The Truman Show?… Former Steve Peace aide Art Castaneres and lobbyist Adrian Kwiatkowski have started a new group, the Truman Association, ostensiblyas the "centrist-left" alternative to the GOP-leaning San Diego Lincoln Club. I guess these folks are fed up with the local Democratic Party being a monthly debating society, with no real power. More on this development and the ramifications later…but with apparentties to Howard Wayne and Padres owner John Moores, the group could have some clout locally. Matt Potter has the story here in the SD Reader.

Unsealing Aguirre… Speaking of the Reader, Don Bauder pens an excellent piece for the alternative tabloid this past week on the intrigue and machinations behind getting SD City Attorney Mike Aguirre’s 1989 divorce records unsealed. Bauder, formerly a columnist for the SDUT, has no problem asking the embarrassing question of… Read More

Sept 19 was the date set for the recall of two of three remaing pro- Wal-Mart council members in Rosemead. See last post on Rosemead here.However, there is an outstanding court case that may screech this to a haly again. See here. This kind of election bring out all kinds of wackiness. The targets of the recall voted to ban all outdoor smoking and ant- Wal-Mart types are looking at everything Wal-Mart is doing on the building site. See here.

Of course for me the ironic part is that the election will take place after theGrand Opening of the Wal-Mart which, could put an anti- Wal-Mart council in charge of spending the tax revenue Wal-Mart produces. Only in California.… Read More

Merced is a very special place and I’ve got a lot of special memories of my work there….lot’s of really good folks. One of those folks has had a tough time of it for some time, however. Gordon Spencer, local boy done good, turned District Attorney has made a bunch of mistakes…some self inflicted…some circumstantial…and some dumb luck…

While Merced is not my Flash-beat if you will, I know Merced..and care about Merced as much as anyone…so I was really bummed to see the headline on the main page about GordonSpencerdeciding to leavehis office early.The Merced Sun Star has been all over this obviously….Spencer had announced earlier in the year that his woes(continuing criminal investigations by the state Attorney General’s Office, an investigation of serving alcohol to a minor at a party, impersonating an investigator from the D.A.’s office to help settle a dispute his son had with a cabinet maker, and $57K in cell phone billing…and 3 days ago…rolling his SUV into a creek)…wow…it seems… Read More

Paperwork has been filed with the Oceanside City Clerk to recall Councilwoman Esther Sanchez, no surprise to anyone watching the divided city council and the brazenness of the council majority the last few years. Read the North County Times story here.

Calling Sanchez the "power behind the throne," Lawson Chadwick is leading the recall charge, to the dismay of the San Diego Democratic Party, which is considering removing him from his seat on that body as a result. So much for the First Amendment.

Some other folks signing the initial recall paperwork include political consulting partners Jack Orr and Mary Azevedo. Last Sunday, I noted Jack’s lack of fear in challenging the Oceanside troika of Sanchez, Mayor Jim Wood, and Councilwoman Shari Mackin. He proves it here.

The recallers will need to collect at least 10,680 signatures in 160 days.

Attached below is the intent to circulate petition.… Read More

There is no commentary today. The main page has been updated with today’s California political news. I am getting ready to revamp the links to blogs on California politics on the site, so send along any suggestions of places that you visit that you think should be linked on our Blog Roll. Have a great day! Jon

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.… Read More

It appears Angelides had enough out of Mulholland after last week’s comments comparing the Governor to Kim Jong-Il. So, now Mulholland’s been benched for long-time Democratic Party operatives Roger Salazar and Steve Maviglio.

Roger Salazar has already been popping up with quotes and press releases attacking the Governor. Steve Maviglio, who now works for Speaker Fabian Nunez, has been brought on temporarily to help Brian Brokaw set up a "rapid response" system for Angelides’ communications shop. I can think of no worse job than defending $10 billion in tax increases…rapidly.

It’s only July but Angelides is already reaching deep into the veteran bag of Democratic Party operatives to help his struggling campaign staff.

Salazar is fresh off of the Rocky "did anyone see who was driving the freight train who ran us over" Delgadillo campaign and Maviglio… Read More

Syd Barrett died a few days ago…if I was half as much a devote of rock music as all of my fellow bloggers think I am….I’d dedicate this post to him….but I won’t…becauseSyd had left Pink Floyd before Time …the song about how life can slip by you unless you’re careful….made it on to the Dark Side of the Moon…..so I’m going to dedicate it to the folks …and the sons… Read More

The FlashReport congratulates Congressman Richard Pombo (R-Tracy) on the apparent decision by national Democrats to drop their nominee, Jerry McNerney, in Congressional District 11.

This intel comes from ace political reporter Hank Shaw at the Stockton Record on his blog (which doesn’t have its own URL but try this linkthen click on Hank’s blog).

Of course, credit for this has to be split three ways. Pombo gets credit for running hard. Then there is the unlucky Dems whose ideal candidate lost the primary. Finally you can’t leave out the smart people who created a Congressional District boundary that was made to elect and keep electing a Republican…… Read More