Teachers unions on both sides of the Bay Bridge are threatening to strike. Yesterday, an Oakland Teachers Association representative said the union shortly would be announcing their “scheduled work action” plans while San Francisco teachers gave a big thumbs up to the union’s plans to strike if the district does not go along with their pay demands. The SF union representatives said that a strike could happen by mid-April if negotiations don’t go their way. Rumors in Oakland have been flying about a possible strike as early as next week, although parents and teachers have been working on plans to run “strike schools” for quite some time.

The big disagreement in … Read More

Esteemed Conservative Republican Tom McClintock just issued the following statement. Let me cut to the chase-Howard Kaloogian is a liar. Explain this one away Howard. Were you in Baghdad when you gotthe years ofMcClintock’s endorsement mixed up ? Are you going to turn this "mix-up" into a plea for more money? I can’t wait to hear your excuse this time.

Statement from Sen. Tom McClintock’s Office "It has come to my attention that a campaign mailing on behalf of Howard Kaloogian includes a picture and quote from me that suggests that I have endorsed his candidacy for U.S. Congress. I have not. "Although I have a very high regard for Howard, I also greatly respect and admire Senator Bill Morrow, and for this reason have remained neutral in this race. The Quote attributed to me was from my endorsement of Howard’s candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2004."

PS for the record, I am supporting Bilbray in the 50th, however I am not getting paid to do so.… Read More

Click here to read John Wildermuth’s (SF Chronicle reporter) blog entry on Phil Angelides’ appearance on Al Franken radio show this morning at the Crest Theater in Sacramento. Liberal voters will be thrilled to learn that Anglelides plans to "make California home to a new progressive movement." If Angelides bests Westly in the Democratic primary, hopefully Republicans who are now planning to sit on their hands in November will rethink the power of their vote. While I’m not thrilled with everything that Schwarzenegger is doing (I share Matt Cunningham’s feeling of "It’s getting to the point where I’ll be surprised if I’m not disappointed by the Governor’s actions."), my vote will be cast as a "anybody but Phil vote." I can see it now–the Big Five under Governor Angelides will be Angelides, Al Franken, Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon.… Read More

The 69th AD battle for the Democrat nomination could be a brutal.

The campaign of Santa Ana Councilman Jose Solorio has announced he has received the endorsement of two statewide unions: California Federation of Teachers and California Professional Firefighters

Solorio’s chief opponent is Santa Ana City Councilwoman and OC Deputy District Attorney Claudia Alvarez, the third candidate in the race is Armando de la Libertad, an executive with Wells Fargo who does community development, even though he lacks elected experience, I never discount someone who hands out money for a living.

All three candidates bought ballot statements. Alvarez has over $100,000 cash on hand while Solorio and de la Libertad each have about $75,000.… Read More

It was sad that when I went to check my e-mail tonight there was a statement from State Senator Bill Morrow, a fine principled conservative, that asked 50th CD candidate Howard Kaloogian to remove his photo and half decade old endorsement from his web site. Note to Howard, Morrow is running against you, he probably did not endorse you.

Here is the larger point. This past week Kaloogian had to explained away his bogus endorsements of Rep. Tom Tancredo, State Senator Tom McClintock and now fellow candidate Bill Morrow -plus suffer the nationwide embarrassment of his “photo mix up”.

In a campaign where the issue is being honest with the voters, I don’t think this will set well with them. Do I need to point out the obvious to Mr. Kaloogian; that we are having this special election because the previous holder of this seat, aka Federal Prisoner 94405-198, was not an honest man. I happen to back Bilbray, but I think all the other Republican candidates, save Kaloogian, are honest people running honest campaigns. They would all, again save Kaloogian, make honest Members of Congress. I can’t wait to see who is next to ask Kaloogian to… Read More

The rush to judgment on the Kaloogian photo is so absurd, it’s laughable. So, let’s laugh. Forwarded by Jack Orr, on the supposed Howard "controversy"….

"I received the following forwarded message today from Tom Hanscom,obviously a person of wit and good humor. Finally, a truly funnymoment in an otherwise deadly serious campaign":

I’m assuming (since you’re giving the 50th race so much attention)that you’ll probably address the Kaloogian-photo-of-Baghdad"controversy."

Before you give Howard too hard a time, please consider that he hascorrected the mistake, replacing the photo from Istanbul with a realone from the Iraqi capitol. As you’ll note in the verified photo, the streets are packed with unworried, unhurriedIraqis. The sidewalks are lined with flowers (probably sprouted fromthe bouquets thrown at our soldiers three years ago); Americanpresence is strong (note the U.S.-held building at left); andbuildings are hardly the bombed-out shells we see exclusively on TVnews reports (note one of Saddam’s palaces, intact, in… Read More

Kevan Otto, the Republican President of a Police Union has withdrawn from the race for the GOP nomination for the 59th Assembly District. He endorsed Chris Lancaster. While Otto’s name will be on the ballot, the Union supported anti- Prop 75 vote among Republicans won’t be as diluted. Lancaster has significant union support. This leaves Lancaster as the only active candidate from the San Gabriel Valley part of this sprawling district. A definite plus. See the attached Press Release. See past posts on this race starting here.… Read More

While there is always lots of interesting political goings on in the Bay Area, I can’t help to read the daily stories on the Polk murder trial. While it doesn’t have the celebrity status of the OJ trial, the Polk trial is the most interesting legal drama in the country today. I’m sure that the writers for "Law and Order" and other TV legal shows have already got copy-cat scripts in the works.

The courtroom happenings are fascinating. For example, this week, the defendant—on trial for murdering her husband and who is acting as her own attorney—objected to something the prosecution said on the grounds of….hyperbole.

First, for some background. For those of you not familiar with the East Bay, Orinda is a small, affluent town on the other side of the Caldecott Tunnel from North Oakland. For many “crunchy” Berkeley/Oakland residents, they simply cannot stand to… Read More