CA-50: Roach runs radio ad ‘thanking’ voters (ahem: HE’S IN)

(Wow! This gets crazier everyday. – promoted by SFBrianCL)

Jon Fleischman of Flashreport has posted the audio of a radio spot Republican Eric Roach has JUST produced and aired. Yes, that’s right, he is not the Republican nominee for the June 6 CA-50 runoff against Francine Busby, and yes, that’s right, it is AFTER the election that he has made and is running this ad.

It isn’t a campaign ad–it is just a message “thanking” voters for their support and the great experience he had during the campaign. Yeah. Right. So, that can only mean one thing–Roach is in. As diaried by MJB, yesterday Roach obtained the endorsement of Howard Kaloogian–of “Baghdad is calm and stable” (or at least, Istanbul is) fame.

TRANSCRIPT OF AD:

This is clearly an Anti-Bilbray ad. (my translation/subtext in italics)

Hello this is Eric Roach. We started this campaign to bring the voice of reform to congress.

To send a message that we want a government of the people, not of the special interests. [Bilbray is a special interest lobbyist] And that message is finally being heard loud and clear.

But I know there is more we can do. I continue to be inspired by the dedication of the people who work so tirelessly on our behalf. [and I continue my campaign for congress!] To all my friends new and old, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It is a genuine honor to connect with the people of our north county community. This is our HOME. [Bilbray is a carpetbagger] We are facing issues here that cry out for new ideas.[not ideas from 6 years ago when Bilbray was previously in congress] Transportation, Immigration, and Budget Reform. And we can face them together.[notice I said “we”]

Most of all, I will continue to take a strong stand for the values that bind us all together [unlike Bilbray who conservatives categorize as pro-choice and anti-gun], and our right to an honest government. [not one with lobbyists like Bilbray]

Once again, I want to say thank you, and to ask you to stay engaged. [in my campaign] and to never forget that our values are worth fighting for. [don’t just sit back and let this RINO win, fight for me!]

This is Eric Roach and I approved this message.

This only makes the stakes higher for us. Bilbray is not the moderate that the local media (yes, Union-Tribune, I’m talking to you!) portrays him as. But Roach is much, much more conservative than Bilbray. Some factoids:

  • He was the only Republican of the dozen or so at one of the debates who expressed no reservations or concerns whatsoever about the Iraq war.
  • He adores Bush.
  • Roach said at that same debate that he has “never seen a pro-life bill I wouldn’t support.” I have to believe that most “pro-life” Republicans, when push comes to shove, do think there should be exceptions for at least rape, etc. Apparently not Roach, since this was said after South Dakota.
  • Think about it people–Howard Kaloogian endorsed him. Howard Kaloogian was endorsed by James Dobson and Alan Keyes!!

It is imperative that we continue to support Busby!

— cross-posted at dailkos–

Doolittle hires one of Ken Starr’s Henchmen in Abramoff probe

An interesting irony:

Three weeks after Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to three federal felonies, Rep. John Doolittle hired an attorney for legal advice concerning his own association with the disgraced lobbyist.

According to a report filed by Doolittle’s re-election campaign with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend, the campaign on Jan. 27 retained for $10,000 the services of the Virginia law firm of Williams Mullen.

Doolittle’s chief of staff, Richard Robinson, said the attorney handling Doolittle’s inquiry is David G. Barger. Barger is the former president of the Virginia Bar Association’s criminal law section and a former assistant U.S. attorney who later was an associate of special prosecutor Kenneth Starr in the Whitewater investigation during the Clinton administration.(SacBee 4/18/06)

Doolittle is going down.  Pure and simple.  He is #1 on Coburn’s list.

A Terrible Idea: Banning Doctors from Executions

A bill which would bar doctors from participating in executions cleared the Assembly Business and Professions Committee yesterday.

The powerful doctors’ lobby, the California Medical Association, has sponsored legislation, AB 1954 by Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, that would prohibit the state from using licensed physicians in an execution.

