Hillary Clinton, who will win her last victory as a presidential candidate this weekend in Puerto Rico, which cannot vote in the general election, says she is the only candidate who fights the special interests.
** NEVADA. You know, I just heard yet another so-called national political expert on one of the cable news nets mispronounce the name of the of the new (well, not for NWN readers) general election swing state, Nevada. Apparently, if you are on the East Coast, you can be a complete nitwit and pretend to be knowledgeable about the West. Considering that we had the Nevada caucuses as a major event in January, this level of rank stupidity is simply amazing.
** MCCLELLAN ON OLBERMANN. I just watched former White House press secretary Scott McClellan spend 50 minutes on Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show discussing his insider expose book on the presidency of his now former friend, George W. Bush. This is a very big deal (which has caused a delay in a planned think piece of mine). McClellan is an ingenuous sort, and comes off well with the average American. Which is a principal reason why the president picked his old Texas buddy to be White House press secretary from 2003 to 2006.
** PETE WILSON V. TOM MCCLINTOCK. It’s a big Republican furball in the Sierra Nevada foothills as career Southern California legislator and right-wing icon Tom McClintock — loser of four statewide races and right-wing favorite to run again for governor in 2010 — seeks to continue his career as a politician by taking the congressional seat long held by Abramoff scandal figure John Doolittle. Former Governor Pete Wilson yesterday ripped McClintock as an extremist, while backing former Sacramento Congresssman Doug Ose in the primary. Here’s what McClintock came up with today, ripping into Wilson via the right-wing Sacramento Union: Pete the Party Wrecker Strikes Again
Column By WILLIAM E. SARACINO, Published in the Sacramento Union
Not content with his legacy of seriously damaging the Republican Party in California during his term in office, former Gov. Pete Wilson has weighed in on the Sacramento-area Tom McClintock vs. Doug Ose congressional primary. His unsurprising preference is for the candidate who would be most like his tax-raising, pro-abortion, anti-conservative, GOP-wrecking self: Doug Ose.
I lived in Sacramento and was deeply involved in GOP politics during the “Wilson years,” and as such think there are a couple of items Republican voters in the 4th Congressional district ought to take into account as they weigh the liberal Wilson’s endorsement of the liberal Ose.
* If Pete Wilson had gotten his way, Ronald Reagan would have never been in the White House. When Reagan ran for president, Wilson traveled to New Hampshire during the primary election to campaign against his home state governor. Spending days in the state bashing Reagan, Wilson informed GOP voters that Reagan had been “a mediocre governor,” was “too extreme” to get elected president and would “lead the GOP to disaster.” Wilson, of course, changed his tune once the Gipper got to the Oval Office, but when the chips were really down, Ronald Reagan couldn’t count on Pete Wilson. Reagan fans in the 4th District might want to remember this.
* Pete Wilson’s answer to tight budgetary times in Sacramento was to raise taxes on working families. In Wilson’s first year in office, he faced a budget seriously in deficit. In what is now a familiar scenario, legislative Democrats wanted to raise taxes while Republicans wanted to rein in government spending. Wilson answer was the one given by all knee-jerk budgetary liberals—raise taxes. He not only sided squarely with the liberal Democrat tax-raisers but also embarked on a jihad against conservative legislators brave enough to stand up to him and oppose increased taxes. He famously said, “Conservatives are f—— irrelevant.” Conservatives in the 4th District might want to remember this.
*Pete Wilson managed to ram his tax increases through the Democrat dominated legislature, but that wasn’t enough for him. Like a spoiled child, he set out to punish Republican legislators who opposed raising taxes by recruiting primary opponents to them and other “no new taxes” GOP candidates in the 1992 primaries. Millions of Republican dollars were wasted on needless primary battles, and opportunities to defeat Democrats in November were lost because of Wilson’s petulance. Republican loyalists in the 4th District might want to remember this.
*Pete Wilson’s tax-raising and wishy-washy liberalism nearly destroyed the Republican Party during his governorship. While he was the leader of the party, GOP representation in the assembly plunged from 41 members to 32. Wilson appointed the hapless John Seymour to his vacant U.S. Senate seat, based entirely on the fact that Seymour was one of the very few pro-abortion GOP legislators. There were many stronger candidates then Seymour, but none who passed Wilson’s pro-abortion litmus test. Seymour was a predictable disaster at the polls, receiving less then 38 percent of the vote against Dianne Feinstein, who at the time was damaged goods having lost the 1990 governor’s race to Wilson and was viewed by Democrats as being in danger of becoming a perennial candidate. Feinstein went on of course to become firmly entrenched, and the GOP is still paying the price for Wilson’s arrogance and pro-abortion extremism. Voters in the 4th District concerned about the hostile Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate that a President McCain could face might want to remember this.
