** BEATTY BIRTHDAY REDUX. I had a long talk this afternoon with New York-based Warren Beatty biographer Peter Biskind, on the occasion of the longtime movie star/director/writer/producer/politico’s 70th birthday. We agreed that Beatty, who still looks great, turning 70 means that none of us — meaning me — are 24 anymore. Biskind is one of the top film writers in the world, having been, among other things, editor of Premiere magazine when that was the key movie magazine, and is the author of the seminal book on the “New Hollywood” cinema of the 1970s — which Beatty’s classic Bonnie & Clyde did much to usher into being back in 1967 — “Easy Riders, Raging Bulls.” He is the main movie writer for Vanity Fair. His biography of the elusive Beatty, the only Golden Globe winner in each of the past five decades, will be done, ah, sometime in this decade. Incidentally, Jack Nicholson, Beatty’s longtime pal and running mate, turns 70 next month.
So influential was the rather anti-heroic New Hollywood approach to cinema in its time that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, then an immigrant bodybuilder trying to break into Hollywood, aspired for a long period of time to being a serious dramatic actor, in the vein of Dustin Hoffman. Picture that. He became friendly with Beatty, who was a role model for Schwarzenegger in terms of controlling a Hollywood career, and Nicholson, who turned Schwarzenegger on to a famous acting coach and was instrumental in his being cast in his first real Hollywood picture, Stay Hungry, for which Schwarzenegger won a Golden Globe as best newcomer. (Ironic, given Beatty and wife Annette Bening’s leading role in torpedoing Schwarzenegger’s ill-fated “Year of Reform” special election initiative agenda in 2005.) But that, as we say, is a story for another time. Beatty, incidentally, has known California First Lady Maria Shriver since she began talking. He was President John F. Kennedy’s personal choice to play him in PT-109 which, with typical yet ever courtly cheek, Beatty turned down.
** CALDERON ACKNOWLEDGES TROUBLE CHANGING CALIFORNIA TERM LIMITS. LA area state Senator Ron Calderon, chairman of the Senate Elections Committee and author of the law authorizing the new early California Presidential primary, acknowledges that it will be difficult to change the state’s term limits law. The law, narrowly passed in 1990, has become entrenched since then. It currently allows a total of 14 years in legislative service, a maximum of only six years in the Assembly and eight years in the Senate. An initiative backed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez would drop the overall limit to 12 years, but allow all 12 years to be served in one house, grandfathering several current members, such as Senate leader Don Perata, into even longer terms. Calderon acknowledges that the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll released yesterday shows that it will be difficult to pass that initiative next year. He suggests that the current term limits law be challenged in court, by a termed out member of the Legislature. Actually, that already happened, several years ago. I don’t remember the year, but then state Assemblyman Tom Bates challenged the existing term limits law. He is now the mayor of Berkeley.
** IRAN’S STRANGE EXCUSE. Iran, which is now encircled, has a curious explanation for why it is denying access to international nuclear inspectors. It feared attack.
** FOX NEWS AND CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS TO HOST A SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. In addition to the debate with Democratic presidential candidates, set for September 23rd in Detroit, the Congressional Black Caucus and Fox News will hold a Republican presidential debate. The time and place are not yet set. The first Republican presidential debate will take place here in California, on May 3rd, at the Reagan Library, which is in the Los Angeles suburb of Simi Valley.
** WEBB IN L.A. Virginia Senator Jim Webb, the former U.S. Navy secretary in the Reagan Administration whose victory in November gave the Democrats their narrow majority in the U.S. Senate, appears this Sunday at a fundraiser for Senator Barbara Boxer. The place? Billionaire Ron Burkle’s LA estate, Green Acres, site of last Saturda night’s hugely successful fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. Boxer, whose seat is not up again until 2010, seems to be hearing the ever so light footsteps of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Webb, one of the most highly decorated Marine combat officers of the Vietnam War, delivered the memorable Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union address in January and is a hot ticket around the country.
** WARREN BEATTY BIRTHDAY. Hard though it is to believe, old New West friend Warren Beatty is 70 today. There is far too much to say about this guy. So let us suffice by noting that he and wife Annette Bening are in a desert city which figures very prominently in our presidential politics now, founded by a character he memorably portrayed. The fun never sets, and the classic Beatles tunes roll all the time.
