After the 80th AD caucus in San Jose, which vacated the CDP endorsement of Manuel Perez‘s chief rival for the nomination, one of the delegates in support of Greg Pettis treated me to their latest talking point on Manuel Perez, namely that his only elected experience so far was that of a board member of a “failed school district.”  This is a bit shortsighted, as Perez’s experience is that of a teacher, healthcare access provider, grassroots youth organizer, researcher, and a successful advocate for millions of dollars for local schools and local jobs in Coachella.  The recent David Binder poll has, after positives and negatives are weighed in, both Pettis and Perez running even in the primary, with Perez winning in the general against (R) Jeandron, and Pettis losing.

But let’s address the fallacy of Democrats adopting GOP talking points on NCLB to attack the those who are in the direct line of fire from Bush’s policy:

(Hat tip to Dale Wissman, labor relations representative with California School Employees Association, who listed the following observations on this subject, with my minor edits.)

Coachella serves some of the poorest students in the entire United States, yet manages to create some of the most powerful tools to improve student achievement.  It is an amazing, activist, innovative school district dealing with massive budget and social issues, but somehow just found a way to pass a two hundred and fifty million dollar bond, which will be matched by state and federal funds, for the construction of state-of-the-art schools.  There might not be three other school districts in the U.S. that serve the population CVUSD serves:  64 percent English learners, 90 percent on free or reduced lunch.

That’s a massive amount of money to bring to bear on one of the poorest communities in the U.S. and Manuel Perez helped shepherd that through.   Nothing like that had ever been done before in Coachella, poorest area of one of the poorest states as far as education spending goes.  California is now 48th out of 50 in terms of state education funding.  If anyone knows intimately what that kind of funding problem looks like on the ground and how it affects achievement, especially in a poor area with lots “of second language speakers, it would be Manuel Perez.  Pettis and Gonzales have no comparable experience in education.  Incidentally, Perez graduated from local schools and he went on to Harvard Graduate School of Education, so it must be doing something right.  .  CVUSD has more than tripled its API score (a California measurement) in the past eight years.

Perez is against No Child Left Behind, perhaps the worst education law ever passed, which is soundly hated by Democrats.  NCLB provides the mechanism to take schools over from local communities, no matter their funding or challenges with poverty or second language learners.  Coachella is an example of a striving school district doing amazing things that nevertheless is punished because of NCLB.  The fact that Pettis campaign wants to use this as an issue says loads about Pettis’ inexperience in education.   Tacitly supporting NCLB because it hurts your opponent is very bad form for a Democrat, and indicates a disturbing and self-defeating opportunism.  Rather than one who parrots Republican NCLB talking points, the 80th AD deserves a representative who doesn’t buy into NCLB, advocates for appropriate funding and accountability for public schools, and can succeed in securing that funding, as Perez has.

Because of his work on behalf of students, parents, teachers and the community, and because of opposition to No Child Left Behind, the education community is endorsing Perez in droves, including the California Teachers Association, with strong local support from the 80th’s school districts.   Neither Pettis nor Gonzales have anyone from the education community endorsing them as yet.

Education spending is more than half the state budget, and Manuel Perez is the only candidate in the primary and general with direct experience here. Education combined with healthcare (another of Perez’s areas of expertise) make up the vast, vast majority of the state budget.  These are also the areas most in danger of being reduced and cut, simply because that’s where most the money is.  

Addendum:

(The other talking point is that noting Perez has a far stronger base than Pettis among crucial East Coachella Valley and Imperial County voters amounts to racism and homophobia, which is bizarre and desperate at worst, and at best misinformed.  The “Crashing the Gates” new Democratic delegates from the 80th AD who voted to endorse Manuel Perez included an openly gay man, an openly gay woman, the (Latino) County Chair of the Imperial County Democratic Central Committee, one Jewish woman, and a Coachella-raised union organizer.)  Manuel’s passion for and experience in providing healthcare, education, and labor reform in the 80th AD and statewide unites a diverse progressive support base.  

