Word is that Dennis Kucinich made the best speech at the Democratic Party Convention last week. A friend of mine noted that had John Kerry gone with Kucinich as his V.P., he might have carried Ohio. And he might be our President today.
One Democrat who had an awkward time in San Diego last week was freshman Assemblyman Jose Solorio. He decided to back Hillary Clinton for President, but she forgot to mention him during a stump speech. It turned out that her staff screwed up and sources tell me that she bared her fangs and lit into her staffers. Solorio was later seen by her side at a subsequent appearance.
Solorio also told a friend of mine that there is nothing he can do about the proposed expansion of Markland Industries – a company that was caught polluting Santa Ana. Really? Sounds like B.S. to me.
One more Solorio story – he had an open house recently at his office, but only two or three Santa Ana residents showed up. Maybe he should have moved his office from Anaheim to Santa Ana?
Will Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido make an appearance this time if immigrant activists run amok in his city? Supposedly pro-immigration activists are supposed to protest tomorrow to commemorate International Worker’s Day. I think Pulido will likely end up hiding under his bed again.
Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez is being coy about the possibility of running against Pulido in 2008 – but I think she could beat him, particularly if Clinton is the Democratic Party’s nominee. Clinton will draw women to the polls, giving Martinez a huge edge over Pulido, who this time will fail to get the O.C. Democratic Party nomination. That much I guarantee. Pulido got the endorsement last year because he was not opposed by any Democrats.
Finally, a friend of mine mentioned the other day that O.C. GOP consultant Bryan Lanza is not working on a big race in Louisiana. Apparently he is working with a third-tier Republican gubernatorial candidate.
The front runner in Louisiana is Congressman Bobby Jindal, a guy Lanza has no love for. Weird. Seems like a waste of Lanza’s time. He usually works on only the biggest races. Not much going on in the O.C. right now, so I guess he had to take what he could find. The lives of political consultants are often nomadic in nature – and not always much fun.
Assemblyman Jim Silva has an event in O.C. this Thursday night, at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Waterfront, in Huntington Beach. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former CRP State Chairman Shawn Steel (and/or his wife, Board of Equalization member Michele) will be there to speak. I am told that a “who’s who” of the O.C. GOP will be attending. I wonder if Silva will remember how to get to the hotel?
One more thing – I read over at Red County that Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, O.C. Sherif Mike Carona and O.C. District Attorney Tony Rackauckas are all backing Rudy Giuliani for President. Barf! I was leaning towards Rudy too, but not with those creeps backing him. Looks like I will have to keep looking for someone to back for the Presidency. Maybe Fred Thompson?
One thing for sure – I won’t be backing John Edwards. He is already talking about raising taxes, in order to fund health care. Not a real sound strategy there Johnny. Voters don’t like to see their taxes raised.
As for Hillary? No way. She sounds like a real “gritona.” No thanks!
is that how we decide on who to support for president now???
LOL…Guliani is the best candidate poised to win and he produces good feelings for the american people.
Hillary willnot win because well becuase she is Hillary and this country is not ready for a female president (even though some may wonder if she is actually a female)
Flowerszzz,
You never heard the expression “birds of a feather stick together?” Giuliani’s playmates are amongst the most irksome Reeps in the O.C. If he wins these weenies will end up in D.C. You think Rummy and Cheney were bad news? Try Carona, Pringle and T-Rack. No se puede!
How can Dem’s keep voting for the same sorry bunch of idiots?
If I was a Dem I would take a hard look at Kucinich because:
Kucinich is the only person running for President who voted against the resolution authorizing Bush to attack Iraq
Kucinich demands that we turn the situation in Iraq over to the UN and get our troops home now
Kucinich introduced legislation for nonprofit, single-payer national health insurance for everyone
The minimum wage would be replaced by a much higher living wage
His nominees for the Supreme Court would have to agree to uphold Roe v. Wade
Affirmative action would be maintained
The District of Columbia, not Iraq, would become the fifty-first state
Gays and lesbians would have complete equality
Drug use would be decriminalized
He would toughen environmental enforcement; reduce dependence on foreign oil; and spur investment in hydrogen, solar, wind and ocean energy
He would repeal Bush’s tax cuts for the “wealthy” and put that money into universal public education, age 3 through college
Kucinich is the only candidate who sued Bush to stop him from attacking Iraq without a declaration of war
Kucinich is the only one running who voted against the Patriot Act
Kucinich claims he will withdraw the United States from NAFTA and the WTO
Kucinich introduced legislation to repeal the federal death penalty
And if Kerry had chosen him instead of Mr $ 400 haircut, maybe the 136,000 vote difference in Kucinich’s home state of Ohio would have gone Kerry’s way and maybe Kerry would have picked up the 20 EC votes???????
Kucinich is 50 times smarter than any of the other Dem’s, but because he looks like Gollum he’s SOL………
Whatever the Clintons have done pales to the damage done by our current President Bush & team (Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Gonzales):
1. Most of the rest of the world hates us now due to our current administration’s arrogant behavior on international issues.
2. We are now steeped in national debt due to an unwarranted, un-winnable war.
3. We are losing a war that will cause lingering damage for decades.
Are we better off with Republicans in power?
No.
Thankfully, we finally have a congress holding the executive branch accountable.
*sighs*
Art your posts get more ridiculous every day.
“is that how we decide on who to support for president now???”
I gotta agree with Flowerszzz, Art. Birds of a feather do flock together. But, when one of them goes after the worm then it’s a free-for-all.
When Rudy wins in ’08, I HIGHLY doubt that Rudy will pick Carona and T-Rack and transplant them in D.C. I mean c’mon, Carona is finished with and T-Rack is driving the bus over Spitzer for D.A…. again…
Rudy is smart and I don’t think he’ll bring those two up to D.C. anyway.
