** EDWARDS TO NEVADA. As mentioned here last week, John Edwards will make his anticipated Hurricane Katrina-oriented New Orleans formal announcement of his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday. He’ll follow that on his announcement tour with a town hall meeting in Iowa. As his tour continues, on Friday he will hold an event and a town hall meeting at 5:30 PM in Reno, Nevada, at the Grand Sierra Resort’s Silver State Pavilion. Edwards’ goal is to maintain and build his strength in the early states of the nomination contest while the Obama media wave crests.

** IDAHO NEWSPAPER EXPLAINS ARNOLD’S BROKEN LEG.

Idaho Mountain Express
Updated: December 26th, 2006 11:33 AM

Schwarzenegger slips on Bald Mountain

By JODY ZARKOS

The Sun Valley ski patrol responded to six accident calls on Bald Mountain Saturday, including one for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Skiing with family members and friend Adi Erber of Ketchum, Schwarzenegger was standing next to the half-pipe on Lower Warm Springs when he slipped, according to Adi Erber.

“His pole got caught underneath his ski and he tripped over it,” Erber said. “He fell on his ski pole and the impact broke his femur.”

Erber, a fellow Austrian and ski buddy of Schwarzenegger’s for the last 18 years, said the accident occurred around 12:15 p.m. and the Governor fell on his right side.

Schwarzenegger was transported off the mountain by toboggan and taken to St. Luke’s Hospital by ambulance.

While Sun Valley patrollers would not comment about the accident itself, one did say, “I do know he was really tough about it. He was tough.”

According to reports by The Associated Press, the 59-year old Schwarzenegger has surgery to repair his fractured femur in California today. Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver own a home north of Ketchum.

** LOCKYER CLEARS UNITED FARM WORKERS. Outgoing California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, who will be inaugurated next month as the new state treasurer, has cleared the United Farm Workers union of possible criminal wrongdoing in the wake of several highly critical articles about the UFW at the beginning of the year in the LA Times about the union’s non-profit organizations and problems organizing farm workers. In a statement, Lockyer said that “the organizations broke no nonprofit laws but need to strengthen their procedures governing transactions and solicitations to avoid the appearance of impropriety.”

** TELLING POLLS IN IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. Last week’s poll in Iowa, already reported on here, and a new poll in New Hampshire sketch a very intriguing picture in this early stage of the 2008 presidential race. On the Republican side, John McCain is neck and neck with Rudy Giuliani in both states.

But the real intrigue is on the Democratic side. In Iowa, Barack Obama has climbed into a tie with John Edwards, while Hillary Clinton trails far behind with Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. In New Hampshire, there is essentially a dead heat for first place between Clinton, who still has a slight edge, and Obama, with Edwards slightly behind. Of course, these polls were taken following an amazing wave of publicity for Obama, who has the best-selling book in the country, “The Audacity of Hope,” reviewed here in the New York Times by Gary Hart.

Hart, the former Colorado senator and one-time presidential frontrunner, after noting diplomatically that Obama’s book is mostly about himself and not so much about a coherent strategy for America, writes admiringly but tellingly: “In a very short time, Barack Obama has made himself into a figure of national interest, curiosity and some undefined hope. This book fully encourages those sentiments. His greatest test will be that of sensing the times, of matching his timing with the tides of the nation.”

Obama’s New Hampshire trip earlier this month saw him rapturously received with many days of wall-to-wall media coverage. This also reverberated in Iowa, which gives heavy play to coverage of presidential politics. Unlike the other prospective candidates, there have been no negatives on Obama. Yet.

11:30 AM UPDATE: ARNOLD SURGERY UPDATE. Here is the statement from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s surgeon, Dr. Kevin Ehrhart:

“At 9:45 this morning our surgical team, consisting of myself, two assistant surgeons, an anesthesiologist and two nurses, completed a successful open reduction internal fixation on the upper part of Governor Schwarzenegger’s thigh bone. The surgery involved using cables and screws to wire the two main fragments of the Governor’s broken femur bone back together. It lasted approximately an hour an a half, was without complication, and the post-operation x-rays look great.

“Following the surgery, the Governor was awake, alert and talking in the recovery room. He is now fully coherent and I have cleared him to resume his duties as Governor. The Governor will remain in the hospital for three days, as is standard for this type of operation. Recovery will take approximately eight weeks and I expect the Governor to fully recover. The Governor is not in a cast and will use crutches to walk while his leg heals.”

