** As predicted on New West Notes and as long expected by political insiders, Phil Angelides gets the California Democratic Party endorsement.
** The Westly campaign is staging a Virtual Convention, with the candidate here on site in an impromptu webcast studio with 75 supporters joined by other participants at remote locations. Canpaign vice chair and old Stanford classmate Greg Larson has warmed up the crowd with a rendition of the campaign’s progress and very good polling news.
Now Howard Dean campaign manager and Internet political guru Joe Trippi is running down his long history with Westly, citing him as the inspiration to Trippi to get going in politics.
Former US House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt’s connection is glitchy, toi Westly’s amusement as he waits off to the side of the room. Former US Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is on now and praising Westly as the best candidate in the country. “Every election is 2 questions, what kind of couintry and in whose hands do we place our future?” He answers in predictable ways.
Now Gephardt is online. He says he’s known Steve a long time and that he mets the key electoral test: “Do I like him and do I trust him?” The ex-presidential candidate’s extolling Westly’s health, environmental views, saying he has “the values and the vision.”
“This is connecting people around the state. He knows tech, he knows how to knit Cali together.” When he wins the primary, he says, “Steve has to take on a movie star. I think people are ready forsomething real, for someone who knows what the hell he is doing. People are sick of incompetence and politicians lacking character and confidence and values.”
Now Westly. Says the 2 majority leaders have led a generation of Americans, now it’s time for our generation to stand up and lead. He+s into Cal as innovative leader, catalytic converters in 70s, climate change in 21st century, stem cells. Emphasizing recruitment and training of new teachers. No issue more important than environmenet, time for Cali to lead. On Kyoto protocols, on the Nunez/Pavley greenhouse emissions bill. Closes with story and challenge.
“500 years ago in Spain, ‘ne plus ultram,’ nothing beyond. Then Columbus went forth and the coin changed to ‘Plus ultram.’ More beyond. It is time for California to lead in that way and we will do just that with your help.”
He calls for work not just over next 5 weeks but next 2 hours, to block the Angelides endorsement here.
Now he throws it open to take questions from the webcast participants around the state.
He’s fielded questions on education and, as it happens, beach sand depletion. The latter of which was new, though he cited climate change as a possible cause of erosion and called on the San Diego area citry councilmembers who asked to help him develop a policy as governor.
Education question
He notes that there are more “bad apples to be gotten rid of in the governor’s office than in all the classrooms in the state.”
Immigration question. Quips after being told
“Westly kids” group online that if it is his kids, 4 and 6, online, he’s in trouble. Gives liberal reform answer on immigration.
Who are his heroes question. Churchill, is the first answer, unusual for a fairly liberal Democrat. For his “never say die” resolve during the Battle of Britain. Steve’s uncles flew Spitfires for Britain during World War II. Gandhi. For obvious reasons. High school coach Ben Parks, who kept imploring all the student athletes to go well beyond what they thought they could do.
Health care question. … Was waylaid into what turned into a lengthy meeting as I was about to finish this write-p following the wrap-up of the virtual event. At the moment, I don’t remember what I was about write. Perhaps it will occur to me when I’m not about to attend the convention banquet.
** The Attorney General Debate. Former Governor and now Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown v LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
Brown pledges to be “the people’s lawyer,” saying he has enemies because of the fioghts he’s gotten into, pledges the environment, working people, and pro-choice will be his priorities and his opposition to the Iraq War will animate hios helping lead the opposition to Bush.
Delgadillo cites working people, crime, and pro-choice are his priorities.
Asked how they would fight the Republican adminstrations, Brown cites 30 years of fighting various administrations on a host of issues. “And with the notoriety I have, they didn’t call me Moonbeam for nothing, I’ll get in the face of these Republicans and fight for you!” the crowd really likes this, needless to say.
Asked if the office is a tool for economic just as well as criminal justice, Brown says he’ll fight goung insurance and hospital companies, will fight to enforce anti-trust in strike situatiins, will take on the drug and oil companies, and will fight to equalize education spending between rich and poor districts.
Rocky is getting short shrift with his replies. Now he cites his own “poverty” background to get back in the game. Now he is telling a story of a crack house in LA. The house was bought by an investor for 90 grand, then refurbished and sold for 300 grand, becoming an aspirational real estate model for the neighborhood. “I want to do that across California to bring environmental justice to communities.”
As the close, both asked about immigration and Iraq. Rocky leads with a somewhat vague call for immigration reform and honoring immigrants and recognizing the new leadership class of Antonio Villaraigosa and Fabian Nunez. On the war, “Bring on our troops home.” He closes saying Dems should “embrace the future.”
