Dan Schnur, the current Chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, is a Republican appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger. He is well-suited for the job because he has a political campaign background and understands the dynamics of campaigns. He has a great pedigree as Chairman of the Unruh School of Politics at USC. I wish he was more "pro First Amendment" in his job, but I think he is an improvement on his predecessor Ross Johnson, and he has a reputation for being a fair person. If Meg Whitman is elected Governor, I think Schnur will stay at the Commission.

But what will happen if Jerry Brown is elected Governor? Well, Schnur will surely not keep his current job. Political observers are starting to throw some names around and the group is interesting. One name I have heard is Professor Dan Lowenstein, recently retired for most duties at UCLA Law School. Dan was the very first Chairman of the FPPC under Governor Jerry Brown, and must be the most knowledgeable election law scholar in our state. However, I have it on good… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail… … Read More

The general election is only eight days away, and as it approaches, I have been watching with some degree of fascination the implosion of the candidacy of incumbent San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane (pictured). Before shocking revelations that have taken place over the last few days concerning Biane, the Supervisor was already having a really rough go of it. Last June, well over half of the voters in his district cast their ballot for someone else to replace Biane. His opponent on the ballot, Fontana Councilwoman Janice Rutherford, came in only 3 points behind him. There is a rule in politics that if you are an incumbent and you are held below 50% — you are likely going to lose your re-election. Biane got a pathetic 34% of the vote.

Desperation time having arrived by August, Biane’s campaign releases a “strategy memo” to Democrats (the authenticity of which I personally confirmed with Biane… Read More

I was more than bummed out to see that Jerry Brown is 13 points ahead in the latest polls. I will be sure to help Meg Whitman every way I can with my slate cards, more of a contribution than a few of my conservative colleagues are willing to do. But sadly the thought of another Jerry Brown administration is starting to take hold. I don’t mind Jerry that much. I was around when he got that Howard Jarvis endorsement in 1978 and I know of a few skeletons in the closet that will never come out about that endorsement. He did help implement Prop. 13, though he was a stinker during the election.

I admire Meg Whitman’s accomplishments. I think she is a class act.

But what really kills me is the idea of Sterling Clifford, “The Liar,” being Jerry’s spokesman. Sterling’s most recent political job was serving as the chief flak for a Mayor of Baltimore that was convicted of felonious stealing of funds while in office, such funds intended for welfare recipients.

Sterling has lied and lied during this campaign as Jerry Brown’s spokesman. He lied about Meg Whitman, he lied about organizations, he lied… Read More

I realize I am not the smartest political strategist around, but I have a question? Why, in a year where conservative issues are transcendant, conservative activists are energized, and conservative voters just can’t wait to vote, would a candidate run around the state trying to prove she is not a conservative? Do you think there is a reason why Meg Whitman seems to be falling apart, and Carly Fiorina is on the rise? Wouldn’t it be an interesting commentary on the "traditional" wisdom of the political intelligentsia in California if the conservative Fiorina won, and the "moderate" Whitman lost?

I want to make sure I am not misunderstood. I don’t want Whitman to lose. I have already voted, and I voted for her. But, to be honest, I was in the voting booth, and thought twice about it. And trust me, if I thought twice about it, there are a lot of conservatives who will just walk away. In fact, it is my opinion that Whitman can still win this, but it will be because conservatives like Fiorina and Senator Mimi Walters are in the race, so conservatives will turn out to vote for them, and then… Read More

What would you typically do on Sunday, if you weren’t campaigning?

So, what’s your excuse today?

Even while in the midst of a campaign, always make time for your family, and always take the time to thank God for your blessings, including the fact that you have the right to seek public office.

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All of Barry’s enlightening advice…and other posts. _… Read More

In no particular order: I’m gratified the SF Giants beat the Phillies tonight, especially because as a result I won a 6-1 bet placed legally at the sports book at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas four months ago, when tonight reliever Brian Wilson earned a questionable called strike three to get the save tonight and win the pennant. I’ll use the $600 I won right after the election to entertain conservative cronies at The Foundation Room in Vegas at an after election dinner. Our Western CPAC was a huge success last weekend in Newport Beach, and main speaker, pollster Scott Rasmussen, got us two days of national press on The Drudge Report with his prediction of over 50 Republican pickups in the Congress. Thanks to Newport Beach Councilman Keith Curry for stopping by, who joined six Congressmen – five from Ca and one from Utah! Special thanks to Jon Fleischman and my long time friend Congressman Darrell Issa for much suport and a great speech from Issa! I enjoyed a 12 minute shot on the KTTV Channel 11 news last Saturday night after Western CPAC, debating liberal Jamie Court on the Insurance Commissioner election. So cool to level liberals.… Read More

I am currently enjoying a mail piece called the Democrat[ic] Election Education Guide. [Italics and brackets by me]by the Election Education Guide folks of Burbank, a slate mailer group. It has a picture of an owl on the address side,the mailer isa real hoot.

It features every statewide candidate and proposition endorsed by the CA Dem Party, Firefighters, Nurses, Teachers and College Professors. [I love that lastpart, are Dem voters really turned on to what college professors think politically? really? funny!]

It has the entire slate of statewide Dems from US Senatethru that ‘non-partisan’ Superintendant of Public Indoctri…er Instruction. The laser printed portion that is specific to our area has the Dem’s listed for BOE, Congress, State Senate,[awww, they didn’tpick me] and another funny, for Assembly, "No Democrat in your district"on the ballot. Yeah, I guess it isn’t an unbiased mail piece butan "Education Guide" to getDems turned out. OK,fair… Read More