*Pete Wilson’s rank opportunism made the victory of Proposition 187 a pyrrhic one, and started the alienation of conservative Latinos from the GOP. Then-state Sen. Dick Mountjoy, R-Monrovia, was the man most responsible for getting 1994’s Proposition 187 on the ballot. The proposition was meticulously written to deal strictly with illegal immigration only. At first, Wilson would have nothing to do with 187; however, during the late summer, when it appeared his campaign was foundering, he used the leverage of his big money donors to elbow Mountjoy aside. Wilson and his wise-guys, desperate for a wedge-issue to re-elect the governor, mangled the campaign so badly that a Latino backlash set in almost before the last vote was counted. The distinction between legal and illegal immigrants was lost, as that didn’t matter to the Wilson folks as long as Pete was re-elected. The California Republican Party is still paying the price for Wilson’s inexcusable bungling of the pro-legal but anti-illegal message of 187. Republicans in the 4th District concerned about the minority status of their party might want to remember this.
Is this really the best that Doug Ose can do? Pete Wilson’s antipathy toward Tom McClintock is understandable. McClintock is an articulate, principled conservative who believes in small government and low taxes—all mortal sins in Wilson’s eyes. But Ose has been trying to hide his actual record while in office and campaign as some sort of conservative. Perhaps he agrees with W.C. Fields that “you can fool some of the people some of the time, and that’s enough to make a decent living.”
However, thoughtful Republican voters in the 4th District ought to take a close look at the Ose campaign and their new attack dog, party wrecker Pete. It would be a fair question for them to ask themselves how much value they ought to give the endorsement of a Republican “leader” who tried very hard to keep Ronald Reagan out of the White House, whose answer to budget problems is to raise taxes and whose tenure as governor saw the California Republican Party nearly destroyed.
It seems to me that if I were a conservative Republican candidate trying to get the votes of conservative Republican primary voters, party wrecker Pete is the last guy I’d want on my side. But since all the actual conservative leaders have endorsed Tom McClintock, I guess Ose had to take whoever was left over.
Incidentally, I present the above document as an exhibit for you to consider in looking at the state of the Republican Party in America’s largest state. No fact checking involved. Aside from this, contrary to the author’s statement, under Wilson Republicans actually gained majority control of the State Assembly. Although Bill Clinton should get some of the credit. Enjoy.
** NOTE: Yes, I know about the slowness of the site today. It’s being looked into.
** CREDENTIALS. After Hillary Clinton wins the territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday and loses the states of Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday — her desperate last-ditch attempt of Saturday before the DNC rules committee on Saturday will turn into a dreafully last-ditch attempt before the convention’s Credentials Committee at the end of June.
Let’s cut to the chase. The Clintons lose. Period. Full stop. I know this because I have been on these various committees as a DNC member. I know this because it is obvious to a smart analyst. What the Clintons are about is trying to find a way to remain minority owners in the new Obama-led Democratic Party. Which, in my estimation, will end up amounting to something perhaps a little more than my minority ownership in the San Antonio Texans. In which I had a lot of say over the team’s cheerleaders.
** TECH ISSUES. Yes, I know the site is moving slowly today. It’s being looked into.
** WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
Barack Obama is in Chicago for private events and meetings.
John McCain is in Greendale, Wisconsin.
Hillary Clinton is in South Dakota
Bill Clinton is … I don’t know where.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILES. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger meets with Mexican President Felipe Calderon today in Mexico City. Schwarzenegger chairs the upcoming Border Governors Conference at Universal Studios in LA this summer.
** FIELD POLL: CALIFORNIA POISED TO DECISIVELY REJECT ONE EMINENT DOMAIN INITIATIVE AND, PERHAPS, EMBRACE ANOTHER. The Field Poll shows California voters rejecting the Prop 98 eminent domain initiative, which is in fact a Trojan horse for anti-rent control/anti-renters rights legislation interests. By a walloping 33% to 43% margin. If you’re not at well over 50% at this point, you are going down hard. 33% is death. The competing eminent domain initiative, Prop 99, has a fighting chance of winning, leading as it does at the moment — okay, earlier this month per Field’s quaint methodology — 48% to 30%. This gambit by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is a big bust. As I predicted months ago.
** RUPERT SAYS … PRESIDENT OBAMA. News Corp mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News, amongst many other media properties around the world, says he expects Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States. And looks forward to meeting him. Murdoch, who I’ve met seven or eight times, was a staunch backer of Margaret Thatcher who also picked Tony Blair as the UK’s next PM. One difference is that there was no Fox News in Britain, so no awkward property which has made a practice of bashing Murdoch’s pick. But, you know, it’s just business for Murdoch. FNC does what it does for its target audience.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, which I know as a former DemRussia advisor, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND U.S. ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Crude oil is trading in the $128 to $129 per barrel range.
