Iran staged more war games on the eve of a key UN deadline for its nuclear program.
** SAN FRAN BLOGGERS BORED BY LACK OF GAVIN NEWSOM STORY. “Gavin Schmavin, we’re bored now.” Shocking. Positively shocking …
** AMERICA’S MIXED VIEW OF CELEBRITIES IN POLITICS. Back when Arnold Schwarzenegger was about to be elected governor of California, a national poll by CBS showed a clear majority of Americans in favor of more involvement by stars in politics. Now that big margin, 54% to 38%, has devolved into the mixed bag of 47% to 48%. Even as Schwarzenegger himself is celebrated as a very successful governor.
Note to David Geffen.
** RIGHT WING ATTACKS CLINT EASTWOOD. From Newsmax.com: “ Letters From Iwo Jima, nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, posits a moral equivalency between America and Imperial Japan during World War II, while the Oscar-nominated “Flags of Our Fathers” depicts the American war-time government as greedy and corrupt.”
** OLD “DUDES” IN BOTH PARTIES. Republican commentator and consultant Karen Hanretty, former campaign press secretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, contests the idea put forth by hyperpartisan Democrats that the Republican presidential candidates are “crusty old white dudes.” As distinguished from the, ah-hem, “experienced” white males who make up most of the Democratic presidential field.
** SCHWARZENEGGER WEBCAST ON PRISON REFORM. With a local judge siding with the prison guards union against his moving prisoners out of the overcrowded state prison system to other prisons, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger does a press conference on prison reform at 2 PM today.
** HILLARY IN L.A. Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Los Angeles today for a series of private fundraising events. She’s at Creative Artists Agency for an event with younger players, and appears with her heavy hitters at three national finance committee gatherings.
Clinton national finance committee members commit to raise at least $25,000 each this year, and at least the same amount next year. These meetings are hosted by three of Hillary’s biggest backers: Haim Saban, the billionaire media mogul and creator of the Power Rangers who also holds Israeli citizenship and is a co-owner of Univision. Sim Farrar, a major player in the equities business said by many to have been Senator Barbara Boxer’s biggest fundraiser. And John Emerson, head of private banking at the Capital Group, chairman of the Los Angeles Music Center, and a former top aide in the Clinton White House.
** LEFTY BLOGOSPHERE VS. FOX NEWS. Here’s an e-mail I got this morning. It’s part of a move that would have the effect of disupting the August Democratic presidential debate in Reno, Nevada by moving it off of the number one cable news network.
Dear MoveOn member,
The Democratic Party of Nevada just announced plans to let Fox News host a presidential primary debate. But Fox isn’t a legitimate news channel. It’s a right-wing mouthpiece like Rush Limbaugh and the Drudge Report—repeating false Republican talking points to smear Democrats.
Fox has already tried to skew the ‘08 race by accusing Senator Barack Obama of attending a terrorist school. CNN immediately exposed the charge as false, and Obama hit back by refusing to appear on Fox—sending them scrambling. Democrats can force Fox to be fair and balanced by fighting back hard.
Can you sign this petition asking the Democratic Party of Nevada to drop Fox as its partner for the presidential primary debate?
The full text of the petition is: “Fox is a mouthpiece for the Republican Party, not a legitimate news channel. The Democratic Party of Nevada should drop Fox as its partner for the presidential primary debate.”
** EARLY CALIFORNIA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BILL MOVES FORWARD. The state Assembly Elections Committee this morning passed the bill by Senator Ron Calderon backed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to move the California presidential primary to February 5th. The bill could be voted on by the entire Assembly as early as tomorrow.
** SPANKING BAN ABANDONED. That bill to ban spanking in California has been abandoned. Instead, the author will pursue legislation against other forms of physical violence against children.
** AGENCY REPORTS IRAN INTRANSIGENT ON NUCLEAR PROGRAM. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports this morning that Iran is continuing its uranium enrichment activities in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution against it. The finding could clear the way for harsher sanctions against the regional power, which maintains publicly that the enrichment is only for purposes of nuclear power, but hints ever so broadly that the goal is a nuclear bomb.
** Monitor computer memory prices on a daily basis. Some chip prices are down.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices are in the $58 to $60 per barrel range. US supply has plunged with the shutdown of some refinery units.
Read 
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Sounds like a coming disaster.
Will the disaster happen between now and February 5, or November 4, 2008? Or will it wait for the next President?
I suspect there is plenty of room for maneuver here.
North Korea got a nice deal, didn’t it?
I don’t think Bush is going to attack. He doesn’t have the credibility anymore.
