Arnold Schwarzenegger turns 60 today. Here in this NWN video he declares
victory in his second landslide election as governor of California.
** GAVIN NEWSOM WALTZ TO RE-ELECTION IN SAN FRANCISCO. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom now looks to have no serious opposition in his run for a second term this year. Former San Francisco Supervisor Matt Gonzalez, who ran a close race against Newsom in 2005, has decided not to challenge the youthful incumbent, according to sources close to Newsom.
Newsom, who went through a somewhat operatic divorce earlier in his term with prosecutor-turned-broadcaster Kimberly Guilfoyle, was rocked earlier this year by the revelation of an illicit affair, with a City Hall staffer married to his campaign manager, no less. He then revealed he had a drinking issue for which he would receive counselling. His enemies, who are mostly to his left — this won’t make much sense to people outside San Francisco, since Newsom is quite liberal — jumped all over him and the sensationalist media and blogosphere had a field day. It was embarrassing, and Newsom publicly copped to his weaknesses, but his job approval rating remained over 70% and candidate after potential candidate opted not to challenge the charismatic businessman-turned-pol.
** AS THE WORLD TURNS IN L.A. LA Observed reports that Corina Villaraigosa has engaged a very tough divorce lawyer to handle her case with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the lawyer for “the former Mr. Whitney Houston, the former Mrs. Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the former Mrs. Axl Rose.” NWN readers know I don’t like these issues. But that’s tough to ignore.
** BILL MAKES PEACE. Former President Bill Clinton, addressing the Democratic Leadership Council conference in Nashville today, papered over last week’s dispute between his wife and and Barack Obama on the question of if, when, and how to engage with leaders of rogue nations. He allowed as how it needs to be done, defended the DLC against charges it didn’t care about the poor, and said the party has “great candidates.”
“I don’t want to get in the middle of that whole spat Hillary and Senator Obama had,” said the former president, “but there’s more than one way to practice diplomacy.”
Some polling I’ve seen today indicates that Obama got the best of the exchange with Hillary, which grew out of a small moment in last week’s CNN YouTube debate. I’ll write more about this later.
** LEGENDARY FOOTBALL COACH BILL WALSH DIES. Bill Walsh, who built one of the greatest pro football dynasties ever in the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and 1990s, died this morning at his San Francisco Bay Area home of Woodside from leukemia. He was 75.
Walsh, who made Stanford (!) a top team, was a brilliant man, a witty man, a classy man, a tough man, and a gentleman. Fascinated by all forms of conflict, not the least of them politics, he invented strategies that revolutionized the game of football. A moderate Republican when I met him, he also backed Democrats such as Gary Hart and Dianne Feinstein. Walsh was a master in identifying talent and a leader in promoting African American coaches, and long employed one of my UC Berkeley professors, fiery sociologist Harry Edwards, as a team consultant. For quite awhile, his acolytes coached a quarter of the teams in the National Football League. Today nearly half the teams in the NFL are headed by coaches that were part of the Walsh coaching network.
The 49er teams built and coached by Bill Walsh won three Super Bowls. Two others built by Walsh also won Super Bowls. The foundation that Walsh created made the 49ers a regular play-off team for two decades.
I remember Walsh saying that, in terms of spotting talent and developing that talent, if he saw that a player could do something once, he knew that the player, if properly coached, could perform in a similar way on a regular basis. Among many such things, Walsh developed two quarterbacks that no one else viewed as special, Joe Montana and Steve Young, into Hall of Famers. He drafted the greatest defensive back in the history of the NFL — All-Pro at every position in the secondary — a fellow from USC by the name of Ronnie Lott. And he found a little-known college receiver with less than Olympic speed at an even lesser known school in Mississippi and was patient with him through a rookie season of dropsies. His name is Jerry Rice.
While Walsh was also a great general manager, the teams that he personally coached played with force and finesse, and were virtually never out of any game, no matter the score. He will be missed.
** FRED THOMPSON’S INITIAL FUNDRAISING UNDERWHELMING. I’m hearing that Fred Thompson will report raising about $3 million during his June testing-the-waters phase. Which is apparently still continuing. This is much less than what most had expected, given the seeming great enthusiasm for the former Tennessee senator and Law & Order star in conservative circles around the country, and less than the $5 million reported internal goal.
Thompson has a fundraiser tonight in Washington. Intriguingly, John McCain has counter-programmed a Washington fundraiser.