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lol
New West Notes » Quick Hits
This story is a sticker. — obviously, but i don’t think it so great that it is. I would rather hear inside details about McCain and Obama.
Bill, we native Midwesterns often called it “Nuh-VAH-duh.” That IS what you are referring to, correct?
Go easy on us. After all, we’d all agree that name of the Father of the Country is even more important, yet half the nation pronounces it “Warshington.”
Chris, as a former resident of Warshington State I have to explain my Mom and I decided the extra r came from Libary…
It’s the 2-hour “Lost” season finale. I can’t deal with anything else right now …
Bill – We’re looking forward to your Sex in the City movie review.
I just finished reading Thurston Clarke’s new book on Bobby Kennedy. I found it quite compelling. It’s one I would recommend to anyone on this list.
Night…
THREE hour season finale. What happened? I’m Lost. lol
What video today?
I’m reminded now why I voted for pete Wilson. The only republican I’ve ever voted for. He’d probably prefer to live without my lefty endorsement.
Pete Wilson was a pretty good egg, especially during his first term. Losing Otto Bos really seemed to take the life out of Wilson as well. What is with the slam on Seymour by this creep? Seymour got the nod, I think, because, like Wilson who appointed him, Seymour had also been a Marine.
Otto Bos was a great guy, a good friend of mine.
What is the Seymour reference?
He definitely had his moments, though actually I won a major award for my columns criticizing him …
>Pat Skipper:
I’m reminded now why I voted for pete Wilson. The only republican I’ve ever voted for. He’d probably prefer to live without my lefty endorsement.
May 30, 2008 – 6:12 am
Yeah, well, I’m looking forward to my Sex And The City review, too …
>Sam Loomis:
Bill – We’re looking forward to your Sex in the City movie review.
May 29, 2008 – 9:01 pm
Obama speaks SPANISH.
>Jonas Blane:
What video today?
May 30, 2008 – 6:09 am
Hell if I know! Locke’s dead?
>Ann:
THREE hour season finale. What happened? I’m Lost. lol
May 29, 2008 – 11:01 pm
There you go.
>Dana:
Chris, as a former resident of Warshington State I have to explain my Mom and I decided the extra r came from Libary…
May 29, 2008 – 8:33 pm
Indeed. But we just went through the dramatic Nevada race, the Showdown on the Strip, with President Bill going into a casino caucus to lobby, as my colleague Marc Cooper reported. How can a cable news host STILL not know how to pronounce the name of the frakking state??!!
>Chris M:
Bill, we native Midwesterns often called it “Nuh-VAH-duh.” That IS what you are referring to, correct?
Go easy on us. After all, we’d all agree that name of the Father of the Country is even more important, yet half the nation pronounces it “Warshington.”
May 29, 2008 – 8:29 pm
The book is on my desk. On tap for a weekend read.
>Sacramento Solon:
I just finished reading Thurston Clarke’s new book on Bobby Kennedy. I found it quite compelling. It’s one I would recommend to anyone on this list.
Night…
May 29, 2008 – 10:06 pm
Bush is a dominant figure in the presidential race. Actually, McClellan’s book has delayed a think piece I have on tap.
>Hap Hazard:
This story is a sticker. — obviously, but i don’t think it so great that it is. I would rather hear inside details about McCain and Obama.
May 29, 2008 – 7:27 pm
Thanks.
>Ann:
lol
New West Notes » Quick Hits
May 29, 2008 – 6:48 pm
Yes, it is.
>Jack Aubrey:
This story is a sticker.
May 29, 2008 – 6:41 pm
Well, there was Keri …
The Texans, incidentally, were the former Sacramento Gold Miners.
>Wilbur:
I can only imagine that the cheerleaders were the best thing about the San Antonio Texans anyway.
May 29, 2008 – 5:03 pm
Indeed.
>Jack Aubrey:
This story is a sticker.
May 29, 2008 – 6:41 pm
Thanks. I’ll look into it.
>Sacramento Solon:
Bill,
It’s a great read…yet a very tough read. I’m breaking it up so that it doesn’t break me up too much. Frightening is a very good term for it…have you ever considered become a writer?
May 29, 2008 – 2:23 pm
Matthew Dowd said many of the same things, but no one mistakes him for the ingenue that Scott McClellan quite evidently is.
>Brasky:
“McClellan is an ingenuous sort, and comes off well with the average American.”