As stated in this news article the conclusions in this report were totally anticipated …no surprises here…no hysteria needed about an impending disaster, etc… even Israeli PM Olmert according to Israeli press reports today asserts there is time for diplomacy to work this out …Further, it appears only the British are with us for tougher sanctions, rest of Europe is wobbly and Russian and China are against tougher sanctions. However, there is an intriguing article in the WSJ today that the US could possibly “ramp up pressure on its own.” by targeting the “growing business operations” of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard….
Much more disturbing, much more troublesome is the news that another (1) helo is down, (2) Italy’s PM was forced to resign yesterday because the left of center sided with the ultra left against over assisting us in Afghanistan (3) a serious war of words have broken out between US and Russia over the missile program in Czech and Poland and that Germany is taking Russia’s side at the moment…
True.
Even the wingnut Republicans won’t stand in the way of the Presidential primary.
That is some serious scratch at those Clinton LA meetings.
That’s not the amateur hour there.
God, the Kos Kidz and their ilk knee jerk again. Anything for attention. lol
Are we all supposed to bow down before the cultists of the blogosphere? They used e-mail instead of talk radio. Somehow, I fail to see the difference sans technology.
well, if I were running for President I would prefer Saban’s and Spielberg’s support/networks over Geffen’s support any ol’day….Hillary is just going to do fine…
and if this is the John Emerson I am thinking of …this is one of the nicest, serious and most decent person who ever worked in politics…so that says a lot about Hillary too…
Who is John Emerson?
Mr. Bradley…would you ask this John Emerson if he was a candidate in a special election in 1991 that Assembly Member Barbara Freedman ended up winning (much to my dismay )…over a Mr. John Emerson and also another candidate a Latina, can’t remember her name, anyway it was a race with a ton of candidates…he was clearly the best, he loved public policy appeared idealistic, hardworking, ethical, …what can I say I wrote him a check I was so impressed…I had just come to LA but I thought to myself this is just the type of person you want in government…and if Hillary’s Emerson is NOT the Emerson I am thinking of …then my Emerson referenced above is everything I said in my previous post and I don’t know anything about Hillary’s Emerson…but, at the same time, I am sure her Emerson …if it is not my Emerson that I am thinking of…is still a very nice man because Hillary is very nice…
Hey Carole! where are you ?we can be Hillary cheerleaders together just like we did WESTLY!!!
I think this little snit of Geffen’s converted me
That is the John Emerson in question.
He lost that Assembly race by like 17 votes or some absurd margin.
Because of the intervention against him by the late Berman/Waxman political machine. (On behalf of someone who has totally disappeared from public life.)
Which, as it happens, carries all sort of ironies.
But that operation was making some very bad decisions then, not long before its ultimate blowup semi-wrecking two careers in the 1992 U.S. Senate primaries, and ultimate implosion not long after.
It was a scandal..I was really mad. I didn’t like what happened one bit!
all these Labor people telling her what to say …she could not even tell you WHY she was running!!!…
He was fabulous…I mean that everything you want to see in a person going into politics/government …so was the Latina candidate I think her name was Katherine Kathleen Torres???..I may be off there …I gave her money to…
In any event even though he is not a candidate himself I am glad he is still involved in politics…
Actually Barbara, while Spielberg and Haim Saban have HUGE networks (Haim was actually one of the reasons the Democratic National Committee, DCCC and DSCC have a nice building in DC), Geffen has a network that reaches as deep or deeper — particularly within the LGBT community across the country.
Hillary did a very stupid thing pissing off Geffen in such a gratutious manner. Also, Jeff Katzenberg — a close friend of Geffens and fellow founder of Dreamworks — has expressed similar reservations about Mrs. Clinton, albeit privately.
In short, while Geffen’s pissyness was moronic (particularly in light of what he was pissy about), Hillary should have risen above it. Unfortunately, its Hillary, not Geffen, that is looking a bit whiny here. And Hollywood doesn’t like when you bite the hand(s) that feed you.
That’s right they killed Mel too!…terrible…what a walk down memory lane… I am hungry I forgot to have lunch …Toodles!
Sorry, one other thing…from Politics1.com
A new Strategic Vision poll was released Wednesday of likely Iowa caucus participants.
John Edwards – 24%,
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama tied with 18%
Tom Vilsack – 14%,
Joe Biden – 5%,
Bill Richardson – 3%
Others with 2% or less apiece.
(Interestingly, 48% of Republican respondents said they favored “a withdrawal of all United States military from Iraq within the next six months” — versus 37% opposed the idea. By contrast, Democrats favored withdrawal by a 64-9 margin. These pro-withdrawal numbers could bode ill in Iowa for candidates in both parties who either are pro-surge or waffle on Iraq.)
I am here, waiting for the BLIZZARD!