The bill cleared the Assembly Business and Professions Committee with a bare majority, but only after an initial critic reluctantly voted for the measure just before the panel adjourned.

The measure still must pass the Appropriations Committee to reach the Assembly floor. The bill has not yet been heard in the state Senate. (San Diego U-T 4/18/06)

Is this really what we need the legislature to be doing?  Seriously, isn’t there something better.  Listen, I am personally against the death penalty.  I would hope that we as a society have evolved past that.  But, even if we haven’t, does the Legislature really need to start telling doctors what to do.  I’ll let Joe Canciamilla make the case:

But Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla, D-Pittsburg, pointedly asked Hertzka why it was necessary to enact a state law to protect doctors from something they cannot be forced to do anyhow.

“You are asking the state Legislature to tell doctors that they are now prohibited as a matter of state law, from participating in a particular activity,” Canciamilla said.

“Once you open that door . . . where do you individually draw the line because I can see a lot of other people marching in here suggesting that (other) activities be prohibited.”

Canciamilla offered abortion as an example. Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, warned that a simmering debate over the legalization of assisted suicide also could become entangled in the precedent that would be set.

And the best the Doctors’ Association can come up with is that it’s not medical?

But, he argued, “once you think about it, there is nothing medical about an execution.”

The Morales case has “thrust physicians in the middle of this, and we’re proactively saying we don’t want to be a part of it,” Hertzka explained.

Yes, it’s not medical.  But, there are already ways to avoid having to do this.  The state should not be telling doctors how to practice.  The precedent this sets is terrible.  Do we really want to start regulating this?  How do we argue against abortion regulation?  It just is not a place to put any “political capital” as a progressive. 

California Blog Roundup, 4/18/06

Today’s California Blog Roundup is on the flip. Teasers: The Governor’s Race, Taxes, 15% Doolittle lawyers up, CA-50 and Republican Extremism, McNerney Endorsements, Pombo’s owners, Field Poll Methodology, Campaign Finance Reform, Fake News.

Governor’s Race

15% Doolittle / CA-11

CA-50

  • Our own Words Have Power takes the North County Times to task for an attack on Francine Busby from a fake nonpartisan. Here’s a hint for all those reporters out there: “nonpartisan” means only “doesn’t publicly back specific candidates”. It doesn’t mean “doesn’t have an opinion”. That’s particularly true on the Republican side, as we find more and more Republican punditry and think-tankery depends on having their own facts.
  • It looks like the RNC is backing Bilbray in both the special election runoff and the primary. Now that’s sticking a finger in the eye of the California Republicans. You know that our Republicans are extremists when they are at odds with the RNC.

Paid-Off Pombo / CA-04

Everyfink Else

  • Speak Out California has a great post up on the evidence showing the extremist takeover of the California Republican Party. A lot of talking heads (Cough! Dan Walters! Cough!) like to pretend that the Republicans and Democrats are both hostages of their extremists, but that’s pretty much hooey, and really requires that you throw away the last 30 years of actual history.
  • Bill Bradley debates Mark DiCamillo on the Field Poll’s methodology. Before I decide who’s right, I want to know if DiCamillo is a MENSA member as well — I think that may be the determining factor.
  • Fake News: it’s not just for Comedy Central.
  • The Rest of Us are on the California Progress Report talking about campaign finance reform.
  • Bradley on energy.

Updated: Ned Lamont in Oakland

( – promoted by jsw)

This is not strictly California politics, but Matt Lockshin of Say No To Pombo has a tip that Ned Lamont may be doing an evening fundraiser Wednesday, April 19, at an as-yet-unnamed bar in Oakland.

Stay tuned for the deets.

Update:  Mr. Lockshin has come through with the goods. 

When: Tomorrow – Wednesday April 19th 8:00pm
Where: Uptown Club, Downtown Oakland (On Telegraph Between 20th & 19th)
$25 per person (or whatever you can contribute) to help send Sen. Joe Lieberman into early retirement!!!