** SPRING BREAK! The California Legislature, having accomplished tremendous things — uh, like what? (Ed.) — is off on spring break for more than a week.
** BLAIR WON’T NEGOTIATE. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, nearing the end of a decade in the office, won’t negotiate with Iranian radicals over the release of the 15 British sailors and marines seized a week ago in the Persian Gulf after they inspected a merchant ship under the guidelines established by the UN Security Council. Iran reneged on an earlier commitment by its foreign minister to release the only woman among the 15 Brits seized by naval elements of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Instead, the Islamic republic released more showcase video of her, this time with her calling for American and British forces to leave Iraq. A sentimennt obviously written for her by her Iranian captors.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices have increased to the $66 to $68 per barrel range, spurred by the latest Iranian crisis.
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Jonas Blane:Do the Iranains mean for the woman they captured to be seen as more than a puppet?
Mar 30, 2007 - 8:39 am Hap Hazard:Seems to me that the Iranians are over their heads by a couple of feet.
Mar 30, 2007 - 8:56 am Barbara:This will be resolved soon…Iran’s FM Mottaki issued a letter to the British Embassy the need for countries to “respect” the “sovereignty” of states….and requested that the Brits “guarantee this violation will not be repeated.” Mottaki did not request an apology in this correspondence…as has been previously reported …note also they appear to have Ahmadinejad under lock and key…this is a very controlled situation …there is no doubt a great deal of bargaining going on….a way of life in the ME
Mar 30, 2007 - 9:09 am richard locicero:It’ll be settled because Gordon Brown and other senior officials of the Labour Party will make it clear that force is not an option. Some of nthem want to be reelected even if Tony wants to go down with Shrub!
Mar 30, 2007 - 10:08 am Barbara:Rubbish…total misreading on Blair …Blair has made it clear from the beginning of this incident also that this will be resolved diplomatically…
Mar 30, 2007 - 10:19 am Barbara:Interesting… there is a report that there is an “ad hoc” meeting of EU leaders (FMs and EU ministers) in Germany now and they will be weighing in with a statement on the British sailors held in Iran after the meeting…stay tuned time…
this follows yesterday’s UN statement, which was watered down to an issue of “grave concerns” …the Brits wanted a much stronger statement…this group might give it to them
Mar 30, 2007 - 10:42 am Jonathan Hemlock:I continue to believe that the Iranians are making an enormous mistake.
Mar 30, 2007 - 11:00 am Sullihan:If Iraq reminds Americans of Vietnam, Brits in Iran reminds us of the 1979 Hostage Crisis. Will the Brits be released on the day that Tony Blair retires?
Mar 30, 2007 - 11:07 am Bill Bradley:I think the British people would support the use of force here.
Mar 30, 2007 - 11:45 am Barbara:Reuters is reporting that market driven rumors floated that the U.S is advising its citizens to leave Bahrain (large Shia population) due to an impending strike on Iran …an un-named “WH official” claims to not know what Reuters is talking about….but the rumor mill is working overtime and all the markets very nervous….this is not good…but may get everyone moving off the dime here to resolve this…
Mar 30, 2007 - 11:46 am Barbara:Mr. Bradley: I think the British people would support the use of force here.
Curious, why you say that …have you seen any polls?…what are you calling “force”?
Mar 30, 2007 - 11:54 am Ann:Beatty is 70? He doesn’t look a day over 65! lol
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:12 pm Bill Bradley:I’m curious why you think they wouldn’t.
>Barbara :
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:20 pm Wilbur:Mr. Bradley: I think the British people would support the use of force here.
Curious, why you say that …have you seen any polls?…what are you calling “force”?
Mar 30, 2007 11:54 AM
The capacity to take out the entire Iranian Navy and as much infrastructure as desired is on station, primed, ready and pissed. I doubt it will be employed, but perhaps a heavy hint is being communicated by floating a rumor.
