You know you are at a pretty amazing event when the number of United States Military personnel in dress uniform make up a pretty big percentage of the crowd. Well, that was the case last night when my dad and I were the guests of Gala Chairman Brad Freeman for a dinner banquet for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation where President George Herbert Walker Bush was presented with the Foundation’s 2007 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award, with nearly a thousand guests on hand in the main ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Former President Bush and Nancy Reagan were both escorted into the dinner, and later onto the stage, by a pair of very sharp looking Marine Sergeants. The Master of Ceremonies was none other than Merv Griffin, a Foundation Board Member, and at one time the owner of the hotel (for a moment there were flashbacks to an old Dean Martin Roast program as Griffen tossed a barb at veteran comedian Don Rickles, who was in attendance).

There was a … Read More

You know you are at a pretty amazing event when the number of United States Military personnel in dress uniform make up a pretty big percentage of the crowd. Well, that was the case last night when my dad and I were the guests of Gala Chairman Brad Freeman for a dinner banquet for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation where President George Herbert Walker Bush was presented with the Foundation’s 2007 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award, with nearly a thousand guests on hand in the main ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Former President Bush and Nancy Reagan were both escorted into the dinner, and later onto the stage, by a pair of very sharp looking Marine Sergeants. The Master of Ceremonies was none other than Merv Griffin, a Foundation Board Member, and at one time the owner of the hotel (for a moment there were flashbacks to an old Dean Martin Roast program as Griffen tossed a barb at veteran comedian Don Rickles, who was in attendance).

There was a … Read More

In case you missed it, the Sacramento Bee turned 150 on Saturday. The first edition, published February 3, 1857, marked a transition from the prior paper, the California American. In that first SacBee, founder James McClatchy wrote this gem:

They (the "conductors" of both papers) have too long seen the evils which have crept into all the party organizations of this State, not to feel fully aware of the dignity and the power of an independent position. In the Democratic party they have seen, too often, bad men supremely dominant, and using the party as an instrument for executing the most selfish of purposes, regardless of the honor of the State or the happiness of the people. They have seen the American organizations crushed beneath the weight of corruption which it was compelled to bear, in the persons of men who thrust themselves forward as the friends of reform, when they were in fact the most loathesome moral and political lepers, that ever tainted the atmosphere of the world with their presence. They have seen all parties more or less cursed with the influence… Read More

Garden Grove councilwoman Janet Nguyen won the Special Election for Orange County’s First Supervisorial District.

With all precincts reporting…Janet won by 52 votes.

Consultant: Gilliard, Blanning, Wysocki Pollster: Probolsky Research

[Publisher’s Note: Since I am from Orange County, I will add a couple of thoughts. First and foremost is that it is astounding what a large percentage of the votes in this race went to Vietnamese candidates — ironically, both with the last name, Nguyen (pronounced "win" – hence the title of Adam’s post). Janet Nguyen took 24.2% of the vote, and Trung Nguyen scored slightly less with 24.1% — so over 48% of the votes went to these two candidates. Probably more significantly is that while Janet has a lot to be excited about, ending election day with a 52 vote lead over Trung, Registrar Neal Kelley estimates that there are about 2500 absentee ballot turned in on election day to be counted, as well as around 750 provisional… Read More

This just in…

The California Republican National Hispanic Assembly endorsed Jon Fleischman for California Republican Party Vice Chairman South.

They join the overwhelming majority of GOP legislators from the region and hundreds of big donor and party activist in supporting Jon’s campaign for CRP office.

The press release from the Republican National Hispanic Assembly didn’t cite any specific reason for their support for Jon but I assume like most of Jon’s supporters they appreciate how well versed he is on the issues that affect our party and that he is so willing to speak out for what is right and good. Jon’s supporters most appreciate his ideological passion.… Read More

California Democratic activists should start bargain shopping.

Activists are outraged that they have to pay upwards of $2,300 for “access” (a 3 second photo op) to Senators Clinton and Obama when they come into California, yet everyone who warms a diner stool in Iowa gets 20 minutes of the candidates’ undivided attention for free. It’s outrageous!

So, Democratic activists…I’m here to help. I went on a popular travel website today, and you can get a roundtrip ticket and 2 nights hotel in Des Moines for $682. Throw in the cost of a slice of pie and cup o’ Joe at the local diner, and you can meet your candidates for about seven hundred bucks. AND…you’ll be helping put money in the pockets of minimum wage workers in America’s heartland. That’s a lot to feel good about!

I say, forget the smarmy California fundraisers that take your money and spend it in other states. Give your money to the waitress at Harvey’s diner, and make your candidates spend some quality time with you!… Read More

For those who couldn’t attend but were interested in what was said at the UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies seminar, "The 2006 Governor’s Race: An Inside View" can watch the two-day seminar on a web cast here. The web cast is divided into segments–Schwarzenegger, Angelides and Westly teams. Those who are interested in learning more about how the governor’s political staff thinks should watch the Schwarzenegger segment, "Laying the Groundwork." The team talks candidly about how they helped the governor shift from the 2005 special election loss to the 2006 gubernatorial win. … Read More

When my husband and I were talking about Mayor Gavin Newsom’s public relations problems the other day, I told him that I would not be surprised if he announced a drinking or drug problem as an excuse for his, as Newsom puts it, “personal lapse of judgment.” Surprise, surprise, the mayor announced yesterday afternoon that he has a drinking problem and will seek counseling through the Delancey Street program.

That should play nicely in San Francisco where Delancey Street is a deservedly popular non-profit program. But unless they’ve radically changed their program in the past few years, Delancey Street is a live-in rehabilitation program for people coming out of prison. They go cold… Read More