by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Yesterday I spent some time at an often contentious debate in the race for the 2nd District of the LA County Board of Supervisors.  The two most high-profile candidates for the seat, State Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas and former LAPD Chief and current City Councilman Bernard Parks, squared off in a pretty lively debate which featured a lot of sniping and criticism.

Why the heated exchanges in a county Board of Supervisors race?  Why is a state Senator and a very highly recognized City Councilman running in this race?  Why is Sheila Kuehl planning to run for the Board of Supes when Zev Yaroslavsky's term is up in the near future?

Because these are unbelievably powerful positions.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Well, that was fun! We had LA Council President Eric Garcetti, a live report from Bob Brigham at the Grateful Dead for Obama show in San Francisco, and an interesting conversation between David Dayen and myself about the election tomorrow, in that order.  So, take a listen, I think, IMHO anyway, that it was pretty interesting.  I think we'll try to do this more often. Let me know if you have a topic you'd like to consider for our next show.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

It's easy to forget that we are approaching an election. Sure, it's an off year, and many of the big races (SF-Mayor, etc) are already practically in the books. But that doesn't mean there isn't anything to work for. I've talked about some things here in San Francisco (Yes on A, No on H), but there are plenty of other races across the state that really mean something.  Take, for example, the San Bernadino City ouncil race. In the 5th Ward, Carolyn Tillman is challenging incumbent Chas (yes, really) Kelly. This slick-backed balding guy seems to think that we need to check our papers wherever we go. Well, that is if you look "Mexican" anyway:

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

For the second straight year, Governor Schwarzennegger has vetoed legislation that would require recording police interrogations. Commenting on thisveto and that of two other law enforcement reform bills, formerAttorney General John Van de Kamp said they show "once again the powerof California's law enforcement agencies to block needed justicereform."

Representative John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is under pressure from fellow House Republicans to retire.Not only is Doolittle mired in scandal, his opponent Charlie Brown hasgathered more money for his campaign.

The six-month campaign to recall Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss has failed to gather the signatures necessary to force an election.Weiss has been under attack by homeowner activists who say that he hasbeen too eager to approve large projects in his own district.

There's more... 

Image courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Babaloo noted for us that Assemblyman Ted Gaines has put together an exploratory committee to run in the June Congressional primary against John Doolittle.  Gaines becomes the third Republican to announce for the primary, joining talk-radio host Eric Egland and Auburn City councilman Mike Holmes.  This is great news for Charlie Brown; even if anti-Doolittle sentiment among Republicans is 70%, in a four-person race the anti-Doolittle vote will be fractured enough that the incumbent would be likely to prevail.  And Doolittle would be clobbered in a rematch with Charlie, IMO.

But for Doolittle, this one's gotta hurt.  After all, it wasn't so long ago that he and Gaines attended the Enchantment-Under-The-Sea dance, swooning to "Always & Forever" and "Endless Love" until the sun came up the next morning.  Here's a pic:

Ain't they the cutest?  And now, blind ambition has ripped them asunder.  It's sad, really.