I’m sure there’s much sentiment being expressed in the pubs, but find it hard to believe Blair or either of the Brit parties actually intends to go there.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:20 pm Sullihan:Since today is WB’s birthday it reminded me to ask you if you remember what anniversary in Presidential Politics occurs tomorrow?
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:25 pm Bill Bradley:Lyndon Johnson, flipped out by Robert Kennedy’s candidacy in the Democratic primaries — backed by his pal Warren Beatty — announced that he would not run for re-election.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:36 pm Sullihan:And was about to get clobbered by Eugene McCarthy in the April 2nd Wisconsin Primary. Damn your good.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:38 pm Sullihan:And before the UK goes into Iran, tony Blair will have the same LBJ moment.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:40 pm Bill Bradley:I think they thought they could end up beating Gene McCarthy, who would do badly in the back rooms, but RFK, also a master of the backrooms as well as a great “rabble rouser” (the LBJ spin) always unnerved LBJ.
I’ve spent a lot of time studying 1968, one of the key years.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:41 pm Wilbur:BTW, John Bolton, with his gang’s great track record of good calls on Iraq, called today for the Brits to get tough and quit being such wimps.
Thank you, Mr. Bolton, now STFU.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:44 pm Barbara:Mr. Bradley:I’m curious why you think they wouldn’t.
Well I don’t know…I had not given it much thought as I believe it won’t go that far for “force” to be seriously considered… which is why I asked you if you had any empirical evidence to support such a statement or if you were reacting on a gut feeling….again WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU MEAN BY “FORCE” …it is hard for me to give you a response…this is being portrayed in the press along ideological and political
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:45 pm Bill Bradley:lines…but even in the more traditional right of center press no editorials or articles calling for military force…in the left left of center …the sentiment of op-ed and press reports seems to be if Blair had not followed Bush so blindly our sailors would not be in this mess….
Oh, yes, John Bolton. A big backer of the Vietnam War, who managed to avoid actually serving in the military during it.
>Wilbur :
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:47 pm Bill Bradley:BTW, John Bolton, with his gang’s great track record of good calls on Iraq, called today for the Brits to get tough and quit being such wimps.
Thank you, Mr. Bolton, now STFU.
Mar 30, 2007 12:44 PM
Barbara, I fail to see how this Iranian hostage crisis is Bush’s fault. The Brits were performing a totally legitimate function sanctioned by the UN Security Council. Iran’s behavior is outrageous.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:51 pm Wilbur:BB: A big backer of the Vietnam War, who managed to avoid actually serving in the military during it.
There’s a lot of that going around, it seems. F***ing punks. I thought that war was stupid and immoral, but still did what I was “supposed” to do. Maybe I *was* a chump, at least under *their* moral code.
Crap, now I’m all pissed again. Maybe it’s happy hour already.
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:57 pm Barbara:Mr. Bradley: Barbara, I fail to see how this Iranian hostage crisis is Bush’s fault
Oh please …it was clear I was conveying the often seen sentiment of many of the left and left of center British press…
Mar 30, 2007 - 12:58 pm Capitol Boy:Is the Beatty movie you’re referring to “Bugsy?”
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:00 pm Barbara:As I thought… the EU FM ministers came out with a MUCH STRONGER statement than the UN …this is good. “The statement says the European Union reserves the right to take “appropriate measures”…
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:09 pm Bill Bradley:All too true. But we have global culture on the Net, so somewhere it is definitely Happy Hour!
>Wilbur :
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:16 pm Bill Bradley:BB: A big backer of the Vietnam War, who managed to avoid actually serving in the military during it.
There’s a lot of that going around, it seems. F***ing punks. I thought that war was stupid and immoral, but still did what I was “supposed” to do. Maybe I *was* a chump, at least under *their* moral code.
Crap, now I’m all pissed again. Maybe it’s happy hour already.
Mar 30, 2007 12:57 PM
I know.
>Barbara :
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:16 pm Bill Bradley:Mr. Bradley: Barbara, I fail to see how this Iranian hostage crisis is Bush’s fault
Oh please …it was clear I was conveying the often seen sentiment of many of the left and left of center British press…
Mar 30, 2007 12:58 PM
Yes, Bugsy, the story of the guy who invented Las Vegas.