Brown: “If you don’t understand the past, you’re doomed to repeat it.” He cites his record of signing most of the state’s farm labor, health and safety, and collective bargaining bills. Then the Coastal Act, renewable energy, “I’ve tried to come up with innovative ideas.” Oakland, he says, has many more people living in the central city now and ranks as one of the top green cities in the US. He says he wants to enforce worker’s rights laws. “We need the energy and experience to move this corrupt, stagnant status quo.” The crowd likes this quite a lot, too.
Karl Rove indictment now in works. The delegates here don’t know this.
** After a video message from Bill Clinton exhorting state Democratic convention delegates to work hard to take back the California governorship this year, convention chairman Willie Brown introduces his own district rep in Congress, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Her speech was pretty standard anti-Bush material, and was fairly well received.
Barbara Boxer is not here, speaking by video message, and is not here to intro Phil Angelides. So Pelosi returns to do that quite briefly and the Phil rally is underway to the tune of “Shout.”
Now Pelosi is listing Phil’s great traits and I’m reading his speech. It contains a number of anti-Westly references, but none by name. It seems a littlke toned down from his past rhetoric.
Phils framing this as a choice between those who fight for core values and those who sought to “accommoidate” Arnold. He’s proud that he never went with the “Bush-Schwarzenegger” agenda. Labor polling, incidentally, indicates this argunment does not work with voters.
Phil is in thunderous mode now, assailing “big corporate interest” and “winning a victory for Dem values that will ripple across this land.” And we don’t do it by being “Arnold Lite.”
“You know me, you know myvalues,” he exclaims, appealing to the longtime delegates. Meanwhile, scenes from Phil’s life and career are flashing across the jumbotron behind him, invoking his family and liberal icons.
Phil is doing a very good job of speaking, and is giving these delegates exactly what they want to hear, hitting every point on the liberal agenda.
“Now I need you to stand with me … For a California …” Now the demo with Phil walking through the convention floor. A good demo.
Carole Migden, Diane Watson, Kamala Harris, Marta Escutia are now introducing Westly. His cheering claque is clearly smaller than Phil’s. Escutia is emphasizing the polls and Steve’s ability to run against Arnold. Steve takes the stage to Santana’s “Oye Como Va.”
Steve is emphasizing a post-primary unity theme, positive campaign pledge. Calling Arnold the “One-Terminator.” Now talking about his Dem activist background, the values of eBay and its democratic capitalism, running theough a litany of his dem credentials. Only one in race to back Million Solar Homes bill.
Pledging to sign children’s health insurance, back gay rights, clamp down on tax cheats.
Now explaining his work with Arnold on Props 57 and 58. Along with nearly all other Democrats, citing danger of schools shutting down. “You don’t stand up to the governor by standing on the backs of schoolkids.”
Blasts Arnold infrastructure deal, says Dems will have tough fight, must ciontest not just in liberal strongholds but throughout state.
Now closing with the story of his immigrant wife. Once on public assistance, then helped take company public. Did it without public handout but public hand up. He wants that opportunity for all.
Well received but clearly a smaller group of backers. Phil’s people sat on their hands.
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(Angelides vol. at the convention)
Bill, you hit the nail on the head. Phil rocked the house. Nancy Pelosi’s introduction was great extolling Phil’s contributions to the state and national Democratic Party. The whole family was on the stage supporting a great dad and the best candidate for governor. The whole convention was pumped!
And there was confetti too! Beautiful California blue and gold shot into the air by delegates throughout the hall.
Phil was on Phire!
Willie Brown was telling anyone who’d listen last night that Rove was going to be indicted. I’d say the source is a solid one … and Rove has probably earned it.
Who was Brown’s source? I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I find it hard to believe that he has a scoop no one else in the blogosphere has picked up on. Josh Marshall’s latest says that the decision to indict Rove will be made in the next few weeks.
Actually, it is elsewhere in the blogosphere.
Care to share the link there Bill?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042806Y.shtml
Thanks for the link, Hap. Color me suspicious, what with Leopold’s book about to come out, the mountain of speculation within the Beltway, and, well, a million other reasons. We’ll have to see how the story gets tossed around in print and online. Still, more power to Jason Leopold if he’s right.
I can’t do web links from the blackberry.
Not that I rely on web links for most of my information.
Oddly, I seldom have a link for what I report.
Bill – any word on a delegate count? What’s your sense of how things are going?
I share your suspicion Ignatz. I don’t know anything about Leopold, but I did read that Rove’s statements are being evaluated by comparison to those of Matt Cooper, in which case it might be all the more difficult to sort out motive and intent on all sides of this coin.
Thanks for your up-to-date blogging on this convention.
I’m watching the webcast through the state Dem site,
but would love to be able to watch Phil and Steve’s speeches from earlier….anyone know if they on a site yet?
