** AND NOW FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS AS RUSSIAN HISTORY. Trust my old friend Harold Meyerson to find the metaphor for the California governor’s race you have not heard. Meyerson, as big a journalistic admirer of the labor-left and Phil Angelides as exists in this space-time continuum, pens his Washington Post column for today and finds that it may just be Steve Westly time. And in so doing pegs Angelides as the Nikolai Bukharin for our time. As in the guy who was most appropriate by the party standard (Communist Party, in that case) to replace Lenin as party head. Yet who lost out to someone else. Who I recall being Rykov. I asked Harold if he meant Rykov and darned if he didn’t actually have Stalin in mind. Koba (Boss) Steve Westly. Hmm, maybe not. But you never know. He seems like such a nice fellow.
Would that also make Gray Davis … V.I. Lenin? And who would be Zinoviev?
UPDATE: Incidentally, I remember Phil Angelides when he was not a figure of the labor-left but the hardball chief of staff for pro-business Assembly Majority Leader Mike Roos. And a fast-rising Sacramento developer. But in a different life before that … as the friend of the renters’ rights movement at Governor Jerry Brown’s Department of Housing & Community Development. And as a volunteer so excited to be driving Jane Fonda around that he got in an accident.
** THE RETURN OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE! They’re baaaack. The cop, the firefighter, the teacher, the nurse, the union boss … (Oops, edit final character from commercial.) Those political icons who bedevil California’s once beloved governor in his nightmares. “But, but I vuz a firefighter in Collateral Damage! I vuz a cop in End of Days! I vuz a teacher in Kindergarten Cop! I vuz a nurse in, uh, ve didn’t make dat picture. Vy do they hate me so?!”
Those lovable madcaps from ABC, the Alliance for a Better California for public employees (couldn’t resist, folks) return to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life tomorrow at 4:30 PM. At his home! His home away from home, actually, the fabulous Hyatt Regency at Capitol Park. Just a short motorcade ride across the street from the State Capitol. Arnold lives upstairs. The scene will be downstairs, in front of and surrounding the building. The governor’s fundraiser will be in the ballroom. Look up for falling paparazzi. Look down for the $100,000 check you dropped.
(QUIZ: Where does the term “paparazzi” come from?)
** A VERY GOOD REPUBLICAN SOURCE SAYS KARL ROVE IS A GRAND JURY “TARGET.” The George W. Bush political maven and White House deputy chief of staff is under the gun for possibly outing a CIA agent in retaliation for her husband’s debunking of an administration claim that helped establish the WMD (weapons of mass destruction) rationale for the Iraq War. My friend and sometime colleague, MSNBC analyst and West Wing producer Lawrence O’Donnell, has analysis.
If Rove is indicted, given the central role he has played in the career of Governor and President Bush, that makes the situation for Republicans across the country, and especially in California, all the more difficult.
** THE ACTION GOVERNOR TAKES ACTION ON THE MINIMUM WAGE. With his raise-the-minimum-wage-with-no-cost-of-living-escalator bill sponsored by Republican state Senator Abel Maldonado going nowhere, and faced with the prospect of a Democratic bill with a bigger hike and the escalator, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is reviving a defunded commission that his California Performance Review recommended for destruction to do it his way by fiat. Never mind that he wants his own staff to get the escalator treatment. Schwarzenegger will use the Industrial Welfare Commission to order the minimum wage increase, bypassing the Legislature as he did in January with his “million solar roofs” measure via the Public Utilities Commission.
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1. V. Beirko:“Where does the term ‘paparazzi’ come from?”
From the character “Paparazzo” in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.
Jeeves asks me for answers.
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:15 pm 2. Phil:Use of the term derives from “Paparazzo”, the name of a freelance news photographer character in the Federico Fellini-directed film La Dolce Vita.
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:16 pm 3. Phil:Damn! Missed it by that much…
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:17 pm 4. Bill Bradley:Very impressive! Co-winners!
For a bonus, which personality sometimes mentioned here lived “la dolce vita.”
