Gov. Jerry Brown, in full-throttle campaign mode, stumped across the state to build public support for a multibillion-dollar plan to fix California's crumbling highways.
From the Bee's Dan Morain: "Two days shy of his 79th birthday, Jerry Brown was out politicking on Wednesday, leading a rally of hard-hatted workers on the Capitol’s east steps, touting a 10-year, $52 billion transportation bill, not at all certain of success."
"Brown came to office in the 1970s skeptical of freeways. His chief transportation aide was vilified for daring to set aside a lane for carpools. But six-plus years into his final time in office, Brown understands certain realities:"
"Our freeways are in a dismal state of repair, we are wedded to our cars, and our economy depends on the ability to truck goods from the ports to the rest of the nation. All the wishful thinking of environmentalists won’t change that soon. And so Brown is employing the art of the possible he has learned over a lifetime, realizing that failure would be embarrassing to Democrats, as it was for Republicans when the House failed to repeal Obamacare last month."
READ MORE related to Roads: Foes say road money has been misused in the past -- George Skelton, LAT; Pothole repair depends on Brown's political skills -- Christopher Cadelago, SacBee; Vote nears for California gas tax, fee hike -- AP's Jonathan Cooper; Could California use existing money for road repairs? -- Chris Nichols, Capitol Public Radio
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Republican, to run for president in 2020 against Donald Trump -- assuming Trump is still in office then.
From the the LAT's Seema Mehta: "Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that Ohio Gov. John Kasich should campaign for the White House in 2020, essentially calling for a primary challenge to his fellow Republican, President Trump."
“He should run in 2020, yes,” Schwarzenegger said in an interview with The Times when asked whether Kasich, whom he supported over Trump in the 2016 presidential race, should launch another presidential campaign."
“Kasich is an extraordinary guy. He’s a man of substance. He’s worked in Washington, he’s worked in local government, he’s worked in statewide government. He has the experience. He can see things. He has vision,” Schwarzenegger enthused. “He’s also a moderate. He’s a tough Republican and very fiscally conservative, but he also at the same time loves helping people.”
Speaking of Schwarzenegger, he also blasted President Trump's proposed cuts in after-school programs.
From the LA Daily News' Antonie Boessenkool: "Arnold Schwarzenegger, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump’s plans to cut funding for after-school programs, rallied government and education leaders at a National Afterschool Summit at the University of Southern California Wednesday."
"Schwarzenegger said the summit was planned before Trump released his proposed budget. Even so, the former California governor came down hard on the president."
“President Trump promised us that he wants to make America great again. That’s not how you make America great, by taking $1.2 billion dollars away from the children (in after-school programs),” Schwarzenegger said. “Why would you want to balance the budget on the backs of those kids?”
It seems everybody these days is obsessing over Twitter, and our elected officials are no exception. Take Congressman Ted Lieu, a former California lawmaker, who is going mano-a-mano against Trump in the Tweet Wars.
From WaPo's Karen Heller: " In the packed auditorium at the Creative Artists Agency, a vortex of entertainment industry power and current progressive political woe, comedian Kathy Griffin — tiny, insistently red-tressed — erupts in full-throttle rasp at the man in the boxy gray suit as he finishes up onstage."
“I saw you on the Joy Reid show on MSNBC,” Griffin says, coming up from the audience to address Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat speaking at the CAA Foundation’s Take Action Day. “You’re giving us hope!”
"A trio of sleek female agents surrounds Lieu, as if he’s some TV heartthrob like actor Joshua Jackson, who is on the same environmental panel yet attracting far less attention."
A new poll shows that California Democrats generally trust the media and Republicans don't.
From the Merc's Katy Murphy: "A first-of-its-kind statewide poll found that three-quarters of California Democrats trust journalists to accurately cover the news, but an overwhelming majority of Republicans — 8 in 10 — have little to no trust in the news media."
"Similarly, 84 percent of Republicans surveyed feel that coverage of President Donald Trump was too harsh, while 62 percent of Democrats said it wasn’t critical enough."
“It’s like the Democrats and Republicans are living in alternate universes when it comes to the news media,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies poll.
