by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

John W. McCain has set up a series of "regional campaign managers" who will oversee the campaign throughout the country.  Take a look at the guy they got for California.

John McCain's campaign has tapped John Peschong to serve as regional campaign manager for California, Republicans close to the campaign said.

Peschong has been a campaign adviser since 2007. He has a large amount of experience in California, having served as GOP executive director there in the 1990s and recently as Northwestern political director for the Republican National Committee in 2004. He was also executive director of Dan Quayle's political action committee.

So, he helped run the Yacht Party during the Wilson and post-Wilson years just when it ran aground and became the sorry shell it is today.  He was Northwestern political director for the RNC in a year where Republicans lost the swing states in the Pacific Northwest and lost the governorships in Washington and Oregon.  And he was executive director for QUAYLE's PAC.

Top-notch talent coming out for McCain in California.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

With the Wednesday April 2 deadline to file to run to be an Obama or Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention still a week away, a record number of Californians have already applied. On Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m., each of the two remaining Democratic candidates for President will hold caucuses in Congressional Districts throughout the state and elect 241 delegates. There is a later election of “At-Large” delegates, and of course a number of “super delegates,” but this is the way most of California’s delegates will be elected.

According to Bob Mulholland, campaign adviser for the California Democratic Party, well over 2350 people have already applied to run.

Mulholland was excited. He exclaimed yesterday when I saw him in Sacramento: “Only 241 slots! This is a record. It’s unbelievable, the interest and people in California who want to be a delegate to the national convention. We’re overwhelmed with all the paperwork.”

He noted, “Before we had 1200 to 1300 or so—and that was when we had all the candidates holding caucuses. This is the first time we are holding the caucuses after the primary. So we’re only having caucuses for the two candidates that count—the ones that won.”

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

In an effort to decrease the expectations, and increase the momentum, Senator Barack Obama's campaign manager has released a memo (over the flip) highlighting all the reasons he is going to lose. Senator Clinton has been in the state longer, has both big city Democratic mayors and the Speaker of the Assembly, and leads national polls.

At this point, this might be a wild ride to Denver, with both candidates trying to amass delegates. Fun! Check the flip for the letter.

February 4, 2008

To: Interested Parties

From: David Plouffe

read more »

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Independent voters in California may lean strongly towards the Democratic party, accordingto the Los Angeles Times. A not insignificant factor is the GOP'sdecision last year to shut out independents from their primary. "TheRepublicans have been caught with their pants down," said DemocraticParty campaign adviser Bob Mulholland.

The debate over Proposition 92 ,which would cap student fees and guarantee funding for communitycolleges, is coming to a boil. "We're confident we're going to win Feb.5," said Scott Lay, head of the Community Colleges League of California.

Many Californian lawmakers still drive gas-guzzling cars, according to the Oakland Tribune. Not surprisingly, Republicans have the more expensive (and fuel inefficient) vehicles.

There's more...

Image courtesy of A1Limobus.com