Drudge Report has this on the front page in red:

FLASH: Dem Compares Schwarzenegger To Kim Jong-Il Fri Jul 07 2006 12:28:00 ET

Will missiles soon be flying in the California governor’s race?

Bob Mulholland, senior advisor to Democratic nominee Phil Angelides, aims for controversy this morning, saying: "With North Korea leader Kim Jong-Il back in the news, it reminds me that he and Schwarzenegger have something in common. Both have their shoes specifically made to add a couple inches of lift. What we don’t know is does Kim Jong-Il have his shoes made by Schwarzenegger’s shoemaker in Italy."

Hillary is hosting a fundraiser for Angelides today in San Francisco.

In 1993, Mulholland warned Arnold Schwarzenegger that "real bullets" will be coming his way during his campaign to be governor.

"Schwarzenegger is going to find out, that unlike a Hollywood movie set, the bullets coming at him… Read More

Its a simple fact, Phil Angelides presents in an awkward way at best.

I have never met the man, but his latest TV commercial airing here on Southern California (which I cannont find on his web page) shows him walking and talking and in a crowd of people and its not a pretty sight. He looks uncomfortable and shaky and far from gubernatorial.

I am not a bully for saying these things, I am simply observing that his body language does not transmit: strong leader. And when you put him in the same room with Governor Schwarzenegger, the voters who watch the interaction will see a governor debating their accountant.… Read More

Request for your thoughts: TERM LIMITS CHANGES/REPEAL I am penning a column on the issue of term limits, looking specifically at whether a measure penned by the state legislature and placed on the ballot would even have a chance of passing? Are term limits working? Have they failed? Please drop me a note here, or feel free to comment below. TOP STORY: Phil Angelides wants to raise your taxes, my taxes — everyone’s taxes. Just click here if you need a reminder of exactly how bad an Angelides Governship would be for the economic freedom of all Californians. The top story in the FR today comes out of the Sacramento Bee. Governor Schwarzenegger… Read More

Request for your thoughts: TERM LIMITS CHANGES/REPEAL I am penning a column on the issue of term limits, looking specifically at whether a measure penned by the state legislature and placed on the ballot would even have a chance of passing? Are term limits working? Have they failed? Please drop me a note here, or feel free to comment below. TOP STORY: Phil Angelides wants to raise your taxes, my taxes — everyone’s taxes. Just click here if you need a reminder of exactly how bad an Angelides Governship would be for the economic freedom of all Californians. The top story in the FR today comes out of the Sacramento Bee. Governor Schwarzenegger… Read More

Sweet, sweet justice, hot off the AP Wire…

(No, it’s not California politics, but it is Hollywood, which is constantly sticking its nose in state politics.)

Tom Cruise’s Least Fave ‘South Park’ Episode Up For Emmy LOS ANGELES (July 6, 2006) — One of the Emmy nominees for best animated program is the episode of "South Park" that’s said to have angered Tom Cruise and Isaac Hayes. The episode called "Trapped in the Closet" implies that Cruise is gay and makes fun of Scientology.

Cruise’s fellow Scientologist Isaac Hayes reportedly quit because he was upset with the episode. And when it came time to rerun it, Cruise allegedly called Comedy Central and demanded that it be pulled. It was, even though Cruise’s people denied he asked for it.… Read More

Part of the reason I take this politics stuff so lightly is because I know at the end of the day,there’s more to life than politics and policy. A good man who knew that keenly passed from my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, David Nunenkamp.

I never really knew David, but for the times I saw him at Dooley Field, our local little league complex. To be sure he was one of the most respected policy folks around…he worked for four Governors on both sides of the aisle,was the lead on reforming CEQA, and served the Assembly Republican Caucus on environmental and science issues, and most recently as Deputy Secretary for Legislation for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Now I’m sure that garnered him therespectof many forthat important work, as it should be.

But for someone who knew him, only… Read More

Today’s news brings good polling data for the Governor – a 44 to 37 lead over Phil Angelides. I have to admit the daily email from the campaign is good stuff, the messaging is solid, and the rapid response is the best I’ve seen in many years. That having been said, there is really no campaign taking place right now, and the Governor’s numbers seem to me to reflect a couple of factors: 1) no real campaign or messaging against him right now 2). collateral damage done to Angelides in his primary 3) Arnold’scozy relationship with the Democrat Speaker, Fabian Nunes, who really wants Angelides to lose so Los Angeles Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa can be Governor in 2010 4) union money and television ads against the Governor are completely non existent.

Yes, its good to be in the lead at any point in the campaign. But there is a long road ahead, and its going to be extremely tough throughout the summer and fall. The Governor is still challenged with the GOP base and not balancing the State’s budget was a missed opportunity to give conservatives some red meat over the summer months.… Read More

There are a number of items of interest in the news today. So for my ‘commentary’ I will draw your attention to some of the more interesting ones.

Leading the page is good news for the Governor. There is a new survey out showing that Schwarzenegger has increased his popularity numbers with the electorate, and also has increased his lead over liberal Democrat Phil Angelides. Also the many, many representatives of California’s small business community within the National Federation of Independent Business have backed the Governor’s re-election overwhelmingly (95%). This makes sense since Phil Angelides has never met a small businessman he didn’t want to tax out of business! The Golden Pen today goes to columnist Tom Elias who eloquently reminds us all that California still is getting short-changed by the federal government, as money is sucked out of the Golden State and redistributed elsewhere in the nation, or used up by the massive federal bureaucracy. Vic Pollard from the Bakersfield Californian has a must-read column with his take on the latest intrigue in the most highly targeted State Assembly seat in … Read More