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:20 pm 5. James:Well, I’m obviously not quick enough to answer the question. It does come from La Dolce Vita, not as some younger readers might believe, the elevation of Cardinal Ratzinger to Pope Benedict XVI - “Papa Ratzi”
Interesting comparison of Westly to Stalin. I say interesting because I ran into a friend of mine yesterday who used to work at the Board of Equalization. She said that the folks over there do not have a high opinion of Mr. Westly. She didn’t say it was because he was a tyrant - more that he seemed like a real “politician” in the dirty sense of the word, and something of an empty suit.
I love that ABC is back on the case so to speak. They are so strong when they all stand together - just look at how they nailed Arnold last year. Bill, I’m wondering if you have any sense of how much money they’ve got? Meyerson, et al., have suggested that they (the unions) are mostly tapped out from the special election. But if my memory serves me, weren’t some of them raising their dues to build warchests for THIS year? Or did they just tap out in November? And haven’t they continued to collect monthly dues since then - so they should have some funds to have an impact this year.
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:25 pm 6. Phil:Arrg! Well, I wish it was Anita Ekberg.
It’ll probably end-up be Rob Reiner…
Now, back to the other missive. This Sparky thing is getting wild!
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:26 pm 7. V. Beirko:Notice how ABC is anti-Arnold, not pro-Phil. I think I think they are asking themselves why spend millions in the primary when you can unload on Arnold in the general?
Apr 26, 2006 - 4:43 pm 8. Julia Rosen:Thanks for the shout-out Bill. I actually just came back from a sign making party. People are fired up and excited about tomorrow. We should have several hundred people out front. The program starts at 5 pm. There is a stage and speakers. Come one, come all!
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:05 pm 9. Barbara:“For liberals, the prospect of Angelides and New York gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer running America’s two largest blue states would be a dream come true:” HaroldMeyerson Washington Post
Mr. Bradley, Harold Myerson is writing DISINFORMATION!!!!! That sentence above was written to impugn Westly’s liberal credentials ! How,Where,Why???is Westly NOT a liberal …..because he will not raise taxes? Nor, is Myerson portraying Spitzer accurately. Below is Spitzer in two campaign speeches talking about Faith Based organizations and the economy….California and New York will elect great governors this fall Westly and Spitzer!…
Today, so often when the role of faith-based organizations is discussed, the focus is always on your faith and religious beliefs. What is overlooked is the enormous faith that others have in your ability and desire to help the poor. A faith that brings those in need to your door and a faith that compels others to entrust you with the means to assist others.
And so I’d like to offer a new definition of faith-based communities: a community of people of faith and good will, who have earned the faith and trust of those in need, and who deserve the faith and support of government. That is how I think of your communities and houses of worship and social service programs. And let me promise you that you have already earned my faith and good will. If I’m Governor, the State of New York will ask you to serve as our partners in delivering services and sustenance to those in need. Eliot Spitzer/Speech 4/12/06
One destructive result of this exodus of companies and people has been the serious erosion of the tax base, which has led to higher and higher property taxes for those who remain, which in turn has driven away even more companies and people. You know we have a problem when the eight cities with the highest property tax rates in the entire United States are located in Upstate New York. Our goal has to be to break this cycle by stimulating the economy. Eliot Spitzer/Speech Mar06
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:18 pm 10. Ann:Will the “labor thugs” have bullhorns?
Hey hey, ho ho, Arnold S has got to go. I love a good demo.
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:42 pm 11. Vladimir Beirko:Julia, any of those sign signs say “Go Phil”?
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:52 pm 12. Barbara:I wonder if Susan Kennedy and DZ will show up at the convention?
You know how Susie is always telling the press how she will do whatever she needs to do to get Arnold re-elected…well, then, I bet she is voting for Phil in the primary!!! …our Susie is a sly one!!!!!
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:54 pm 13. Adam:Cruz Bustamante is Trotsky!
