From our Too Little Too Late Files,
Don Perata and Fabian Nuñez have both
opted out of photo ops with the governor on the most recent bond campaign. Matier and Ross have the dirt.
"Those in the know said problems between the governor and Democrats Don Perata and Fabian Núñez surfaced right about the time Bush decided to campaign for two House Republicans in California, the same day as the bond kickoff.
According to one Democratic operative close to the negotiations between the two sides,
it soon became apparent to the Dems that the governor would be using his appearances with Perata and Núñez to prove he isn't the "Bush Republican" that gubernatorial rival Phil Angelides is making him out to be."
Really? The Democrats were being used as photo-op props? We're shocked.
A Republican operative close to the talks pointed the finger in a different direction, saying Perata, the Oakland Democrat who leads the state Senate, and Assembly Speaker Núñez, D-Los Angeles, backed away from the bond kickoff after catching heat from labor leaders for appearing too chummy with the governor.
And when the governor's re-election campaign -- rather than the nonpartisan bond committee -- took it upon itself to announce Tuesday's fly-around, all bets were off.
"We made it very clear from day one that this was to be bipartisan, with no mention of anyone's campaign,'' Perata said.
Perata called Núñez and said, "Are you with me?"
The speaker said, 'Of course.'"
We like
Bob Salladay's version better.
And yet,
the show must go on, reports the Times' Michael Finnegan.
"Undaunted by their abandonment of what Schwarzenegger aides had long billed as a joint campaign swing for $37 billion in public works bonds, the Republican governor praised the missing Democrats for working with him to put the proposals on the Nov. 7 ballot."
Meanwhile, the guv is steering clear of El Presidente. 'President Bush is coming out here not to help California, but to do fundraising in California, so there's no reason for me to meet with him,' Schwarzenegger told reporters in Beverly Hills after a breakfast fundraiser for the bond campaign."
The Chron's Greg Lucas and Rachel Gordon report on
the president's fundraising swing. "A new independent poll by the San Jose State University Survey and Policy Research Institute found that two-thirds of the state's voters disapprove of Bush's job performance, but the discontent wasn't evident at Bush's two showcased stops in Northern California on behalf of Republican Reps. Richard Pombo of Tracy and John Doolittle of Rocklin (Placer County).
Hundreds of the party faithful in San Joaquin County and in El Dorado Hills in the Sierra foothills shelled out big money to see Bush, and the candidates he was there to support basked in his attention.
Pombo isn't the only one getting
help from old friends, reports the Bee's Andy Furillo. "Sacramento developer
Angelo K. Tsakopoulos has
contributed $2.5 million to the California Democratic Party to help fund its 'issue advocacy' ads trying to link Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with the policies of President Bush.
The contributions from Tsakopoulos and his company, AKT Development, came
on top of the $8.7 million that he and his relatives and their firms gave to an independent expenditure committee in the spring. The committee ran TV ads on behalf of Treasurer Phil Angelides, who won the Democratic primary over Controller
Steve Westly."
Speaking of campaigns in trouble, the Merc's Julie Severens and Karen de Sa report that money is
helping to change voters' minds on two new tax proposals on the November ballot. "Despite initial widespread voter backing of new taxes on cigarettes and oil producers, support for both measures significantly dwindled after weeks of heavy advertising by opponents."
"Hoping to reduce the number of Californians who cycle in and out of prison, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has quietly
signed a bill allowing nonviolent ex-convicts to earn their way off parole early by completing an intensive drug treatment program," reports the Times' Jennifer Warren.
The story of
corruption in Jim Hahn's City Hall took another turn yesterday, reports the Times' . "While receiving bribes from a company seeking a new port contract, former Hahn administration power broker
Leland Wong repeatedly sought to influence then-Deputy Mayor
Troy Edwards by treating him to massages that included sexual favors, prosecutors alleged Tuesday."
At least there are no instant messages, that we know of...
Well, so much for the
Jackie Goldberg idea. "The short list to become the next superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District includes the top educator for the world's richest philanthropy, a former Occidental College president and the onetime superintendent of Las Vegas' schools, said sources close to the selection process," reports the Times' Joel Rubin and Howard Blume.
Known to be finalists are
Tom Vander Ark, executive director for education initiatives at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; former Occidental President
Ted Mitchell, who now heads a nonprofit firm that funds charter schools; and
Carlos A. Garcia, the former head of the Clark County, Nev., school district."
Finally, from our
Write Your Own Punch Line Files, AP reports "
A real clown is running for mayor of Alameda, and even his sister won't vote for him.
Kenneth Kahn, 41, a professional joker known as '
Kenny the Clown,' admits he's running a long-shot campaign for City Hall's top spot. Kahn has not previously run for an elected position and has never sat on a public board.
Kahn's mother, Barbara, said her son doesn't have a chance, and
Sylvia Kahn, a teacher, said her brother's candidacy is a 'mockery of our system.'"
Well, somebody has to...