Pringle on the other hand… I dunno. I like him. So, maybe. Then again you hate his guts but that’s your problem. :-p
Ryan,
Up late again?
No, when one of them runs for office, at least in your party, he then hires all his buddies. That is the way the GOP works.
Maybe Rudy won’t hire all of the Reeps I mentioned, but you need to take a look at who his supporting him and ask yourself if you are OK with those people ending up in DC.
So far it looks like Rudy has surrounded himself with greedy, power-hungry Reeps who don’t deserve to be in office.
Poster 4,
I don’t disagree with most of your assertions. The Reeps are so awful that even OC Register Steven Greenhut quit their party this past week.
However, the Clintons are abominable in their own ways. If you must go with a Dem, why not support someone who lacks their baggage? You have quite a few to pick from.
yeah Art only Republicans hire their buddies! Just like another blogger here tried to imply that only Republicans drive drunk and get busted. Your hysterics are laughable.
“No, when one of them runs for office, at least in your party, he then hires all his buddies. That is the way the GOP works.”
Dems work the same way, Art.
Thomas,
I’m actually leaning towards Richardson. He’s got good credentials:
* served in Congress for 15 years
* Ambassador to the United Nations
* worked with world leaders to build alliances and help prevent the development of nuclear weapons in North Korea
* Secretary of Energy to President Bill Clinton
* recently re-elected to a second term as Governor of New Mexico with the support of 69 percent of voters
* has been nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize
* recently negotiated a 60-day cease fire in war-torn Darfur following direct talks with rebel leaders and the President of Sudan
On top of that, he has been married to his high school sweetheart, Barbara, for 33 years. No divorces. Frankly, he’s the most qualified candidate for the job. And, as an article in the NY Times said, “Most of all, he’s not a senator. Since 1961, 40 senators have run for president and their record is 0-40.”
Another trivial pursuit post with an embedded advocacy mention of Councilwoman Martinez. This is all becoming so predictable—. How about the 22 freeway being “completed and opened” today, some 6 months after the completion celebration and ballyhoo last fall? Or the fact that stretches of that new glamorous freeway are so uneven one better not be subject to motion sickness (witness the 5 south to 22 east ramp as it sweeps by Main Place, what a undulating thrill ride!) or the fact that half the street lights from that interchange onto the 22 all the way to the 55 are non operable – who’s to blame for all this shoddy work and lights out policy? Then there is the State Commission on the government retirement program funding crisis meeting held right here in O.C.last week – not a mention of this potentially explosive government financing issue. How about the slowing of the economy and the cascading housing market? Looks like the Harrah tower on No. Broadway may be under construction – true? Is it really happening? Anyone watching for surprises in the Governor’s May Revise budget proposal for FY 07-08 that will be released momentarily? Seems a lot of meaty issues impacting our daily lives are not being reported here. Maybe I am expecting too much?
Maybe cHillary missed mentioning Solorio because she couldn’t see him! Someone buy the guy a pair of platform shoes. Is his nickname really Tattoo? Say it ain’t so!
Maybe Santa Ana residents weren’t invited to the open house. I heard lobbyists and business owners who live outside Santa Ana received VIP invitations.
#12, you expect waaaaay too much for this lot.
Most of the authors are apparently not allowed to post unless their master Michelle Martinez gives them permission.
She’s not astute or informed enough to know about most of the stories you mention.
#15,
I think I can say without a doubt that Michele Martinez has no editorial control over what is written here at the OJ.
Obviously she was astute and informed enough to beat your “Pulido Pawn” in the November election.
Stop being such a hater.
#15, Sean’s right. Don’t be a hater. Be a player.
Perhaps you should check your sources to find out if Lanza is even working in Louisiana anymore. Maybe your information is old?
#12
You sound angry. Take a deep breath and gain your composure.
Moving on.
Has Harrah secured the 50% occupancy rate that’s required of the Developer Agreement? It seems like he’s been fiddling with this project for way too long and it’s likely he’s missed his window of opportunity. After all, most new construction in OC is devoted to mixed use projects. There isn’t one all office building, that shoots 500 ft. into the air, planned for The OC.
Maybe you could update us in OJ Blogland about his five star performing arts center. How is it doing and what world class entertainment has he booked lately?
We love Mayor Pulido…for a couple
of reasons. One is that he actually answers our requests to
remove tennis shoes from the telephone wires. The other is…
he answers our requests for removing pot holes. How bad can
the guy be. Martinez….we don’t
know the lady….
Mike Harrah…ooohhh too touchy….
to touch that one right now. And
as far as Mike and Tony liking our
man Rudy…..God Bless them….every one! Let’s face it..
we definitely need a strong Italian
leader at this moment in history!
Art says: “I was leaning towards Rudy too, but not with those creeps backing him. Looks like I will have to keep looking for someone to back for the Presidency.”
Textbook Pedraza: Looking around the room to see what other people are going to say/do before he can make up his own mind. Completely spineless.
No. 19, this is No. 12. No, not angry, just disappointed that it seems to me the focus of this blog has become more and more narrow – Santa Ana and Democratic politics over and over and over. There are many other things impacting Santa Ana and OC that this blog could report on as a service to us. Perhaps I need to go elsewhere —
Poster 22,
Whoa! Our blogger Larry Gilbert is in China right now. If he was here he would be writing about most of what you referenced. That is his specialty. He will be back soon enough and I am sure he will cover these stories. He usually does.
The rest of us have our hands full with other stories. And this is, may I remind you, a labor of love. It is a public service not a cash cow.