Apr 26, 2006 - 5:55 pm 14. James:Adam - I hope that’s not a reference to recent threats against Cruz!
Bill - do you have a link to the O’Donnell story about Rove? I hope the “turd blossom” goes down.
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:05 pm 15. Hattie Caraway:re: “paparazzi”; I didn’t know the origination of the term, but I do refer to my three dogs as the “Pooperazzi”
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:15 pm 16. Bill Bradley:Sorry, James, the Lawrence O’Donnell link didn’t take the first time. It’s there now.
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:17 pm 17. James:Thanks, Bill. Larry O’Donnell is one of my favorites. Especially since I saw him predict Califonria independence a few months ago on the McLaughlin Group. I wish he were on there more often. It’s always fun when he sticks it to that windbag Tony Blankley.
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:32 pm 18. Barbara:Well SACTO will be hopping!….Tomorrow we have Julia’s big rally and then all the Democrats are coming to town for the weekend, Willie Brown chairing the convention, and it is finally warm!!! ….in the 80’s!!!! and the Firefighters are back in my good graces…just in time for the ABC Rally!…all Fire chiefs just endorsed Alex Padilla for the State Senate seat District 20…
I hope they sell non-fat frozen yogurt tomorrow at the rally…
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:45 pm 19. Julia Rosen:No Phil signs, no Steve signs. We are bringing the signs. This is an anti-Arnold rally. Angelides and Westly supporters are welcome, but we request that the focus be kept on the governor.
Tomorrow we have Julia’s big rally lol
Apr 26, 2006 - 6:52 pm 20. Scott:I find myself becoming increasingly addicted to this blog. It is easily the most informed and active CA political blog I’ve seen.
Bill, I really appreciate your moderating these threads as well and I can appreciate how frustrating it must be regarding trying to keep the spin to a minimum. That said I can’t help but notice that the complaints about people spinning on Angelides’ behalf seem to far outweigh the complaints about those spinning for Westly. It’s your boards and you’re free to control them how you want but having toned down my support of Phil following your advice, I’m slightly saddened to see him attacked and/or Westly promoted without similar anger.
I hope this isn’t seen as advocating for Phil as I mean it only to be a comment on some over zealous posts in recent days (there have been some pro-Phil as well which I was glad to see you warn).
Apr 26, 2006 - 7:10 pm 21. Bill Bradley:Well, I essentially banned a very knowledgeable poster for constantly attacking the Angelides campaign.
Here is my problem with the situation. The Angelides people generally take a furtive approach here. They don’t use their real names. The Westly people use their real names.
It’s really as simple as that.
You should already know this because I am again repeating myself.
It mirrors a larger reality in the campaign.
Apr 26, 2006 - 7:14 pm 22. Bill Bradley:By the way, and I am again repeating myself on this.
You don’t have to use your real name is you post on other topics. But if your principal purpose here is to spin/advocate on behalf of a campaign, you must use your real name and acknowledge any relevant political affiliations.
I spend an increasing amount of my time policing pro-Angelides people who refuse to comply with my rules. As a result, I am no longer going to give people multiple chances.
This site does not exist to allow people to waste my time.
Apr 26, 2006 - 7:17 pm 23. Bill Bradley:James, did you know that Lawrence O’Donnell’s wife was the leading lady in one of Arnold’s action pictures?
Apr 26, 2006 - 7:25 pm 24. James:Bill, I didn’t know that. Who’s his wife?
I actually don’t read much of his stuff, but do watch him on McLaughlin, and I really enjoy him there. He seems extremely intelligent and insightful. If I were president (uh, but obviously not this president), he’d be on my short list of picks for press secretary.
Apr 26, 2006 - 8:07 pm 25. Bill Bradley:Kathryn Harrold.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002130/
Apr 26, 2006 - 8:14 pm 26. Sooth Sayer:I’ve got to question the thinking behind the ad that Angelides has on the air.
Here is a man the people of California know little or nothing about, USING his giddy daughters to give him credentials to be the GOVERNOR of the largest state in the nation. Hmmm, what are they thinking.
