Tom McClintock and John Garamendi went head-to-head for the second time in a one-hour debate before the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board on Monday. The debate was filmed at KPIX-TV. (Watch it here.)

Executive Life, the Enron-type scandal that has haunted John Garamendi for more than 15 years, triggered a lively discussion between McClintock and Garamendi in the final 10 minutes of the debate. It’s really worth watching… Emmy award-winning political reporter Hank Plante asked the last question of the candidates, and it was about the Executive Life commercials that have been running statewide featuring Sue and Vice Watson.

[See Hank Plante’s video story on the debate… Read More

Tom McClintock and John Garamendi went head-to-head for the second time in a one-hour debate before the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board on Monday. The debate was filmed at KPIX-TV. (Watch it here.)

Executive Life, the Enron-type scandal that has haunted John Garamendi for more than 15 years, triggered a lively discussion between McClintock and Garamendi in the final 10 minutes of the debate. It’s really worth watching… Emmy award-winning political reporter Hank Plante asked the last question of the candidates, and it was about the Executive Life commercials that have been running statewide featuring Sue and Vice Watson.

[See Hank Plante’s video story on the debate… Read More

Check out Campaign for Children and Families’ ballot recommendations:

CCF’s Recommendations on the 13 Propositions Vote YES on 1A, 83, 85 and 90

1A YES Makes it harder for the State to raid transportation funds for other “programs” 1B NO Instead of $38.9 BILLION in new debt, build roads with existing state funds 1C NO Instead $6.1 BILLION in new debt, ease state restrictions on new housing 1D NO $20.3 BILLION in new debt won’t improve academics or discipline in schools 1E NO This wasteful $8 BILLION expense won’t fix many levees or reform levee politics 83 YES Toughens laws on sex offenders, but 83’s actual impact is questionable 84 NO Costing taxpayers $10.5 BILLION, 84 is a slush fund for environmental activists 85 YES Protects minor daughters from secret abortions by requiring parent notification 86 NO $2.1 BILLION annual cigarette tax is money grab by the medical establishment 87 NO Taxing oil will raise gas prices, the wrong… Read More

The California Target Book today came out with one of their invaluable wrap-ups of who’s been spending what in the different legislative races.

For instance, the Indians have been doing lots of polling, mail and tv – while the Bay Meadows Land Company has gone to bat for two Dems in the Central Valley, but have done so more with lawn signs and radio buys.

I’m not judging, but with $300,000, I just think an IE committee can do better than lawn signs.

Most interesting, and I’m not kidding here, the ‘Legislative Black Coalition Committee’ has dropped $46,140 against Shirley Horton on ‘potholders production, postage, and distribution.’

Again, I’m not making this up. Nearly $50 grand. On potholders!

I could try to finish this post with some short little quip about what a waste of money this is, or how they just bought themselves Horton’s re-election… But really, it’s potholders. They wrote the punchline for me.… Read More

The pro-family organization Campaign for Children and Families has an online voter guide as part of their Pro-Family Election Center (the CCF recommend the same positions on the 13 ballot measures as the FlashReport and our ballot measure guru, Bill Leonard). The reason for this post is that I thought that in their section under Judges, they offered up some great advice that I am sharing with all FR readers, whether your interest is in finding out more about a judicial candidate, or any other candidate for that matter. They walk their supporters on how to research candidates online. Now in the case of the CCF, their examples include research on where candidates stand on abortion or homosexual rights, but obviously you can utilize this research technique to look up whatever issues are of importance to you in deciding how to vote. They say:

The FR is revamping our Blog Roll and so I need to get some input from readers on which blogs to go to that carry items of interest to those following California politics, from the Right, the Center or the Left. Here is a list I am starting with (red is from the right, blue is from the left, black is from the center):

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

‘I’m Barely a Lawyer’ Is Jerry Brown’s Popular Boast

Ever since he was governor of California in the 1970s, Jerry Brown has focused on the very big picture, earning himself the nickname "Governor Moonbeam." As mayor of Oakland in the 1990s, he did come down to earth and record some progress on crime and development issues, but still he was never known as a detail guy.

Now he faces an embarrassing lawsuit in his current race to become California’s attorney general. One of the requirements of the office is that anyone seeking it must be a lawyer… Read More

Uh, Ditto to Jon’s post of Saturday night.… Read More