Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, speaking in Las Vegas this past January
in this NWN video, announces the importance of Nevada in the
Democratic presidential race. Nevada Republicans, meeting in Carson City
over the weekend, matched the Democrats by moving their caucus to January 19th.
** DAVID HALBERSTAM DIES IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist David Halberstam, one of my favorite writers, was killed earlier today in a car crash south of San Francisco.
Halberstam, who had spoken over the weekend at one of my alma maters, the University of California at Berkeley, on the always timely topic of turning journalism into history, something at which he was especially adept, was being driven by a Berkeley student. They had crossed the Dumbarton Bridge and were making a left turn across highway traffic heading towards Menlo Park, a somewhat hazardous turn I’ve made a hundred times, when their vehicle was broadsided by another. Halberstam, riding in the passenger’s seat, was dead on the scene, victim of massive internal injuries. The student was also injured.
Among his many fine books was one of the best books I’ve ever read, “The Best And The Brightest,” a classic tale of hubris, of how some of the greatest minds in America managed to steer the nation into the morass of the Vietnam War. I learned, to the extent that I have learned, how to write a brief yet telling profile from reading Halberstam.
** IRAQ WAR PULLOUT MEASURE HAS BIG LEAD IN CALIFORNIA POLL. Democratic pollster Jim Moore, one of the best in the business, has more numbers for California. In this case, regarding the advisory measure proposed by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata for next February’s presidential primary ballot. Perata wants Californians to vote for a referendum calling for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. In Moore’s poll, the measure is ahead by a big margin, 62% to 31%, among all voters. Among California Democrats, the measure leads 86% to 11%.
** NEW CALIFORNIA PRESIDENTIAL POLL. Democratic pollster Jim Moore has a new poll for the California Democratic presidential primary. Hillary Clinton is in the lead with 31%. Barack Obama is second with 21%, closely followed by John Edwards at 19%. Bill Richardson is fourth with 3%.
** AMERICANS DON’T LIKE BUSH. While 78% describe their personal financial situations as good or better, only 33% approve of President George W. Bush’s handling of the economy.
** SCHWARZENEGGER LIVE WEBCAST OF CRIME VICTIMS EVENT. In a possible harbinger of a deal on the prison system crisis, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appears at the conclusion of a brief “march” of crime victims groups sponsored by the state’s prison guards union at 11:45 AM on the ever picturesque West Steps of the State Capitol. That’s where Schwarzenegger was sworn into office in late 2003. Insiders say there will be no deal on fixing the prison system until the union gets at least a pretty good deal on its new contract. But not the deal they really wanted. After all, the prison guards union endorsed Schwarzenegger’s hapless Democratic opponent, Phil Angelides, its oldest and closest ally in Democratic politics, but backed away from its threat to spend milliions against Schwarzenegger last fall.
** MOST RIDICULOUS DRUDGE HEADLINE OF ALL TIME. It’s a crowded field, but here, from today, is a good candidate.
WIPE OUT GLOBAL WARMING: CROW PROPOSES LIMITS ON TOILET PAPER
I propose it for a number of reasons, but for now let’s settle with the fact that Drudge began with two claims to “fame.” His inveterate dumpster diving (he worked in a studio gift shop, and sifted through studio garbage for stories) and his belief that extreme weather events were important. He was right about the latter, although perhaps for reasons best explained by a psychiatrist.
** YELTSIN DEAD AT 76. Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, for better or for worse the architect of post-Soviet Russia, has just died at the age of 76. Of what is described by Russian officials as heart failure. As science fiction master Robert Heinlein frequently noted, all forms of human death can be described as heart failure. Which is not to suggest that Yeltsin was murdered. Actually, given his extreme alcoholism and the generally tense circumstances of his life, it is something of a miracle that Yeltsin lasted this long. There is a lot to say about Yeltsin. Which NWN will get into in the not terribly distant future. I remember the time he visited the US and, after disappearing for a few hours, was found dead drunk underneath a Texas freeway overpass. But there are many other things to remember him for. Such as when he personally confronted, in a Moscow street, reactionary elements in the military seeking to reinstall the Communist state.
** NEVADA REPUBLICANS GO SECOND IN PRESIDENTIAL SWEEPSTAKES, TOO. As I’ve been reporting for weeks, Nevada, which is second in the nation for the Democratic presidential race, over the weekend became the second in the nation contest for the Republican presidential nomination. Meeting in Carson City over the weekend, the Nevada Republican state central committee, in a unanimous voice vote, decided to move its presidential caucus to January 19th, matching the Democrats.
** SECOND MCCAIN POLICY SPEECH, ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT. Senator John McCain gives his second major policy speech rebooting his campaign, this morning. He is expected to say that the greenhouse effect leading to climate change “is not a Hollywood construction.”
** WHICH CITY IS THE GLOBAL CAPITAL FOR BILLIONAIRES? MOSCOW. The BBC gives a glimpse behind the reality of Russia, in which 36 men own one-fourth of the nation’s economy. And how did Moscow, which at the beginning of the 1990s had no millionaires, somehow in the intervening 15 years grow 60 billionaires? Well, that is an interesting question, isn’t it?