The specifics of his credentials are lost in the wacky presentation, which I suspect will not be viewed as credible by viewers.
Might be ok if you are a well known community leader running for Assembly in a rural district…but for GOVERNOR???
Just more evidence that Angelides just flat isn’t up to this challenge.
Apr 26, 2006 - 8:26 pm 27. Sooth Sayer:P.S.
Apr 26, 2006 - 8:27 pm 28. Barbara:Sayeth Sooth
Fitzgerald….very special, wonderful legal mind and temperment. He would make a brilliant Attorney General, especially in a John McCain administration
Apr 26, 2006 - 9:30 pm 29. SactoYoungDem:HAHA Mr. Bradley ban soothe sayer!!!!! he’s always advocating against Phil Angelides so get him!!!!!!!! Reveal thyself!!!!! haha lol.
This blog is addicting, I have to admit. Its midterms and here I am wasting my time reading this stuff. Oh well!!! I can’t wait till the convention - lots of parties and free food and drinks. Too bad I dont drink! Mr. Bradley we all should get a life!
Apr 26, 2006 - 9:57 pm 30. Phil:Wow, another anti-Arnold rally!
Yawn.
At least this one is serving a purpose; Rally the troops as they come to town to be memorized by Uncle Wiggly.
Say Julie, are you going to hold an anti-Willie rally for the $$ he took from Big Pharma?
Didn’t think so…
Apr 26, 2006 - 10:12 pm 31. Tommy Boy:Sooth Sayeth: “Might be ok if you are a well known community leader running for Assembly in a rural district…but for GOVERNOR???
Just more evidence that Angelides just flat isn’t up to this challenge. ”
You know who else uses their kids to deliver slogans and get you to go with their dad…crappy used car salesmen and plumbers?
You’d think with the veteran political talent Angelides has (though CG may not agree), that he could come up with a better repertoire than local ad makers.
What’s next will he be stacking them deep and selling them cheap, like Crazy Gideon…how about a “You’re killing me, Westly!” like the mattress guy.
…or you taxes are freeeeeee!
In the words of Adam Sandler in a Jeopardy-spoof featuring standup comedians (I think Seinfeld was the host), “Who are the ad wizards behind this one?”
Apr 26, 2006 - 10:45 pm 32. Bill Bradley:Sooth Sayer says other stuff here, he’s not in it.
What does “memorized by Uncle Wiggly” mean?
Apr 26, 2006 - 11:24 pm 33. Phil:Oops. way too late to type.
I meant, “mesmerized.”
Then again, the chants of the party faithful are memorized…
Good night.
Apr 26, 2006 - 11:50 pm 34. Bill Bradley:And Uncle Wiggly then is Uncle Willie.
Apr 27, 2006 - 7:45 am 35. Phil:Well, yea. Although I can’t claim to have invented the nick-name.
Apr 27, 2006 - 8:55 am 36. Bill Bradley’s NEW WEST NOTES » Blog Archive » Non-Random Notes: California’:That credit goes to a certain SF Chron reporter (who shall remain nameless, but I’ll bet you know who it is…)
[...] ** SCHWARZENEGGER IS MOVING UNILATERALLY TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE. As predicted here on April 26th, with his minimum wage bill stymied and not wanting to sign on to the Democrats’ indexed versions, Arnold is reviving the Industrial Welfare Commission and using it as a vehicle for executive action to raise the minimum wage by a dollar over nine months time. [...]
May 18, 2006 - 4:21 pm 37. Bill Bradley’s NEW WEST NOTES » Blog Archive » Arnold Strategy Unfolds With Minimu:[...] Legislative liberals want their own more expansive minimum wage legislation, with automatic increases every year geared to inflation. They blocked Schwarzenegger’s bill, which does not have the automatic increases, so — as predicted on April 26th — he has turned to executive action to win an increase and remove an issue to be used against him in the fall. [...]
May 19, 2006 - 6:50 am