** ARNOLD UNDERGOES SURGERY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is back early from his traditional Sun Valley vacation, repairing from his Idaho mansion to an undisclosed LA area hospital where he is undergoing surgery this morning to repair his broken leg. The Governor’s Office put out this statement from orthopedic surgeon Kevin Ehrhart: “Our team will repair the Governor’s fractured right femur by performing an open reduction internal fixation on the upper part of the thigh bone. This relatively common surgery involves using orthopedic cables and screws to help the bone heal.

“Governor Schwarzenegger will be put under general anesthesia for no longer than two hours and the surgery should last less than two hours. As is standard for this type of surgery, the Governor will be kept for observation for three days. The Governor will use crutches following the surgery and recovery will take approximately eight weeks.”

Outoing Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante serves as acting governor while Schwarzenegger is under anesthesia. California’s strategic forces have been placed in stand-down mode.

While Schwarzenegger’s surgeon says he expects no complications while the former action superstar makes a full recovery, the mishap will undoubtedly put a crimp in his style at next week’s second inaugural festivities.

** Monitor computer memory prices on a daily basis. Prices are stable.

** 8 AM ENERGY UPDATE. After rising some on word of Iran’s intransigence on its nuclear program, crude oil prices have slipped on expectations of further milder than normal weather through much of the U.S.

** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices are around $63 per barrel and appear to be rising on word that Iran will defy UN Security Council sanctions on its nuclear program.

51 Responses to “Non-Random Notes: Edwards To Nevada, Idaho Paper Explains Arnold’s Broken Leg, Lockyer Clears UFW, Telling Polls In New Hampshire And Iowa, Arnold Undergoes Surgery, Memory Price Watch, Energy Price Watch”

  1. Jonas Blane says:

    Obama probably has one direction to go.

  2. Jonas Blane says:

    What’s that governor of yours doing acting like a 25-year old?

  3. Ann says:

    Schwarzeneger ought to cool it a little.

  4. kandaharkid says:

    I hope Governor Schwarzenegger gets well soon. Let him have his fun. We only live once.

  5. Bill Bradley says:

    Schwarzenegger is not acting like a 25-year old. Not that being a 25-year old is a bad or even especially thoughtless thing.

    He is having some bad luck in reflex-related endeavors — motorcycle riding, downhill skiing — and should probably take a look at that.

  6. Ann says:

    Older men don’t have the reflexes and don’t heal as fast as 25-year old kids. You almost killed yourself in your Jag this year, Bill, because you were driving distracted. We can all guess what you were doing. If you were Schwarzeneger’s age you’d be dead, at your age you almost were.

  7. Bill Bradley says:

    It’s amazing how these things happen in the blink of an eye, in very small spaces. I drive past the scene of my — well, it’s hard to call it an accident, exactly, since I didn’t actually hit anything, much less flip the car, though there was a lot of damage when I took it down the embankment — incident all the time and see what a tiny place it all happened in. I actually missed it the first time I drove past after the accident, because my recollection of it had become elongated in my mind.

  8. Capitol Boy says:

    Don’t 25-year olds really have many more accidents than, what is Schwarzenegger now, 65?

  9. Barbara says:

    This is ridiculous… many people ski and ride motorcycles, horses, run marathons much older than Arnold at 59…If you do anything often enough you run a chance of a mishap…you can not let fear of falling and hurting herself impede you from the enjoyment and thrill of a sport …he should keep skiing if he enjoys it….he will mend ..not only will he mend but he will mend better than most because he is use to working out and will not resist the physical therapy that is a very important part of the mending process…

  10. Kandy Kid says:

    Sacramento Solon and other NWN Foodies –

    I usually buy dry-aged beef from Taylors Market, but this time I bought a 16.5 pound boneless rib eye from Costco and dry-aged it for eight days in my refrigerator. Alton Brown’s recipe at Foodnetwork.com was real easy and came out great. I encourage all to try it, if you are into that kind of thing…

    We also had a bottle of 1994 BV Georges de La Tour from the home cellar, which was FABULOUS. Did I say FABULOUS loud enough with the proper inflection? A thoughtful guest brought a 2003 BV Georges de La Tour and it was excellent and may become FABULOUS by the time Dianne Feinstein retires from the US Senate. For those of you who think a bottle of wine can be worth $65, it is available at Costco.

    Now I am tending to the 20-hour smoked pork butts I will send back to Oregon with my sister. It’s the least I can do for her bringing ultra-fresh and tasty oysters to the feast.

