oh, and for those who have asked about my chat with Senate President Don Perata yesterday at the Hyatt (word moves around this town), that conversation was way off the record — but very entertaining.… Read More