** CALIFORNIA BUDGET UPDATE: NOT MUCH TO REPORT. The hyperpartisans of the right continue to issue declarations on blogs devoid of action in the form of any comments. Democrats counter in more conventional ways, but rather desultorily.
Meanwhile, I’m told that 2006 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Angelides has this morning sent another e-mail to his list, urging calls to the offices of Democratic state senators to oppose the budget passed on a bipartisan vote in the Assembly. This continues to seem an odd move on his part, since the current leverage is hardly on the left.
** GORDON BROWN PLEDGES CONTINUED ALLIANCE WITH U.S. IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. Confounding many predictions of an impending British withdrawal from Iraq, new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced following meetings with President Bush that the UK is sticking around. “We have duties to discharge and responsibilities to keep in Iraq,” said Brown, who has appointed critics of former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s policies to his new administration. “The president and I are as one,” said Brown, on the importance of confronting terrorism around the world. Of course, British troops in Iraq will be playing a more hands off role, as discussed yesterday.
I suppose last month’s attacks on London and Glasgow just as Brown took over the premiership from Blair weren’t such a good idea after all.
** NO TERMINATOR 4 ANY TIME SOON. For those of you who’ve been waiting for the next installment in the Terminator movie franchise — and you know who you are — don’t hold your breaths. Remember that announcement a few months ago of new producers buying the rights from the old producers and announcing plans to move forward quickly on a fourth movie? It even occasioned some breathless reportage — based in part, as it turned out, from spurious reports issued by a fake entertainment website — that Arnold Schwarzenegger would be involved with the project, with both an acting role and an executive producer credit. Well, that wasn’t right, but a lot of journalist-type people were taken in.
In any event, the whole thing is hung up because one studio long ago during the bankruptcy proceedings of the original Terminator studio, Orion Pictures, bought the rights to distribute a fourth Terminator picture. And that’s throwing plans by the current producer/studio combo into a serious loop.
While the suits work all that out, Fox TV will have a spin-off TV series this coming season called The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It’s about the doings of the mother of the future leader of the war against the machines and that young son himself in between the second and third movies in the series. And, no, Schwarzenegger doesn’t seem to be involved with that project, either.
** U.S. SAYS SAUDI ARABIA UNDERMINING STABILIZATION OF IRAQ. US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said yesterday that the Saudis are underminging the task of stablilizing Iraq. Saudi Arabia is known to be unhappy about the new US/Iran security committee that emerged from meetings to discuss how to rein in Shiite and Sunni militants. And Saudi sources have been funding Islamic extremists inside Iraq, as Iraqi officials continue to protest.
** NOW HERE’S A BIRTHDAY PRESENT. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger turns 60 years old today. (Actually, since he was born in Austria, he was already 60 hours before this was published.)
What’s he going to do? Go to Disneyland? No, he’ll be holding private meetings around the stalled California state budget. A fairly tough budget passed the state Assembly on a bipartisan vote, but is held up in the state Senate for reasons discussed at length below. California is one of only three states in the country that requires a two-thirds vote to pass its budget, and with 25 Democrats in the Senate voting for it, the plan needs two Republican votes. Right now it needs two. Actually, it needs one, unofficially.
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 78th day of searching for the remaining two US soldiers captured by Al Qaeda in an ambush south of Baghdad. They have had no luck so far. A video put out by Al Qaeda forces in Iraq claims that all three men were executed after being captured. But, with the exception of the Californian found floating in the Euphrates River, that claim can’t be confirmed. The US high command in Baghdad has revealed that ID cards for the other two American prisoners were found in an Al Qaeda safehouse on June 9th.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices are just below a one-year high at $77 per barrel.
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I am back from my annual pilgrimage to San Diego for the Comic Con. This year there was a panel on 24 (official TV series of NWN) that included executive producers Evan Katz, Manny Coto and David Fury, along with director Jon Cassar. They noted the already announced news that the upcoming seventh season features Cherry Jones playing President Allison Taylor. Also the plotline for the new season is in-progress and they revealed several shake-ups to the status quo.
SPOILIER WARNING
The 7th season will start with CTU officially disbanded. And Jack Bauer will be hauled before a Congressional Committee and grilled on some of his past actions. The story takes place in D.C. and environs. Whatever Jack undertakes he will have no back-up; he is on his own. Chloe will be back and Aaron Pierce likely will appear at some point. The Cougar will not be back.