WB produced it, starred in it, and cast his future wife as the leading lady.
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:18 pm Barbara:Well I think that Iran should get this resolved by Palm Sunday or they will not be doing any international banking transactions on Monday morning…
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:19 pm Sullihan:Ahhh, 1968. And what did I do in 1968? I survived. Ever since each American President has either been defeated for re-election or been subject to a strong 2nd term effort to have him totally discredited or simply removed from office. With history as a guide, why do Presidents want a 2nd term?
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:27 pm RM 'Auros' Harman:John Bolton may well give Douglas Feith a run for his money, for the title of “f***ing stupidest guy on the face of the earth” (as dubbed by Gen. Tommy Franks).
Mar 30, 2007 - 1:36 pm Mike:Senator Boxer seems to be raising money very early and very quickly. Is this usual for a Senator with over 3 yrs until her next election? Or is she reacting to a possible run by the Governor? Are there any other Senators raising funds for the 2010 cycle this early?
P.S. GO HOYAS!
Mar 30, 2007 - 2:42 pm Barbara:I think this is fabulous that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress are in Israel and plan to go to Syria…fabulous…I hope they talk with MK Yossi Beilin, people with their finger on Isareli’s pulse like Liora Nir and not just Olmert and Peres along with Abbas and his new Finance Minister and I hope they shun Lieberman
Mar 30, 2007 - 2:42 pm larry:Not only Warren Beatty’s 70th, but my older daughter’s 49th. I can’t be that old. Can I still use the “I was a child groom” line?
Mar 30, 2007 - 3:10 pm Sacramento Solon:And back in the Golden State, we have the response of Senator Ron Calderon to the recent FPIC poll on term limits. If the people are against doing away with them, let’s take it to the courts and let them decide. Here’s a link to the Sac. Bee article:
http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/146971.html
Mar 30, 2007 - 3:20 pm Barbara:Mr. Bradley, I just revisited your Mar 21 post “Somalia Setback”
Mar 30, 2007 - 3:36 pm Jonas Blane:The situated has totally deteriorated…Unbelievable what is going on in Mogadishu right now…International Red Cross says it is the worst fighting in 15 years…more people including many children on the run…it’s a heartbreaker…
Warren Beatty is 70. Is a Shampoo sequel in the works?
Mar 30, 2007 - 3:49 pm Bill Bradley:Years ago, as an elaborate joke, I wrote a two-page treatment of “Shampoo II: A Little Dab’ll Do Ya.”
Don’t wait for the movie.
>Jonas Blane :
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:24 pm Bill Bradley:Warren Beatty is 70. Is a Shampoo sequel in the works?
Mar 30, 2007 03:49 PM
It’s VERY unusual. I’m sure Barbara is deeply concerned about holding onto her Senate seat.
>Mike :
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:25 pm Bill Bradley:Senator Boxer seems to be raising money very early and very quickly. Is this usual for a Senator with over 3 yrs until her next election? Or is she reacting to a possible run by the Governor? Are there any other Senators raising funds for the 2010 cycle this early?
P.S. GO HOYAS!
Mar 30, 2007 02:42 PM
Somalia is very depressing. At the risk of sounding less than humanistic, I’d say that the Islamic jihadists there are like cockroaches. You can scatter them, but they keep coming back.
>Barbara :
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:27 pm Barbara:Mr. Bradley, I just revisited your Mar 21 post “Somalia Setback”
The situated has totally deteriorated…Unbelievable what is going on in Mogadishu right now…International Red Cross says it is the worst fighting in 15 years…more people including many children on the run…it’s a heartbreaker…
Mar 30, 2007 03:36 PM
Iran/Brits…it will all be over soon…promise!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/af95ace6-dec5-11db-b5c9-000b5df10621.html
I wish was going off to horseback ride in Wadi Rum aka Valley of the Moon…alas, it must wait till Oct… for now Talley Ho! off to Placer County! Have a good weekend everyone!
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:28 pm Barbara:Oh yes! Happy Birthday Mr. Beatty!
I looked up your name just now:
Warren (First Name Origin and Meaning)
German · Male
Defender
I don’t have time, because I have to go riding but Mr. Bradley can explain to you at some point this Kabbalah theory on names…which is obviously true! TOODLES!!!!