    Back to politics tomorrow…

  11. Bill Bradley says:

    Bill Walsh, the former San Francisco 49ers head coach and general manager who I think is the guru of competitive athletics, has had many interesting things to say about the older athlete, having personally coached some of the greats like Joe Montana (the best quarterback ever) and Jerry Rice (the best wide receiver ever). And having managed them after they’d hit their physical peaks.

    While they can still perform at a high level, and here we’re talking about guys in their 30s, they have to play smarter, not faster, out of necessity, and their bodies are more prone to injury. They take longer to recover when they get injured.

    Walsh basically told the older man to cool it some. Don’t work out as much. Don’t practice as much. Don’t take as many physical risks.

  12. Barbara says:

    Hart On Obama’s book …
    “”Truly great leaders possess a strategic sense, an inherent understanding of how the framework of their thinking and the tides of the times fit together and how their nations powers should be applied to achieve its large purposes. The Audacity of Hope is missing that strategic sense.”

    I read the Hart review on Sunday…he was very diplomatic but I must say when I read Obama’s book I saw it’s purpose as just being a personal narrative, no more, …like the first TV political “introduction ADs” that we are usually subjected to …

    I was gifted with John Edwards book “Home” for Christmas…the choice of subject matter in this case, a meaningful memory of your “home”… I also see as an “introductory Ad” but in some ways the choice of this subject matter tells us more about Edwards soul and psyche than Obama’s personal narrative …and then you go from the publication of “Home” to the “New Orleans announcement” in post Katrina America and I think this shows somewhat that Edwards processes that “strategic sense” that Hart addressed in his review …Both books while very different are very good and I like having these books as a basis for my first meeting and as a means to getting to know these two men …and I am happy they chose the world of print to introduce themselves to us not just introductory TV political ads or late night television appearances …

  13. Barbara says:

    “Don’t take as many physical risks.’

    Who says he was doing that? the guy was skiing on vacation …he took a tumble…if he has been a life long skier it probably was not his first tumble..he broke something this time…this is a COMMON sking break…no one likes to fall and especially to fall and break something…but it happens…this does not even sound like a major break… Geesh!All this pycho babble from a bunch of counch potatoes…he will be smoking a cigar and cracking jokes in 48 hours…leave him alone with all this tsk tsk tsking! geesh!

  14. Sacramento Solon says:

    KK,

    Good stuff. I love Taylor’s meats. Purchased a small roast on Friday and then coateded it with olive oil, seasoned salt, pepper and garlic and let it sleep in my fridge until Sunday. Roasted it at a constant 350 until it reached an internal temp of 125. Pulled it and let it rest as I made the au jus and finished up the other items.

    The 2002 De Latours was OUTSTANDING and, much to my surprise, lasted until last evening. So, while I still have plenty of wonderful beef, I’ll have to find other red stuff to wash it down with.

    Yes, return to the world of politics tomorrow. I think. :-)

  15. Bill Bradley says:

    Actually, Barbara, the key is to read what’s written.

    Schwarzenegger broke his femur, one of the strongest bones in the body. This is not a typical little break.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femur

  16. Barbara says:

    It is a COMMON break for skiers…2 hours of surgery is not a big deal…he will be fine, Mr. Bradley.. you will have many opportunities to write about him for years to come …you just will not be able to dance with him at next week’s festivities…but trust me…he will fine and he will continue skiing …he is many things but he is not a wimpy woosie

  17. Bill Bradley says:

    It’s not the common green stick break. The contraption they put in his leg to stabilize it is likely permanent.

    Having a couple of accidents like this in the course of a year is a warning sign.

    You ignore them at your peril.

  18. Capitol Boy says:

    Don’t be so silly, Babs.

  19. Sacramento Solon says:

    Why is anyone becoming exercised over Arnold’s injury? It happened. That it happened to a 59-year old man only means, as Bill and others have pointed out, that it will take him longer to mend.

    As one who is over that age and still active, I acutely aware that injuries now occur more frequently and take longer to heal.

    Should he still be doing it? I hope so and hope that he serves as an example to others that staying active is very important as we age.

    Run, walk, lift weights. Do what it takes to stay active. We have a lady living in Sacramento, Helen Klein, who at 84-years of age still runs marathons. Believe she just established the world record for her age group. Also believe that she didn’t begin running until sometime in her 50′s.

    While she is an exceptional athlete, I think she serves as a wonderful role model for all of us who are geting up in age. Be out there, stay active and get moving.

    I shall now hop off the soap box and hope I don’t break something doing it! :-)

  20. Barbara says:

    Fine… this was a skiing accident of a 59 year old man on vacation …they did not rush him into surgery …it has been over 48 hours since the accident..This is too silly to continue…”peril”! Mr. Bradley you have a melodramatic side!