The actress who plays Audrey has been cast on a new show, so her participation is dependent on how the series she is on does. Unless someone has been shown dead on-screen, you can assume they are still alive. The gap of time between days 6 and 7 hasn’t been decided yet.
It was hinted Tony Almeida’s demise may not be permanent (“Keep watching” was the deadpan response when a fan asked about this happening). Coto said thought was given to having the season 6 finale conclude with Jack standing on the cliff, only to hear a voice off-screen say “Jack we need to talk” and turning to have Almeida walk up to him, after which they walk off together to a fade out. Also Coto expressed regret that the family dynamic between Jack, his brother and his father wasn’t further explored during season six.
The “manbag” Jack carries is partially chosen so it can credibly contain whatever they need to have him pull out of it during the storyline. And this is difficult as sometimes they don’t know what devices Jack may have need of during the season when the bag is picked out before shooting the 1st episode (about 13 shows of a season are done before the season premiere airs).
They now anticipate doing movies of 24 only after the show completes its run. The production team lack the time/energy to produce the show and simultaneously do a movie. And are loathe to hand off doing a film to a separate unit. When asked how a movie would work given the show’s real time format, they said “some ideas” has been considered and provided no details.
There were about 1,500 fans in the room for the panel, and from the response to the discussion were obviously a lively group of devotees.
Isn’t Jerry Nadler a famed motormouth?
>Barbara :
“Representatives Anthony Weiner and Jerry Nadler introduced a plan to block the deal on the steps of the Saudi consulate in New York City on Saturday”
On their consulate steps!!??? This is terrible…that is their home away from home…there is an elaborate code that governs important social interaction in ones home…they are crazy picking such a public fight with the Saudis at this moment…something is off here…not clear if this is coordinated or just chaos but its bad news…
Jul 30, 2007 02:46 PM
Oh, yes, Gospodin Bierko, I can see it now …
>Vladimir Bierko :
When will James Lipton interview Schwarzenegger?
Topics should include “Get to the chopper!” “Get down!” “Come with me if you want to live” and “Let off some steam, Bennett.”
I can see a resumed movie career for Arnold if he picks the right roles. Think Heston in True Lies. He’s got to play the Nick Fury head of an agency that sacrifices himself to save the “kid that reminds me of me” in the penultimate scene before The Rock takes out the big bad in the Act III.
He could have a Christopher Walken-like career and end up in every movie for a few years playing the same role.
Jul 30, 2007 02:24 PM
Both statements are accurate to a certain extent …
but accuracy is not what they should be trying to achieve here…
this was foolish….and more proof that we should not into Pakistan with this administration for sure
Well, that’s right, this is the Blair policy. I think a lot of people managed to convince themselves that a fellow (Gordon Brown) who vacations on Cape Cod and is a a friend of Alan Greenspan shares their anti-Americanism.
>Barbara :
Yes I know and actually Brown has been pretty consistent even in his pre PM debates he stated he was not for an all out pull out of Iraq..it will be interesting to see how British press deal with their new PM carrying on the same policy more or less that they vilified Blair on…and the “Pull back” was started by Blair …
Jul 30, 2007 02:17 PM
I’m not sure we should distribute toys in a kindergarten with this administration.
>this was foolish….and more proof that we should not into Pakistan with this administration for sure
Jul 30, 2007 04:19 PM
Thank god Aaron Pierce is back!
Thanks DANA!!!!!What a fun post Took that GRUMPY CHLOE look right off my face that the idiotic House loudmouths put on!!!
Folks,
Just plucked this from the Sac Bee site:
Chief Justice Roberts suffers seizure, is hospitalized in Maine
http://www.sacbee.com/749/v-print/story/299881.html
Looks like Bhutto will be PM…it’s 3:10 am in Doha and this out…well its very risky …they both could end up dead ….OR if they find pragmatic Islamists to work with ..it could work…hope she understands she will have to do that…
“Parliament to take up amendmentsPublished: Tuesday, 31 July, 2007, 02:08 AM Doha Time
ISLAMABAD: Following reports of a power-sharing accord between President Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in their Abu Dhabi meeting, the government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) appear to be concentrating on the legislative work which would be required to implement the deal.
