"'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'
will feature Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- just one month before the Nov. 7 election -- but not his Democratic opponent, state Treasurer
Phil Angelides," reports the AP's Laura Kurtzman.
"Angelides asked to appear on the show but had not received a response by Tuesday afternoon, said
Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Angelides' campaign."
"U.S. Rep
Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, filed a complaint on Angelides' behalf with the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday that accuses the 'Tonight Show' of violating the equal time provision of the Federal Communications Act."
"'Use of the broadcast spectrum is granted as a public trust,' Becerra wrote. 'It is not to be used to favor certain candidates.'"
"The equal time question came up during the 2003 gubernatorial recall election, when Schwarzenegger declared his candidacy on Leno's show in a surprise announcement."
"Not long afterward, the 'Tonight Show' invited all 135 recall candidates to appear, although they were hardly given equal time with Schwarzenegger. Instead, they were given 10 seconds to shout their ideas, all at the same time."
So, Phil, there's still hope to give your elevator pitch.
The LAT's Michael Blood reports that the gov is
getting all the celebrity love. "Consider a recent election-season week: One day, the actor-governor signed a bill with
George Clooney on hand. The next, he was hanging out with the
Dalai Lama. A day later, he signed more legislation with British Prime Minister
Tony Blair looped in on video."
"'
I think Angelides has a better chance of trying to arm-wrestle Arnold than he does trying to match him for celebrity attention,' said
Jonathan Wilcox, who teaches a class on celebrity and society at the University of Southern California."
Sounds like one of those really tough USC classes.
"His red carpet supporters include Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. His old pal Danny DeVito pops up. He gave a speech last month at a women's conference organized by his celebrity wife, Maria Shriver, where the guest list ranged from Martha Stewart to the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists."
"Backers also include "The Terminator" director
James Cameron, Interscope Records chief
Jimmy Iovine and producer
Jerry Bruckheimer."
"Angelides, the state treasurer and a former developer, has shared stages with prominent Democratic politicians, including former President
Bill Clinton. And he was joined at recent events by actors
Ed Begley Jr. and
Daniel Stern."
"Angelides' supporters also include
Barbra Streisand, basketball legend
Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, actor
Warren Beatty and TV producer
Norman Lear."
"'Phil Angelides has considerable support in Hollywood and the entertainment community,' said spokeswoman
Amanda Crumley. 'Hollywood support continues to grow.'"
The LAT's Steve Chawkins
profiles the race for state treasurer. "
Claude Parrish likes to say he's been named treasurer of just about everything he's been involved in, from the Echo Park Coin Club to the Republican Party of Los Angeles County."
"But the 59-year-old Parrish, a member of the powerful if obscure state Board of Equalization, faces his toughest treasurer run yet in his November matchup against state Atty. Gen.
Bill Lockyer."
Lockyer has run a coin club or two of his own, apparently.
"Before spending eight years as the state's top law enforcement official, Lockyer, 65, was a fixture in the Legislature, serving from 1973 to 1998 and spending his final four years as Senate president pro tem. A Democrat with funds remaining from past campaigns, he has more than $10.5 million at his disposal."
"A former barbershop owner and property manager who describes himself as a self-made man, Parrish acknowledges that his candidacy is an uphill battle. Still, he hopes voters are swayed by his eight years of navigating tax law and fiscal policies as a member of the Board of Equalization."
"'
Bill Lockyer is good at what he does, but I'm good at what I do,' he said, contending that his credentials in finance are more persuasive than his opponent's."
Edwin Garcia writes in the Merc News that Assemblyman
Van Tran has developed a huge following in the South Bay. "Assemblyman Van Tran, donning a city of San Jose construction hat, digs his ceremonial shovel into the ground, turning the earth alongside dozens of local dignitaries on what will become the Viet Heritage Gardens in San Jose."
"But it's a short -- often interrupted -- walk through Kelley Park after the ceremony that best illustrates the high regard for Tran in the South Bay: A doctor offers to raise campaign money for him; Rep.
Mike Honda gushes about Tran's popularity; and an aide to San Jose Councilman
Dave Cortese pleads for the assemblyman's endorsement should Cortese run for county supervisor in 2008."
"Spend a day in San Jose with Tran and one quickly comes to understand that he is the most important and influential political figure for the city's sizable Vietnamese-American population. And for those who aren't Vietnamese, he provides a critical link to a growing bloc of South Bay voters -- even if he doesn't technically represent any of them."
And, they weren't much help in Tran's short-lived candidacy for the Republican nomination in SD34.
The Chron's Washington bureau reports that business groups are
giving money to Democrat Nancy Pelosi just in case she becomes Speaker."
"Traditionally Republican big business interests are hedging their electoral bets this year by increasing their campaign contributions to Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, whose party is given a healthy shot at taking House control in the Nov. 7 elections."
"Business is still overwhelmingly Republican in its donations, accounting in part for the big financial advantage that Republicans have in the home stretch as they try to maintain control of the House and the Senate. But though the business community disagrees with many of the positions Pelosi plans to push if she becomes speaker in January -- raising the minimum wage, rolling back tax breaks for oil and gas companies, and allowing Medicare to negotiate price reductions on prescription drugs -- corporate America doesn't want to be shut out."
From our
Two Licks Files: "Riverside County voters have some hefty issues to decide in the November election — so many that voters
will need an extra stamp when mailing their absentee ballots because the envelopes will be so heavy, elections officials said," reports Sara Lin in the Times.
"The six ballot cards that voters will mark together weigh just over an ounce, requiring 63 cents postage to mail the ballot to the county registrar of voters."
"The
finalists for the job of Los Angeles schools chief include a retired Navy vice admiral and a former district insider who became a superintendent elsewhere, rounding out an eclectic mix of five candidates," report Joel Rubin and Howard Blume in the Times.
"Separately,
a coalition led by school district officials filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging legislation giving Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa substantial authority over the Los Angeles Unified School District."
"'
I am disappointed, but this will not in any way deter us from our mission to turn around our schools,' Villaraigosa said. 'We're moving ahead with our education reform efforts…. We believe the Legislature's mandate is constitutional and that the courts will ultimately affirm that.'"
With that, Villaraigosa sat down for 30 minutes with
Henry Kissinger in China.
And then,
this happened.
"Essentially, the suit argues that the California Constitution specifically forbids placing schools or school districts under the control of city officials. The legislation grants Villaraigosa direct control over three high schools — as yet undetermined — and the middle and elementary schools that feed them."
In addition to the district, other parties to the lawsuit "include the League of Women Voters, Rep.
Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles), the California School Boards Assn., the Assn. of California School Administrators, the school district's two PTA groups and several parents."
While the future of LA Unified was being debated,
Chula Vista High became Diddy High, reports Sharan Heilbrunn in the Union-Tribune. "The popular artist, whose real name is Sean Combs, visited the school after Chula Vista High students won a “text contest” that was open to all San Diego County high schools.
Students were asked to send text messages that read 'Diddy' and the name of their high school as many times as they wanted over a four-day period."
Who needs essay contests anymore?
"Chula Vista High came in first,
with more than 34,000 text messages.
"'I texted about 200 times,' said
Marc Rivera, a freshman."
Should be good when mom and dad get the phone bill.
"'I'm here to show my love and appreciation,' he began. 'Today is about y'all. It's about your futures and how you all inspire me.”
Inspired by the ability to send 34,000 text messages?
"Diddy High, he continued, is about 'empowering yourself for the future' and taking responsibility to become the leaders of tomorrow."
By text messaging "Diddy."