Yes, I think Hillary is a winner!
Well, as Senator Obama, two years removed from being a Midwestern state legislator, will discover, Hollywood enjoys nothing more than devouring its own.
David Geffen burned his bridges with the key folks who established his fortune. It’s not a tequila sunrise coming up on the horizon.
Hey Carole! You go girl!
Mr. Bradley, I do not think Hillary meant to stiff the press yesterday…I think she was really tired…she looked tired…now you tell John Emerson that she needs to send someone to Whole Foods and get a couple bottles of “Synergy” (a special KambuchaTea – she should try the Passionberry flavor) that’s all she needs, one or two a day …and heck, no can stop her!
Who cares about David Geffen? Who does this jerk think he is?
I was disappointed that Obama was a no show. I have not had a chance to see him in action.
Hollywood connection:
I do appreciate when an actor, artist etc. stands up and draws attention to a worthy cause but, still no connection for where I place my vote.
The spanking ban had me worried;)
In presidential politcs, the only people who are too tired to function propertly are wimps and losers. (OK, and people who need to get some sleep.) That doesn’t count the candidate, though. I thought she looked fine. She’s not running for supermodel, she’s running for president.
Marcy Brightwell of a Sacramento TV station ran into Hillary in a Carson City restaurant and got her on camera for an interview.
The only thing that anyone will remember about all this months from now … is that someone close to Obama attacked Bill Clinton and Hillary defended him…
Everyone will relate to that… because…
That’s what you do when someone you love gets attacked…if you are a woman and normal …you lunge for the attacker’s eyes!!!!!! Go Hillary …you go girl!!!
Oh, God, Mel Levine, don’t start me on that topic.
There is a good guy who is a great guy, extremely intelligent, an old friend of mine, great credentials, a very fine state legislator and congressman, whose career was ruined by an idiotic Senate campaign.
Mr. Bradley:Oh, God, Mel Levine, don’t start me on that topic
I know …I was a new kid in town, not very political …knew nothing about California and I told one of his biggest supporters and friends, a very big Entertainment attorney associated with a certain host of Obama’s recent LA fundraiser ..”I see a disaster in the making!” Oh well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles…
I would like to see Mel in a Dem President cabinet down the line…he is cabinet material…who is Mel supporting?
I don’t know who Mel Levine is supporting for president. I’d have to ask. It may not be clear yet.
he should take his time…we all should …even if we have our favorite(s)
I lived in the district in 1991 (and still do–now held by the Speaker) and had a front row seat for that free for all to fill Mike Roos’ seat in the Assembly. My support went to a Roos staffer named Michael A. Cacciotti (currently Mayor Pro Tem of South Pasadena) who had been helping the tenants in my building deal with a new owner’s renovation.
While all the Alpha Males in the race fought among themselves Friedman with backing from the machine came out of nowhere with mailers, etc. and squeaked by the boys. And then when redistricting basically took her seat from under her she shows up in Van Nuys and won a seat in the San Fernando valley. Amazing! When it was in its prime the machine was remarkable. But this was its last hurrah.
The coup de grace to La Machine was delivered by the twin defeats in 1992 primaries for the US Senate by Mel Levine and Gray Davis and the West Side state Senate defeat of Hersch Rosenthal by Tom Hayden.
Oh I just love these wingnut weasels who attack real men like Clint Eastwood and James Webb. Their tiny walnuts barely make a sound when they nervously rub together. lol
Where is the article about Webb?I am voting for Webb if he teams up with Hillary!
I think I heard he is teaming up with Hagel…
JUST KIDDING!
but it is a wonderful fantasy…!!!!
speaking of fantasy …where the heck is Sooth Sayer!…bad form! to totally disappear the way he has!
OOOOOH Sooth… I miss you!!!I am just trying to hang on here to your “Ride Baby Ride”!!!
lol
Webb is teaming up with Schwarzeneger on the M-16 ticket. lol
Too many guns.
Plus as was pointed out to me on a Chicago radio show I was on at 6:30 this morning, Giuliani is bald.
Who knows what that really means?!
Are the cyber kids trying to block a Demo debate? Seems typical for idiots.
Ann, Great walnuts comment. You might want to see this, politicians trying to supress such talk.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/02/22/national/a144810S35.DTL
Life imitates art: In the opera Rigoletto, the Duke (the Mayor) seduces the daughter (the spouse) of the Court Jester (the Deputy Chief of Staff). At the end of the performance the Duke is still singing and only the Jester is crying.
I tried that link, Larry, but it didn’t work.
Rigoletto is a very old story. As is the current Gavin Newsom melodrama.
Why did the media get so excited about the Gavin Newsom affair? Who cares?