There’s a parallel to the Clinton/Obama dynamic here in the 80th-  The heir apparent veteran politician vs. the grassroots organizer.  Pettis had every expectation of sewing this nomination up by the pre-endorsement caucus, as he had the warchest, the connections, and the longtime familiarity of the local Dem clubs.  Manuel was not supposed to pose a real threat, but instead he has the endorsement of

*United Domestic  Workers

*California Teachers Association

*SEIU State Council

*Laborers (LIUNA)

*California Nurses Association

*AFSCME

and just today, the California Labor Federation voted for a dual endorsement of Perez and Pettis, overturning the local Central Labor Councils (both San Diego/Imperial and Riverside/San Bernardino) which had previously endorsed Pettis.  

“Manuel Perez knows first hand the struggles of working families and will be a champion of healthcare, education and creating new jobs in the State Assembly,” proclaimed Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

Greg was supposed to be the default Dem here, but a grassroots challenger is upsetting the status quo.

This is my first time facing the wrath of those who got their gate crashed.  It’s a bit unsettling, as we were all in the same camp for Roth in the CA-45th, and now we’re at odds.  But we’ll be together after the primary, when we can send another people-powered representative to the California Assembly.  

Crossposted at dKos

Received this press release today from the Greg Pettis for CA 80th Assembly District campaign.  Pettis presently has the overwhelming support of labor and LGBT groups in his race to replace the termed-out, thank the deity, State Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R-CA).  Pettis, much to the chagrin of his opponents, is also picking up key endorsements from the ethnic minority and multicultural communities.

Pettis has also significantly outraised and outspent his Democratic opponents each reporting period.  According to The Desert Sun, in the last reporting period, Pettis raised and spent more monies than all of these Democratic opponents combined.  Of interest, Pettis also outraised his presumptive Republican opponent, Gary Jeandron, by a significant margin!

Add to this the fact that the current voter registration favors the Democrats.  Thanks to the local Democratic clubs, activists have shifted the 80th AD voter registration from a majority Republican in 2000, to a more than 15,000 voter advantage at present.  And, this does not include the Decline to State voters which have been since 2004 trending Democratic.  Bodes well for a Pettis candidacy in November 2008.

Here is the text of the press release:

For Immediate Release

April 8, 2008

For More Information, contact Richard Oberhaus 760-413-7938

Cathedral City Councilmember Greg Pettis picked up four critical endorsements in the last week from labor and a Latino group, both keys to winning the 80th Assembly District.

More below the flip…

Earlier today, the California AFL-CIO Committee on Public Education endorsed Pettis for the 80th Assembly District. They join the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) who represent 179,000 workers in California and the California State Council of Laborers, who had previously endorsed one of Pettis’s primary election opponents.

Pettis also won the endorsement of HONOR PAC, a statewide Latino group representing Latino and Latina LGBT communities.

The four endorsements cemented Pettis’s position as frontrunner in the Democratic primary in the race to replace Bonnie Garcia, who is prohibited by term limits from serving another term in the 80th Assembly District.

Pettis has previously won endorsements from all the Central Labor Councils representing the 80th Assembly District as well as the California League of Conservation Voters, Cathedral City Professional Firefighters, Progressive Majority, Democracy for America and the Victory Fund.

He has also raised more money than any Democrat running for the 80th Assembly District and has more individual donors than any other candidate.

“We are building a broad-based grassroots coalition that will continue to build momentum through November. Residents of the 80th are coming together behind the need to bring experience to Sacramento to change the way Sacramento works and create a healthier California for all of us,” Pettis said.

Other unions endorsing Pettis include the Building Trades Union of California, Cathedral City Professional Firefighters, San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council, San Diego/Imperial Counties Central Labor Council, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 440.

LGBT community electeds, organizations and activists endorsing Pettis thus far include U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, State Senator Carol Migden, State Assemblyman Mark Leno, Palm Springs City Councilwoman Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Councilman Rick Hutcheson, Cathedral City City Councilman Paul Marchand, Desert Hot Springs City Councilman Karl Baker, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the Victory Fund, and Bill and Brad Adams, Bill Cain-Gonzalez, Cynthia Davis, Desert Stonewall Democrats Public Relations Chair Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Bond Shands, Desert Stonewall Democrats Treasurer Robert Silverman, and Lynn Worley.

