Another large crowd greeted Arnold Schwarzenegger, this time numbering about 2,500 outside a San Jose fundraiser.
Citizens to Save California, which sponsored the event, dismissed the protestors. The Chron reports: "'Efforts like these protests have been counterproductive,' said
Reed Dickens, a spokesman for the group."
The
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business-Journal reports "South Bay Labor Council Executive Director
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins said that 2,500 union members had signed in at the rally and that she estimated the crowd to be about 3,000."
The San Jose Mercury News
puts the numbers at a more modest 1,000. Of course, it could be that 2,500 union folks signed in, but only 1,000 showed. Just like a typical Friday in any state agency.
However many there were, the GOP was not impressed. "'This is a bunch of militant labor activists being riled up by union bosses,' said
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the state Republican Party. 'Who's there who's not a union activist?'"
In a strategy that seems so outdated,
leaders of the pharmaceutical industry and the consumer attorneys sat down yesterday in San Francisco in hopes of avoiding a costly ballot showdown. PhRMA brought its ace-in-the-hole,
Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. The Bee quotes
Frank Schubert, PhRMA's political consultant: "We want to see if there is an opportunity to resolve our differences and focus our activities in the Legislature.
PhRMA believes these issues are best dealt with in the Legislature."
Does anybody have a napkin handy?
Don't look for a backroom deal to keep an initiative off the ballot
requiring minors to notify their parents before they obtain an abortion.
Dan Schnur tells the Contra Costa Times "If the parental consent measure ends up qualifying, it could completely take over the special election debate."
The momentum continues to move in
Antonio Villaraigosa's direction, as
Congresswoman Maxine Waters throws her support behind the former speaker. The LA Times reports: "'
Jimmy Hahn is not Kenny Hahn,' said Waters, a longtime ally of the mayor's family. 'We gave him a chance. He failed. And so, we're moving on.'" Ouch.
Hahn strategist
Kam Kuwata had to dig deeply to explain Waters's allegiance shift. The Times continues "Hahn strategist Kam Kuwata recalled that Waters backed a loser,
Al Checchi, in the 1998 governor's race."
In that same race, Kuwata backed a loser,
Jane Harman.
Be vewy vewy quiet: In the Easter spirit, the Mission Viejo City Council has okayed a plan to allow residents of the Casta del Sol retirement community
shoot bunny rabbits with pellet guns. "'
It's a quality-of-life issue,' said Councilman
Lance MacLean. 'They're a pest. We really weren't left with a whole lot of options. We have tried trapping, so we've kind of gone to our last resort.'"
Mr. Koretz, time for a gut and amend.
Finally, it's time for a recap of the never-ending contest.
Two weeks ago, we asked you to complete the sentence "
Karen Hanretty's Skin is Thick as ..." Many of you stepped up to provide dermatological analysis of the California GOP's top talker.
Here are some of our favorites:
... Bob Mulholland's eyebrows.
...a latte brewed in a Hummer's crankcase.
...Tom Fuentes' skull.
...seven-stack burger at Nationwide
...the Governor's lifts and bootheels combined.
...the Speaker's hair.
...the reasoning behind the Assembly majority's McPherson strategy.
...the skin on the ass of an elephant
Thanks to all who participated.