I wonder if anyone has a hunch whether the mood of delegates or party leaders is moving to any degree toward a joint endorsement or non-primary endorsement of candidates for the various contested offices, including governor.
Yes, I have a hunch. It’s no.
I don’t have a count on the Angelides endorsement question. Voting starts in an hoiur and a half or so.
Realfedup – Angelides staff tell me that the video of his speech will be online (www.angelides.com), hopefully, tonight.
thanks.
The buzz seems sure seems to be about Angelides throughout the weekend to date… The most interesting anecdote to me was the incredible news that no union bug appears on Westly materials. Even hard core GOP lobbying firms and state agencies regularly avoid that faux paux
I’m supporting Steve and can see there are Phil supporters
here too. Thanks Jamus for that info. I would imagine both
candidates will have their speeches on their sites as soon as their
campaigns can manage.
Been listening to the virtual convention….very
fun to be connected to the real convention
and others around the state.
The virtual convention was fun! Now it is time to kick some butt! If we want to beat Arnold…we must vote for Steve! Keep the negative stuff in the child care area of the convention and lets keep this positive!
Two things I’m wondering: 1) was Phil’s conspicuous absence from the TV waves because he (or someone else) has been able to confidently count to 60% this whole time; and 2) would an Angelides nomination perversely boost Westly’s desired image as a moderate consensus-builder?
Westly:
Thank you for giving those of us unable to be at the convention access to it. I have tried to get plugged in to anything Angelides is doing and it just doesn’t seem to be happening.
From my outside looking in perspective, it seems that Angelides has things locked up. By that I mean he has his endorsers and his followers, but just doesn’t seem to allow others of us into his circle, his thoughts or his plans. This frustrates me. I want to know what is going on in this race and find it upsetting that the Dem party site doesn’t seem to be working and doesn’t have access to review the critical speeches. I am getting almost all my information from Mr. Bradley! Providing access was a smart move by Westly.
I see it coming down to a few key issues voters want addressed in this election echoed again today in the LA Times and written about throughout this week in various publications:
Education Reform
Angelides wants to throw money at the problem yet doesn’t have a plan to increase student performance. His hands are tied by the CTA which will never get behind the kinds of reform that are necessary to impact student performance. Westly doesn’t have perfect solution with the lottery talk. He’ll need more than that, but his hexperience in education seems to be liked by voters. He seems to really care, which may be what it takes to win votes on this issue. Advantage Westly.
Special Interests
Californians are so tired of being hijacked by them – whether it is big business or powerful unions, voters want thier voices heard but feel they are drowned out by politicians ties to these groups. Angelides is tied to all the usual democratic special interest suspects. As mentioned above, the CTA really owns him as do the firefighters – highlighted this week with the IE – among others. Westly (and I wish our politicians were not all millionaires) is not tied to anyone it seems. I like that. It seems that real reform becomes more realistic when no one “owes” anyone anything, and frankly, I am tired of hearing that anoyne supports any candidate simple beacuse they have stood beside them for 20 years. Voters hate that. We want to hear “We support this candidate because he stood up for Californians for over 20 years!” not just a specific group. Advantage Westly.
Taxes
This one is very simple. The people of CA do not trust the government to spend tax dollars efficiently. Raising taxes as a platform is as bad a strategy as Mexico’s move this week to legalize drugs. Westly doesn’t have to say a word on this and he wins. Advantage Westly.
Electability
Against Arnold, it is going to mean personality, charisma, charm, substance and the look of a governor. I am sorry, but Angelides does not top the charts in any of these categories (he does have a lot of substance, but cannot seem to organize it.) Westly seems to have these in the minds of voters. Advantage Westly.
As a hard working, tax paying strong supporter of education, I have migrated towards Westly this week. I admit, it has much to do with his ability to eat Arnold in the general, which in my mind, is all that counts. We democrats cannot afford to tune out the voices of Californians that are clearly articulating the issues that will decide the election (I left out immigration because no democrat is talking about it – BUT THEY BETTER BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE!)
I think we all want to send Arnold back to the big screen and out of the Gov’s office. I am eager to see the debate on Wednesday and will keep an open mind until June 6, but I think that our party needs a common vision and an electable platform. I would like to have the nation’spundits start talking about the democratic party’s identity taking shape again and that it is happening in California. Unseating Arnold in the fall will point all cameras and the eyes of the nation to a democratic California. This will certainly set the tone for a reversal in national politics and set a vision and groudswell of support for the 2008 Presidential election. Democrats cannot afford to allow the republican momentum to continue, particularly in California. I think it is time that we send a warning shot accross Arnold’s bow letting him know that the Democrats of California are serious about winning.