Latino and Latina community activists endorsing Pettis include Palm Springs Democratic Club co-founder Lisa Arbelaez, Christopher Arellano, Larry Baza, Bill Cain-Gonzalez, Tony & Sylvia Escobedo, Mayon Gonzalez, Rodolfo Martinez, Leticia Quezada, Nicole Ramirez, 41st Congressional District Candidate Rita Ramirez-Dean, Ph.D., Dan Ruiz, Ed Torres, and Joe Velasquez.

XPosted 4/7/2008 11:46 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

Overheard Saturday night at the Democrats of the Desert Awards Banquet at the Las Rancho Palmas Resort, the decision to seek to close the Cathedral City medical marijuana clinic was made by Mayor Kathy DeRosa (R), Mayor Pro Tem Charles England (R), and Councilmember Chuck Vasquez (R-Closet Case) who voted to close the clinic.

Councilmember Greg Pettis (D), Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, and Councilmember Paul Marchand (D), Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, voted to support the clinic but were overruled by the Republican majority on council.  In fact, Pettis was slated to appear at an event to support medical marijuana patients at Copy Kats last night, but the event was postponed.

More below the flip…

According to a Cathedral City source for background, Cathedral City council, under the auspices of DeRosa, has a policy to apparently vote on issues in private and to not announce the individual votes of the councilmembers.  This is really “Small Town in Mass Society” (Vidich) mentality.  Anyway, the Desert Sun never printed who voted what way as the specific vote was never announced as per usual.

Seems that DeRosa, England, and Vasquez are out of step with Californians overall and Cathedral City residents who favor keeping the clinic open to service patients diagnosed with cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, etc.  Isn’t this the same party that opposes stem cell research?  What kind of family values does the Republican party really have?

Seems that the electronic filing deadline for Election 2008 CA 80th Assembly District came and went without me making any comment on the results.  Well, whether you like it or not here comes my late bloomer blogging about the March 24, 2008, filing.

Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD lead all Democratic and Republican opponents in this filing.  Pettis raised $54,980.43 during this filing period, spent $52,371.86, and has $31,062.71 cash on hand.

Gary Jeandron, boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District and presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD raised $38,093, spent $39,754.34, and has $148,039.3 on hand campaign monies.

More below the flip…

Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD raised $18,334, spent $22,788.90, and has $31,541.74 cash on hand.

Rick Gonzalez, Wells Fargo Community Development Corp. employee, raised $17,047.93, spent $16,317.41, and has $32,403.63 in available cash.

Richard Guttierrez, dentist, did not file.  Only candidates raising or spending $50,000 or more or who received a $5,000 donation are required to file electronically.  This means that Guttierrez raised less than $50,000, spent less than $50,000, and did not receive any donation in the amount of $5,000 or greater.

Overall, Pettis far-and-away outraised his Democratic and presumptive Republican opposition.  In fact, Pettis seems to have raised more money than his three Democratic challengers combined.  Pettis also outspent his three Democratic rivals combined according to the electronic filing.  Regarding cash on hand, though, each of the three Democratic campaigns have approximately the same funds in current accounts, though Perez at this rate is spending more each month than he is collecting in donations.

Even more interesting is the fact the Pettis outraised Jeandron in this reporting cycle.  In fact, Pettis raised fifty percent more campaign funds than did Jeandron.  Jeandron still has a much better campaign war chest as we head towards November.  In fact, observers have noted that Jeandron has begun to spend advertising monies on AirAmerica, a progressive talk radio station, that airs in the Coachella Valley on a local station.

At least in this reporting period, the donations in the Coachella Valley are mimicking those on the National level where Democrats are outraising and outspending the Republicans.  The difference is that on the National level, Democrats also have a huge campaign war chest.

XPosted 4/6/2008 10:15 AM PDT on MyDesert.com

Yesterday, Democrats of the Desert had its annual awards banquet to honor Life-Time Achievement Awardee Sonja Marchand and Activist of the Year Rosalie Zwain at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage.  Speakers included Stephanie Miller and Jim Ward, “Stars of Progressive Talk Radio” at AirAmerica.