  21. Bill Bradley says:

    There is a distinction between being very active and risk-taking.

    Jerry Brown is 68 and he regularly runs three miles around that lake there in Oakland a lot faster than I do or probably 90 plus percent of the people in California of any age. Certainly most of those teenagers in our high schools.

    I don’t think this a matter for debate.

  22. Barbara says:

    Why do you keep saying “risk taker” ? Are you saying Skiing is risk taking? If yes , then I guess you are not a skier or you would not say that…or are you inferring you have the real story and he was doing something stupid …

  23. Bill Bradley says:

    Motorcycle riding and downhill skiing are risky sports. There is no debate about that. Schwarzenegger has had two accidents this year requiring him to go to the hospital. One gave him a fat lip and stitches and revealed he didn’t have a proper license. That didn’t look too good for a public figure. Another which has him in the hospital for days, will put him on crutches at his Inaugural, and will leave him with a permanent contraption in his leg. He needs to think about it, not skip merrily along the path of denial. Not that he is going to be skipping any time soon.

    And no, I’m not a skier. I ran track and played football and knew that skiing would be an especially foolish way to blow a season.

    Risk is fun. I like to drive my car over 100 miles per hour. I haven’t done it quite so much since nearly killing myself before the primary.

  24. Barbara says:

    “Skiing with family members and friend Adi Erber of Ketchum, Schwarzenegger was standing next to the half-pipe on Lower Warm Springs when he slipped, according to Erber.
    “His pole got caught underneath his ski and he tripped over it,” Erber said. “He fell on his ski pole and the impact broke his femur.” Idoho Mountain Express

    He was NOT even skiing !!!!…it was a flukey fall… an accident ..he could have fallen at home or in his office and broken something…when I tumble off my horse I get right back in the saddle…Arnold should continue to be Arnold …skiing is not all that risky if you are skiing a slope that matches your ability…

  25. Barbara says:

    GO GUV ARNOLD!

    “”Following the surgery, the governor was awake, alert and talking in the recovery room,” said orthopedic surgeon Kevin Ehrhart in a statement. “He is now fully coherent and I have cleared him to resume his duties as governor.”11:53 Sac Bee 12/26

  26. Bill Bradley says:

    Barbara, again, instead of dashing hither and yon and commenting, I invite you to read what is actually written here.

    That was published here 50 minutes ago.

  27. Barbara says:

    Woops! sorry Mr. Bradley but I was trying to keep up with you lecturing and scaring every man out there over 40!!! it was hard to go back and keep re-reading the main story! …Toodles Mr. Bradley!

  28. Bill Bradley says:

    All men over 40 should live in fear. Of younger women giving them a hard time. :)

  29. carole w says:

    Men over 40 are like fine wine:)
    It is fun for the women to get the whip out every once in awhile.

  30. Bill Bradley says:

    Is that wine?

    Or whine?

  31. carole w says:

    “Fat Bastard Chardonnay” yes,it is really something you drink.

    Sticks and stones will break your bones and screws and wires will repair you.

  32. jillian says:

    Kandy Kid and SS…yall have my mouth watering so now I’m going to go eat something as I’ve been researching all day so far…Bill I’m glad our Guv came through his surgery well and you came through your incident well and with some new thoughts on being 10 feet tall and bulletproof:) I won’t comment on older men/younger women but carole w has the right idea…give me a good pinot grigio and all is right with the world…champagne is good too

  33. Bill Bradley says:

    Champagne is my choice.

  34. jillian says:

    well I had a few for you Xmas eve then…extra dry not brut as it’s too dry

  35. Barbara says:

    Hey I just came across my 12/23 e-mail alert from John Edwards “The Big Decision” and it takes you to Johnedwardsevents.com to his schedule :JohnEdwardsEvents.com and I just downloaded a free ticket to this TOWN HALL in Reno! But if I drive up that 80 and stand in line for this I better get in or I going to be really mad!
    I will still vote for him though..I’m a patriot!

    A Special Event and Town Hall Meeting/
    December 28, 2006
    Des Moines, IA
    Click here for your free tickets.

    December 29, 2006
    Portsmouth, NH
    Click here for your free tickets./
    December 29, 2006
    Reno, NV
    Click here for your free tickets.
    December 30, 2006
    West Columbia, SC
    Click here for your free tickets.
    December 30, 2006
    Chapel Hill, NC
    Click here for your free tickets.