Sources here say that under the new scheme, the PPP legislators will move during the National Assembly’s session to change the executive order in the Political Parties Act which bars a person from holding the prime minister’s office for the third time, and the government will move the 18th amendment with the support of the PPP to give one-time waiver to General Musharraf after he quits the army post to seek another presidential term from the next assemblies.
According to the sources, the government will not oppose the PPP move and, in turn, will get full support for the approval of the waiver for Musharraf under article 63, allowing him to become civilian president without waiting for two years after leaving the office of the army chief.
The lower house will be prorogued after the passage of the two bills and a schedule will be announced for general election to be held in October-end.
Under the accord, Benazir Bhutto will return home next month, instead of September as she had announced, and will not be arrested or implicated in any fresh case. The assemblies will be dissolved between August 1-15, when an interim government will be formed in consultation with the PPP to hold elections.
The sources said that PPP’s conditions include empowerment of the election commission, making it independent enough to ensure transparent and neutral polls. The voters’ lists will also be revised and the names of missing voters sought by the PPP will be included. In between, the sources said, both the government and the PPP would continue to keep quiet over details of their understanding”
Politics sure ain’t beanbag in Pakistan.
They have some plane crashes there, you know.
FBI and IRS agents searched Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens’ home today.
http://tinyurl.com/3ccub2
yep …I know all about plane crashes…I could write the book…
This is really worrisome …she is going to be the punching bag of the progressives/secular…and then there are too many mullah loving Islamists in the army…I just read that Pakistani Islamists are far more radical than the Muslim Brotherhoods in Arab countries…this will be a major headache for Britain and for all the law abiding British/Pakistani population…then add the Bush admin to the mix…
anything can happen…and may
well I am very glad that Corina got a shark…that whatever her name is announcing the split on the news was beyond the pale…finger in the eye stuff to Corina!…and then for Antonio afterwards to keep telling us how “profesional” this woman was…after she announced the split …yuk!
Honestly Antonio weak and pussywhipped…and Sooth is married …I just hope that Putin never disappoints me…somehow I don’t think he will! Toodles !
well I am very glad that Corina got a shark…that whatever her name is announcing the split on the news was beyond the pale…finger in the eye stuff to Corina!…and then for Antonio afterwards to keep telling us how “profesional” this woman was…after she announced the split …yuk!
Honestly Antonio weak and pussywhipped…and Sooth is married …I just hope that Putin never disappoints me…somehow I don’t think he will! Toodles !
Oooh, big soap opera ahead. lol
Unfortunately, that story is not over.
Oh, and Barbara?
While Putin might not disappoint you, he might well disappear you.
Sorry to see about Bill Walsh. He was a great coach. But I wasn’t for his teams.
Dana, that’s a great report on “24.”
Thanks!
How long before Gloria Allred shoves her way into the spotlight of Antonio’s domestic woes? Has anyone started the pool yet? How much a square?
Good for Gavin Newsom. Weren’t those Calitics loonz foaming at the mouth over him?
It’s not so easy to make woman like me disappear…..believe me…it’s been tried…
It’s not so easy to make woman like me disappear…..believe me…it’s been tried…
Very funny.
>Wilbur :
How long before Gloria Allred shoves her way into the spotlight of Antonio’s domestic woes? Has anyone started the pool yet? How much a square?
Jul 30, 2007 10:13 PM
Let’s hope.
>Barbara :
It’s not so easy to make woman like me disappear…..believe me…it’s been tried…
Jul 31, 2007 12:03 AM
I just want to compliment Barbara on her accurate and colorful language about disciplining cats. Not sure a white male Republican would have gotten away with using that borderline description of Antonio, but it sure makes NWN more interesting.
according to press reports there was a both festive and poigant birthday celebration for Arnold in is Austrian village birth place ….like I said when you travel abroad and tell people you are from California …their faces light up and the say is name with a smile! in places like Austria and Slovenia where you find conservative but very tolerant societies he is a folk hero. To be one of the world’s most beloved men is not a bad place for a 60 year old guy to be.
Those Austrian village people do it up right.
Incidentally, I rmemeber the 2003 campaign when Schwarzenegger started talking about “all the hamlets and villages of Kah-lee-fornya.”
Ah, right.
Those Austrian village people do it up right.
Incidentally, I rmemeber the 2003 campaign when Schwarzenegger started talking about “all the hamlets and villages of Kah-lee-fornya.”
Ah, right.
Tell us which club do you fancy to win the imminent English Premiership ?