The new Capitol Weekly hits the streets this morning, with a
preview of the governor's reelection announcement, scheduled for Friday in San Diego, and this weekend's Republican Party convention in the Los Angeles City of Anaheim.
Edgy Republicans will be parsing words Friday to
make sure the governor doesn't give himself any wiggle room. "It’s critical for the governor’s supporters to hear a strong confirmation of his reelection plans," says
Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist who is not directly affiliated with the initiative campaigns. "
The statement has to be strong, and it has to be airtight."
Also this week, Shane Goldmacher looks at how labor's ascendance and a difference in personal style between the legislative leaders has
tipped the scales of power back toward the Assembly.
"Free from the legal clouds surrounding
[Don] Perata,
[Fabian] Nuñez has focused on opposing Gov. Schwarzenegger’s "year of reform." The Speaker holds weekly press conferences and, among legislators, has taken the lead in opposing Schwarzenegger’s agenda, which has been the target of protests from teacher, fire fighterand nurse unions throughout the year.
Perata's spokeswoman
Alicia Dlugosh says "My boss is the type of person who doesn’t like to have a press availability unless he has something very specific to talk about ... He is so media savvy. He is a sound-bite machine," said Dlugosh. "But
what would we talk about every week?"
How about
how we can reform Prop. 98?And Malcolm Maclachlan takes a look at the
state's dealings with "Saddam's favorite bank." "Like other states, politicians in California have called on their states to sever economic ties with companies linked to terrorism. Earlier this year, state Treasurer
Phil Angelides said state retirement funds should divest themselves of shares of CACI International Inc., because that company refused to discuss its alleged involvement in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses ... Meanwhile, Angelides helped
approve millions of dollars in state bonds financed by the European investment bank BNP Parabis, which is owned by the French government. The bank has been savaged by conservatives, and dubbed "Saddam’s favorite bank" for its business in the Middle East and its
alleged involvement in the Iraq Oil-for-Food scandal."
Also this week, the
latest from Big Daddy, and
Phil Angelides has his star chart done.The LA Times' Robert Salladay
reports "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger all but declared Wednesday that he would run for a second term next year, saying, '
I am not in this for the short run,' and promising an official announcement Friday in San Diego."
"Speaking at a special election campaign event in this Central Valley town near Fresno, Schwarzenegger was asked by an audience member if Californians would get "a chance to vote for you again." It was the last question during a carefully planned 'town hall' meeting at a window factory."
"The governor paused, smiled briefly and then revealed what he had been hinting for weeks: 'I'm going to make an official announcement on Friday, this Friday. I believe very strongly in follow-through. Follow-through is the most important thing.
If you start something you've got to finish it.'"
Like the California Performance Review...
Speaking of election announcements, Sen.
Joe Dunn has finally settled on a race for 2006 -- state controller. "I am running for Controller because Californians need a chief financial officer willing to protect our public funds. As the only Democrat to vote ‘no’ on the tax dollar giveaway to Enron during our electricity crisis, I am the only candidate qualified to serve as watchdog over our hard-earned tax dollars," Dunn said in a statement.
Dunn will square off against BOE member
John Chiang and Assemblyman
Dario Frommer in the Democratic primary.
Meanwhile, a group of Republicans is
attacking the governor's record on political outreach to Latinos. "In an unusual open letter drafted for release today, the activists offer a litany of political grievances and assert that 'the California Republican Party and its key leaders are systematically excluding Latinos from any kind of meaningful role in the state party or state government.'"
Pledge rulingFederal judge
Lawrence Karlton ruled that the
pledge of allegiance is unconstitutionally coercive when administered in a public school classroom. If the Ninth Circuit agrees with Karlton that a previous ruling by the appellate body required the finding, the ruling provides the perfect tone-setter for soon-to-be-confirmed Chief Justice
John Roberts.
While you'll certainly hear a lot about the ruling on the campaign trail, it may cause cause some to think twice about the provision of Proposition 77 that requires retired
state or federal judges to draw legislative district lines. Then again, Gov. Schwarzenegger would probably be all too happy to be able to count Karlton among the retired, given the choice.
Topic for discussion: The Republican Party Convention is neither Republican, nor a party, nor a convention. Discuss...The Sacramento News and Review's Jeffrey Barker
profiles the Sacramento Bee's editorial board. "'Just about every day, there’s something on that page that I don’t agree with,” says [editorial board member and columnist
Dan] Weintraub.
"Take [
Stuart] Leavenworth’s editorial several weeks back suggesting that Governor Schwarzenegger cancel the November 8 special election. Weintraub disagreed and responded with a column outlining an opposing viewpoint."
"Weintraub, whose column many say balances out the partisan politics of the page, often is criticized for appearing to be in the governor’s back pocket and for being too conservative. But he calls himself a centrist. '
I don’t have a partisan bone in my body,' he says."
Moving to the furry beat, the natural threats to California are numerous, with
rogue sea lions apparently the current worry. The incessant barking and favorite roost of anchored boats is driving residents crazy. After the protected mammals sunk a sail boat, local residents are declaring war.
"'People probably think, 'Oh, you live on the water, you have a beautiful life, quit your complaining, this is part of living on the water,'' she said. '
But this is far beyond normal-sounding sea life.'"
Apparently, normal-sounding sea life is Jimmy Buffett's
Margaritaville.
"Things got so out of hand this summer that she finally invoked divine assistance. 'We've been praying: 'God, please, I need a night of sleep,'' Schriber said."
"It worked — sort of. The sea lions recently began congregating a few houses farther down the peninsula. 'I told one of my neighbors about the prayers and she said, 'Thanks a lot, now they're down at my house.''"
AdWatch: We at The Roundup like to watch the political ads, and noticed that the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights has copied an advertisement placed by the governor's California Recovery Team. In ad, which appears adjacent to the original "Reforming California is Hard Work" ad on
Jack Kavanagh's
Rough & Tumble, FTCR has replaced the third slide in the animated graphic, which features the governor's mug and the phrase "Join me!", with "I'd Rather be Fundraising."
Check it out before the cease and desist letter is sent this afternoon.
Speaking of advertising, our coffee supply is running low and the server hamsters need to be fed, and we could
use your help.