  36. Barbara says:

    Oh it is at the Silver State Pavillion Grand Sierra Resort I just googled it and it looks like it has a pretty good spa! I hope C-span films it!…This is very exciting ! Heck I could end up on C-span just smiling and applauding the next president of the United States! I am going to make a reservation right now because I can’t drive down the 80 at night! Talk about risk taking!

  37. Ann says:

    Can you believe those little bozos at La Times?

    They are congratulating themselves for “tracking down an eyewitness” to Schwarzeneger’s accident. It’s the guy in that Idaho newspaper story that ran this morning. lol

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/politicalmuscle/

  38. sadhana says:

    Before my career change I was a nurse for 30 years. My specialty wa psychiarty and neurology. I did have occasion to do tours and relief nursing on orthopedic units.That is a serious break AS has. Of course he is awake and talking in recovery. you donot leave recovery until you have awaken.He did have general anesthesia. there is enomorus pain from orthopedic injuries/surgery, so he will require sedation, especially in the first post 48 hours because pain increases your blood pressure and slows the healing process. although it was not illegal at the time AS used steriods. We all now know the future potential side-effects from their usage. Now the nurses must mointer all bodily functions to ensure there are no complications
    observe urinary output to ensure that he pees sufficiently.
    mointer his poop. constipation you don’t want him to have. hope there is no nausea and vomiting. guess who gets to clean it up.keep body in proper alignment. he’s 240 lbs. that should take 3-4nurses. you weight more when sedated.
    there is one significant psychological red-flag related to AS accident proness though at this point it isn’t important.
    I still take very personally AS verbally abusive comments as a nurse, {kick my butt} , as cherokee indian/afro-american his marganilization of my people {special interest} we are the first people of this country. but because we all belong to the human race to AS and family i say blessings and best wishes on your healing journey.
    and thank you Gray Davis for the nurse-patient ratio and meeting with most all of the california indian tribes.

  39. Barbara says:

    Now this is the e-mail address that everyone needs to go to and request that C-Span cover the John Edwards Town hall in reno! “events@c-span.org”

    This is so exciting! I just changed my whole New year’s weekend due to this Town Hall!!!…I love it when something totally unexpected happens and after my night in Reno I am going skiing in Tahoe in honor of our GREAT GUV!!!!!

    Go Arnold! It takes more than a broken femur to get you down!

  40. Barbara says:

    Oh the LA Times did not interview anyone THEY are what to you call it …”spinning” They were just reading Mr. Bradley and I going back and forth back and forth about Arnold…Forget Arnold right now he ‘s fine…now concentrate on john Edwards…and when you e-mail C-span and request them to cover the Town Hall reno event make sure you remember to request that they do it LIVE!!!!!!…TOODLES!!!

  41. carole w says:

    Barbara,
    Wear a helmet when you ski:)Have a safe New Years vacation.

  42. Barbara says:

    Thank You Carole, I Do! also never ride without one…

    CNN just announced Pres Gerald Ford died…it came in the middle of a CNN program on world hot spots….there was panel with a man named Lewis Black billed as political consultant…he was the stupidist sounding person I have ever heard on TV…and I mean that the stupidist and he kept yelling and was hysterical…poor Arianna Huffington was stuck sitting next to him…she should have slapped him like Cher in “Moonstruck”!or whatever the name of that film was ! Carole you and I would have done better on this show! geesh where do they get these guys????…I am going back to C-span!

  43. Tommy Boy says:

    Rest in peace, Mr. President.

    I’m not sure how he went, but I doubt it was any of the scenarios that came up in the famous SNL sketch featuring Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw, pre-taping possible deaths for the former POTUS.

    You can watch it HERE, ON GOOGLE VIDEO

  44. Bill Bradley says:

    What does it say that I laughed for four minutes at that stuff?

  45. Tommy Boy says:

    Only that you appreciate the finer things in life.

    And that that show was funny, even before putting “uncensored” clips on YouTube.

  46. Bill Bradley says:

    Was that censored on YouTube?

  47. Tommy Boy says:

    Lorne Michaels and NBC drew some flack for releasing the uncensored “Dick in a Box” song on YouTube following it’s toned-down version which went to air.

    I believe the critics laughable point was something to the effect of, “If kids can see it uncensored on the internet, they’ll know what was being bleeped out on TV.”

    Like you couldn’t tell by watching what the bleeps (and the boxes) were covering.

  48. Ann says:

    Censorship is pretty pointless nowadays.

  49. Bill Bradley says:

    That’s not really true.

  50. Ann says:

    Technology will make it irrelevant.

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