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:33 pm Wilbur:Hooray for Happy Hour! I5t works!
Will the hook line in Shampoo II be “Well, what I really want is to gum him?”
Mar 30, 2007 - 4:44 pm Bill Bradley:Now, now, you are talking about the ultimate smart Silver Screen goddess there, Julie Christie.
She is a youthful 65, and was a convincing Oscar nominated femme fatale less than a decade ago.
Last I noted, a few years ago, she was seeing a very bright, not especially handsome and certainly not rich yet quite accomplished British journalist, as had been the case for several years. Definitely a woman with a mind of her own.
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:00 pm Ann:I’d go les for the 30ish Julie Christie.
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:16 pm Brasky:Looks like Ron didn’t get the campaign polling memo. Or, maybe he couldn’t read it because he left it on his desk and then found himself mysteriously locked out of his office.
I’m guessing this latest gaff will require Calderon’s house to be TPed, Saran Wrap to be placed on his commode or his car suffer the ignominy of a “banana in the tail pipe.”
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:29 pm Sacramento Solon:Brasky,
I like the way you think. And that scares me…
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:42 pm Bill Bradley:Beverly Hills Cop!
>“banana in the tail pipe.”
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:43 pm Brasky:It should be more natural, brother. It shouldflow out, like this - “Look, man, I ain’t fallin’ for no banana in my tailpipe!”
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:46 pm Bill Bradley:Ann, the only thing I’ll say further about Julie Christie late on this Friday afternoon is that she is deservedly an icon.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001046/
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:50 pm Bill Bradley:Yet it was actually an image of Faye Dunaway from Bonnie & Clyde that was the only movie star poster ever to grace my walls. (Not much room with the art.)
A number of women have asked why I buy them berets …
Mar 30, 2007 - 5:54 pm Capitol Boy:The one with the gun?
Mar 30, 2007 - 6:21 pm Bill Bradley:Yes. And the cigarette.
Mar 30, 2007 - 6:28 pm Capitol Boy:Who played John F. Kennedy in PT-109?
Mar 30, 2007 - 6:51 pm Bill Bradley:Cliff Robertson, memorable as the CIA senior officer in the Robert Redford/Faye Dunaway classic Three Days of the Condor.
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:02 pm Ann:I’ve never seen either of those movies. Is Pt-109 on dvd?
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:35 pm Sacramento Solon:Ann,
I do believe that PT 109 is available on DVD.
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:38 pm Bill Bradley:Actually, I don’t think it is.
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:51 pm Bill Bradley:3 Days iof the Condor is on dvd, check Amazon.
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:52 pm Sacramento Solon:PT 109 - DVD
http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=781468
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:56 pm Ann:Is the Orange County Register the center of all cranks in America? You need to expose how extrme the Flush Report crowd is. They pretend to speak for Republicans. They speak for lunatics.
Mar 30, 2007 - 7:58 pm Bill Bradley:Interesting, thanks!
>Sacramento Solon :
Mar 31, 2007 - 12:54 am sergei:PT 109 - DVD
http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=781468
Mar 30, 2007 07:56 PM
Warren Beaty’s Reds film was very good. All happiness to him for his birthday.
Mar 31, 2007 - 3:52 am carole w:Happy Birthday yesterday Mr. Beatty!
I loved PT 109!!!…and speaking of Bugsy…Vegas is spoiling me rotten:)
Mar 31, 2007 - 8:58 am richard locicero:Ann re the REGISTER. The OC WEEKLY used to have a regular feature where they printed the “Letter of the Week” actually found on the pages of that rag. You would not believe. Some of the funiest (and scariest) stuff you ever read.
Mar 31, 2007 - 9:20 am Minerva:I remember way back then that LIFE magazine had a photo in which the studio had Peter Fonda dressed in PT-109 Naval cap and fatigues and leaning on a cane, recreating a famous JFK pose from the war. He looked just like JFK, right down to the toothy grin! When shown the photo, JFK said Fonda was too young and chose Cliff to portray him.
Mar 31, 2007 - 10:01 am