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Most crude oil prices rose to the $63 to $64 per barrel range on concern that widespread charges of fraud in last weekend’s Nigerian presidential election will lead to more violence affecting the country’s oil output.
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Jonas Blane:All those Russian billionaires are crooks, right?
Apr 23, 2007 - 7:46 am Bill Bradley:Well, I don’t have reports on all of them …
Apr 23, 2007 - 7:57 am Ann:More Nevada. You going to move to Vegas?
Apr 23, 2007 - 8:04 am Bill Bradley:No. Although a very good friend of mine owns a house in Las Vegas.
Apr 23, 2007 - 8:14 am Capitol Boy:Three dozen men own one-fourth of Russia? That is amazing.
Apr 23, 2007 - 8:23 am Jonathan Hemlock:Mr. McCain has made himself quite a bother. On energy and climate change he is a modernist. On Iraq and Bush he is a reactionary.
Apr 23, 2007 - 8:29 am Ann:I hope you are getting along with her. lol
Apr 23, 2007 - 8:51 am Bill Bradley:Could be worse.
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:13 am Ann:Although it would probably be cheaper to operate out of a hotel.
Bob Sallady at La Times political blog says he is registered “decline to state.”
That is the best joke of the month! lol
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:23 am Bill Bradley:I’m not registered decline to state.
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:29 am Ann:A commentary on your relationship with Miss Moscow? lol
A commentary on your relationship with Miss Moscow? lol
<Bill Bradley :
Although it would probably be cheaper to operate out of a hotel.
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:34 am Bill Bradley:Could be worse.
Apr 23, 2007 09:13 AM
Incidentally. NWN passed 28,000 comments late last week.
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:39 am carole w:WOW!!! 28,000 comments! NWN is far superior to any televised news organization. Congrats!
Ann is on a roll this morning!:)
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:56 am Bill Bradley:Ann is a pain in the …
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:59 am Anonymous:“after disappearing for a few hours, was found dead drunk underneath a Texas freeway overpass”
Lucky SOB. That’s number nine on my “to do” list.
Apr 23, 2007 - 9:59 am Ann:HAhaha.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:22 am Bill Bradley:That is a pretty ambitous life plan for an anonymous person.
>nonymous :
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:26 am Barbara:“after disappearing for a few hours, was found dead drunk underneath a Texas freeway overpass”
Lucky SOB. That’s number nine on my “to do” list.
Apr 23, 2007 09:59 AM
Gates is in Moscow today to meet with Putin and Serdyukov meeting over the proposed missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic….and other news has Russian making nice again to one of their favorite clients Iran… that’s what we should be watching… the billionaires have been around for sometime…many were at Davos this year…hopefully developing a social concious…
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:32 am Wilbur:CHP officers’ union has filed a complaint with PERB to force DPA to de-link their salaries from CCPOA’s. they’ve figured out they’re pulling dead weight b/c when considering a CHP union’s bargaining proposal DPA have to cost it out on the basis of what that raise would cost when also automatically given to 5-6 times as many CCPOA members.
Meanwhile in this round CCPOA is expecting another 18% raise in exchange for letting management manage.
Arnold should “just say no.” No more yielding to extortion. If he can’t break this spell nobody ever will.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:38 am Bill Bradley:He might not. The state needs a deal to avoid prison disaster.
Thank Gray Davis and the Democrats from Phil Angelides on up for the endless kow-towing to the CCPOA.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:40 am Barbara:Mr. Bradley,
I saw an old film “The Wind and The Lion” on TV…I am going to find it and buy …adored the story with Teddy R ….adorable portrayal of him…I think this was Candice Bergen’s best film …I don’t remember her in other films …She and her children are kidnapped by Arabs …great stuff ..the kids are fascinated with the cut out tongues …and lots of scenes Arabs horseback riding in the desert…great stuff!!!
I also saw the “Page Turner” this weekend…odd intriguing little french film
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:45 am Bill Bradley:Barbara, those guys will take a century before they develop a social consciousness. In the meantime, they are into sex with beautiful 20somethings, buying every designer label we can imagine, and power.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:46 am Capitol Boy:Health care won’t happen, prison reform will.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:58 am richard locicero:Were the billionaires all crooks?
Ah, yes.
As ATRIOS says this has been a simple answer to simple questions!
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:59 am Barbara:mr. Bradley…you are talking about a lot of rich men…in any event, I know one on the Forbes list who was in Davos and he appears to be devloping a social conscious…he is funding one of my favorite projects…I met with him in New York with some others last fall…
Apr 23, 2007 - 11:21 am Ann:Did you see those lunie tunes at “Calitics” are trying to con themselves into thinking Hillary isn’t really ahead in California? What a bunch of knuckleheads. lol
Apr 23, 2007 - 1:34 pm Bill Bradley:Yeah, well.
Here’s a new poll with Hillary in the lead in California.