Scott seems like the jilted lover or the son who was unforgivably hurt by his father. You can tell he really liked Bush and that’s what made the fall so hard. Without reading a LINE of this book, I would snatch it up for movie rights. This is the first Bush-insider tale that doesn’t relate to policy or politics – it’s about an idealist feeling betrayed. That’s movie gold.
May 29, 2008 – 6:31 pm
OF COURSE, that would be the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution, as you astutely note, Dr. Loomis.
Hey, if all that is guaranteed, you can reach me on East Street.
>Sam Loomis:
I heard a pro-98 ad where the guy said, “The constitution guarantees life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What about us?” Did these people even attend the 8th grade?
May 29, 2008 – 6:23 pm
Perhaps.
>Capitol Boy:
Scotty MacLellan is an American hero.
May 29, 2008 – 6:33 pm
More like an 8 x 10.
>Brasky:
“I oversaw the selection of the team’s cheerleaders.”
So, do you submit a resume somewhere?
May 29, 2008 – 6:07 pm
Nicely put.
>Brasky:
McCain just sent me an email picking-up on the Iraqi Clock theme:
“I have visited Iraq on many occasions because I think the most vital decision that any President of the United States can make has got to be about the security of this nation and the lives of the young Americans who are serving.
But I cannot say the same of one of my opponents, Senator Barack Obama. He has only been to Iraq once, on a trip two years ago. Senator Obama speaks openly about his willingness to sit down with our enemies and engage in open talks, but he hasn’t gone to Iraq in over two years to meet with our leaders and see that progress is being made on the ground. Something is wrong with your judgment when you want to sit down unconditionally with Raul Castro and Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but you don’t take the opportunity to sit down with General Petraeus and learn about the situation in Iraq firsthand. My friends, this is not the “change” we need in our next president.”
Why does President Bush want to go to the moon if he’s never been there? Was it a failing of President Clinton not to go to Yugoslavia during hostilities? Did FDR need to tour Pearl Harbor to make his decision to go to war? Has McCain seen the Woodstock museum he mocks?
How about – DID BUSH EVER GO AND SEE THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT HE WENT TO WAR OVER? Did McCain?
Or – do you discount the MAJORITY of Americans who are against the war because they have never been there?
How about taking a position on gay marriage if you’ve never been gay or married (or both)?
Fracking unbelievable.
May 29, 2008 – 1:21 pm
This initiative is going down so big time that it is unbelievable.
>Brasky:
” Proof again money and brains are not always linked…”
A common error among both the Right and the Left is that they believe everyone thinks the same way they do.
These guys LOVE this initiative, as do all their buddies. Why wouldn’t the rest of California?
Living in a bubble constricts the oxygen to your brain.
May 29, 2008 – 1:12 pm
Howard Jarvis was in Airplane?
>Brasky:
yes, well the legacy lives on. As does his cameo in Airplane!
May 29, 2008 – 12:14 pm
I was wondering where he was. Well, actually, I wasn’t.
>Pat Skipper:
That may be true, but it’d be hard for Jarvis to spend the money at his current residence. Forest Lawn Cemetery, Los Angeles California.
May 29, 2008 – 12:11 pm
As the PPIC poll showed last week, rent control is favored by California voters, 54-38.
>Dana:
You know it, baby! Makes you wonder how folks who made millions in real estate can so easily allow themselves to be separated from their money on such a flimsy pretext (trust me–I’ll eliminate rent control!). Proof again money and brains are not always linked…
>Brasky:
Win or lose, I bet Jarvis is still making big money off of prop 98.
May 29, 2008 – 11:56 am
Very nice!
>Dana:
“Bill Clinton is … I don’t know where.”
Here are my guesses:
Area 51
an intersection in Puetro Rico, arguing with some street preacher over who was there first and gets to set up a box to stand on and make a speech to passersby
sitting in a dark theater watching the new Indian Jones movie (w/popcorn, M&Ms, a giant soda, etc.) whispering “old guys rule!”
May 29, 2008 – 11:48 am
I’m paying $4.40 a gallon for gas. I am, as the British say, not amused.
>Brasky:
I started feeling nostalgic for the gas prices I was paying before George Bush took office, so I’ve decided to convert my measuring to quarts.
I just paid $1.04 per quart. If McCain gets in, I might have to go to pints.
May 29, 2008 – 11:47 am
Howard Jarvis was in Airplane?
He is indeed:
http://tinyurl.com/67mrfn
It’s a 40 second montage of his appearance – one of the many running gags throughout the movie. The last clip I believe appears after the closing credits. First clip happens in the first 5 minutes of the flick.
<Brasky:
“my minority ownership in the San Antonio Texans. In which I had a lot of say over the team’s cheerleaders.”
You can’t drop stuff like that without some details!>>
Bill Clinton would like this role with the Democratic Party.
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