If I were a delegate in Sacramento today, I would be voting for Westly because I think he has the best shot at accomplishing our common goals.
Santiago,
You are 100% correct!
Westly made another faux pas today… the orange (to match the hideous orange shirts) Tic-Tacs he passed out didn’t have the union bug on them. That’s two days in a row they’ve done something like that.
And no silliness here Bill, but I just spoke to a lovely woman, political director for CSEA who said that while she’s a registered Republican, she’s voting for Phil. She also told me that she heard the rumor that Westly is paying his “volunteers.” I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s the rumor that’s going around.
If you believe a republican if voting for Phil…I have a big orange bridge to sell you..on E Bay..
It’s true Carole. I spoke to her and we shared a hug. She really was a lovely woman and expressed that she was so mad at Schwarzenegger she could kick him.
If she really wants to beat Arnold then, you should introduce her to Steve…Then show her the current LA Times poll.
Steve takes the stage to Santana’s “Oye Como Va.”
Now I do adore Santana but this is truly the perfect song for him…”Oye Como Va” translates more or less to “Listen how my rythm goes.” He ’s got “rythm” on the important issues facing this state: education, economy, environment , and immigration, buiding community amid rich diversity….he is a serious, yet sunny man…it’s wonderful !
Barbara,
I am so glad you are on the blog tonight. We need to hear some wisdom.
I will be the first to attest to that I am a Westly volunteer, and I am not paid. These rumors are crap – more bile from the Angelides camp.
Thank you for volunteering for the team…we applaud your dedication!
As it happens, folks, it ain’t against the rules to be foolish.
I am also Westly volunteer. We are NOT paid. The bottom line is that a whole lot of people are proud to stand behind Steve. I heard someone here at the convention was spreading the rumor that Westly volunteers received free iPods. As much as I would love to have a new iPod, there’s just no truth to this nonsense.
I have heard the same rumors and was told by a Westly spokesman that they are absolutely not true. There has been a lot of back and forth about union bugs. I had a Westly guy come up to me and give me a line about Angelides not having one on something too. I really wish it would not devolve into these silly arguments.
Here. here, Julia. I guess a crappy campaign that has fallen 13 points behind has nothing better to do than spread ludicrous rumors around convention hall. Phil just can’t help it. His basic campaign history and personality are both nasty and negative.
Oh come on now, your guys came up to me too with the union bug stuff, both sides are guilty. He zeroed in on a couple people wearing press passes and knew full well what he was doing. You guys talk a good game with your clean campaign pledge, but then come on here and insult their campaign. Contested primaries are useful, but not if they turned into a scortched Earth battle.
Congratulations to Phil Angelides, newly endorsed by the California Democratic Party!!!
He took more than 67% of the delegates!
Folks, Tic Tacs?
You have got to be kidding.
It’s Saturday night. Go watch a movie.
Ever since about the day after Arnold took office, Phil appears to have conducted his campaign under the assumption that he was to be the unopposed Democratic Party nominee for governor.
I am stunned that the Democrats at the convention would vote so overwhelmingly to endorse Angelides when (1) he is so far behind in the Democratic Primary; (2) Westly runs much stronger against the Governor than does Angelides; (3) Like Angelides, Westly is your basic mainstream Democrat. So, we have two basically mainstream candidates, one runs much stronger against the Republican incumbent than the other, yet the Democrats overwhelmingly vote to endorse their weakest candidate? It’s truly the world turned upside down. As I have said earlier, I am inclined to support Westly because he is the stronger candidate, but I have no association with his campaign.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Democratic Party of California.
Your vote today sends a clear message that you plan on having me “stick around” one more term. I would like to thank all of the special interest groups that made this possible – the firefighters, the CTA and things such as that. As I have said before, “everybody pities the weak.”
You should be proud that you had the guts to come up here in front of California voters and say, ‘I don’t want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers’. . . You have taken one more step to offer me up yet another girlie man and for that I am grateful.
Keep up the hard work. With your continued efforts, maybe I can take a summer vacationwith Maria and the kids. I’ll just turn on the VCR and play reruns of my recall election speeches. Thank you for showing all of us that what your party belives in isn’t in black and white – it’s just a different shade of Gray.
Danka.
Gary South is right!!! WE DONT NEED NO ENDORCEMENT WE HAVE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
more tomorrow. a bit drunk.
Stan
I don’t think that it is the horse race that’s so important, it is the horse. I came away from the convention believing more than ever in Steve and his message and reagrdless of the horse race he is by far the better man…
I believe in Steve. I believe in Steve….Tom the volunteer.
All posts violating the rules are now immediately deleted. There are no more warnings. I am not going to waste any more of my time with you.