Apr 23, 2007 - 3:31 pm Hap Hazard:Moore Methods is quite respected in the state for democratic polling, so the Hillary lead seems real, at least for now. Who is “calitics” - not another sounding board for know it all staffers I hope…
Apr 23, 2007 - 3:49 pm Sacramento Solon:Here’s a stunner:
Author David Halberstam killed in Menlo Park
Chronicle Staff Report
Monday, April 23, 2007
(04-23) 15:49 PDT MENLO PARK — Author David Halberstam was killed today in a car accident in Menlo Park, authorities said.
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:01 pm Bill Bradley:What??!!
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:07 pm Barbara:something positive may come out of that meeting between Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier this wed …
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:10 pm Sacramento Solon:Bill,
That’s all the information I have. Pulled it off the SF Gate site. Guess, as they say in the trade, details will follow.
All I know is that we have lost a great, great, writer.
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:13 pm Bill Bradley:Terrible, terrible news. The Best And The Brightest is a great book.
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:24 pm Sacramento Solon:Bill,
I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve just reordered the book. Seems like the proper time to reread it.
Apr 23, 2007 - 4:27 pm Bill Bradley:Indeed.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:15 pm Ann:Halberstam was a very good writer.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:23 pm Capitol Boy:Sorry for the loss of your favorite writer.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:46 pm Sacramento Solon:Folks,
Here’s an offer for someone in Sacramento…
I’ve just discovered my old copy of Best and the Brightest. Too late to cancel my Amazon order…and a pain to return books. So, let me know if you want to read the book. I’ll drop it off for your at Old Soul or someother place and it’s yours’…no cost.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:46 pm RM 'Auros' Harman:Awful news…
I drive through that intersection every time I go to visit friends in the East Bay, and it always seems like an accident waiting to happen… All it takes is one inattentive person not noticing they have a red light, and just barrelling along the straightaway towards the Dumbarton.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:52 pm Bill Bradley:It’s dangerous turning onto Willow. You have to be ready to punch it at a moment’s notice.
This is extremely upsetting.
Apr 23, 2007 - 5:56 pm Brasky:You can sign a memorial book for Halberstam at the Chronicle:
http://www.legacy.com/SFGate/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=87510179
His picture is now opposite the headline “Car bomb kills 9 G.I.s”
He will be missed.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:07 pm Bill Bradley:I am sure he would appreciate the telling irony.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:13 pm Brasky:Here are the other AP headlines with that story:
Showdown ahead on Oct. 1 pullout date
21 non-Muslims pulled off bus, executed
Iraq blasts kill 27 people
Solon: Maybe you could send that copy of The Best and the Brightest to the White House? A little late, I know…
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:25 pm Jonas Blane:I am very sorry to learn of David Halberstams’ death.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:30 pm Sacramento Solon:Brasky,
It would only be useful if it fell into the hands of someone who could read. And then understand what they read. I believe that leaves most, if not all, of those at the WH off the list.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:50 pm richard locicero:I had a lot to say about Halberstam at another place but the fact that his death comes just days after after the Great and the Good gathered in DC for the WH Correspondent’s dinner shows just how far the profession has fallen. Along with the “Best and the Brightest” I recomend Prochnow’s book “Once upon a Distant War” that describes how a bunch of young reporters (Halbertam, Peter Arnett, Neal Sheehan, Sean Flynn etc.) chased the truth around S Vietnam in the early sixties and provided the antidote to “The Five O’Clock Follies” in Saigon.
Now we get gasbags like Boder chiding Harry Reid for telloing the truth and Chris Matthews saying the public doesn’t want investigations like the USA firings.
Boy will he be missed!
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:53 pm Jonathan Hemlock:Mr. Halberstam. I don’t know what to say. Such a passing. He nailed it decades ago.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:54 pm Brasky:Solon: point taken.
Apr 23, 2007 - 6:59 pm Bill Bradley:Ironically, not long after Halberstam was killed, although neither of us knew it at the time, I had a long talk today with a ranking Bushie. He struggled to explain how smart guys — Bush is actually very bright and Cheney is a very sophisticated fellow — could lead America into yet another briar patch.
Apr 23, 2007 - 7:16 pm sergei:Have you noted the global warming island yet something too to be denied by my contry?
Apr 23, 2007 - 7:30 pm Wilbur:This “Real Wedding Crashers” turd NBC is trying out as a possible replacement for Studio 60 might actally be worse than that embarrassing Faux News “comedy” show. Which is saying a lot.
Networks are closing in the darkest depths of lowest common denominator.
Apr 23, 2007 - 10:37 pm Bill Bradley:They earlier tried a crime show called The Black Donnellys which did much worse than Studio 60 in that timeslot.
Apr 24, 2007 - 6:14 am Bill Bradley:Yes, Sergei, I have noticed the global warming island and will have that this morning.
Apr 24, 2007 - 6:14 am richard locicero:I haven’t seen any mention of this but does anyone know if Halberstam was wearing a seatbelt? I mean after the Corzine crash it would be instructive to know.
Apr 24, 2007 - 11:03 am