Democratic officeholders in attendance included Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Cathedral City City Councilman, Pat Hammers, Cathedral City Clerk, Ron Oden, former-Mayor of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson, Palm Springs City Council, Shari Stewart, Board President, and Justin Blake Board Member of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Rob Simmons, Palm Springs Airport Commission.

Attending Democratic candidates included Julie Bornstein, Candidate for the 45th Congressional District, Pettis, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Rick Gonzalez, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, Greg Rodriguez, Candidate for the Board of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Kira Klatchko, former-candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District.  Amalia Deaztlan, campaign manager for the Victor Manuel Perez for the 80th Assembly, also attended.  

Union activists in attendance that I recognized included Chuck McDaniel, IBEW Local 440, Juan Carlos Sanchez, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, and others.

Many Coachella Valley Democratic Party activists were also in attendance, including Elle Kurpiewski, Chair, Beth Caskie, Vice President Programs and reknowned blogger, and Carole Sumner Krechman, Vice President & Chair Fund Raising, Chris Escobedo, Vice President – Political Action, each of the Democrats of the Desert, Chuck McDaniel, Co-Chair of the Desert Hot Springs Democrats, George Zander, Chair and blogger, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, James Reynolds, Esq., Secretary of the Desert Stonewall Democrats, Desert Stonewall Democrats Steering Committee members Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Richard Oberhaus, and Simmons, Sandy Eldridge and David Pye, Co-Chairs of the Palm Springs Democratic Club, and Jackie Atwood, President, Betty McMillan, 1st Vice President, Robert Atwood, Treasurer, each of the Pass Democratic Club.

Sonja Marchand was accompanied by her husband, Robert, and her son, Paul.  She rendered a stirring speech about Democratic activism, the failures of the Bush Administration over the past seven years including the ‘massive mess in Mesopotamia,’ and the need for Democratic Party unity this coming November (sorry for mangling the alliteration, but that was what I could recall early this a.m.).

Of local mydesert.com readership interest, it seems that the identity of the people behind the Pettis files will soon be known.  The blogger and/or his financial backing had taken out advertisements in the media which require campaign finance reporting.  As a result, the identities should be known shortly.  The noose tightens and scandal is abrewing!

In a brilliant parliamentary maneuver, the Victor Manuel Perez for CA 80th Assembly District campaign to replace the termed out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R-CA), the Perez forces by one vote were able to keep Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, from retaining the California Democratic Party endorsement for Assembly.  (Perez is Vice-President of the failed school board in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.)  However, the short-term battle victory may possibly cost the Democrats not only the 80th in the November general election, but also cost them the majority that they need to ignore the demands of the recalictrant minority Republicans in the Assembly.

A major factor developing in the campaign and one of which I have been consistently blogging on mydesert.com, the online edition of The Desert Sun, is the fact that Gary Jeandron, presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD is a boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD).  Recently, the State of California Board of Education threatened actions and/or sanctions against 97 school boards across the state that failed to meet state academic goals and the requirements of the Federally unfunded ‘No Child Left Behind.’  As a result, California threatened sanctions against the PSUSD and the board for the academic failures in the District.  Jeandron, as boardmember, and running for the 80th cites his education background and experience as instrumental to his qualifications for the office.  However, the threatened sanctions are a major demerit and campaign issue.

This is relevant to Perez as he is Vice-President of the failed CVUSD board which according to the State, had more problems than any other school district in California this year.

More below the flip…

The state actions against the CVUSD and its board are much more severe as their failures were more significant.  The CVUSD District was threatened with state takeover but the state action only involved installation of a trustee to oversee and possibly veto any District and/or board action (State assigns trustee to CVUSD to improve test scores):

“Coachella Valley Unified School District will get a trustee and a state-approved team of independent experts to help improve student test scores, state board members decided this afternoon.

The state board named Riverside County Superintendent Kenneth Young as the district’s trustee, which will give him veto powers over superintendent and board decisions.

But Young said he will work collaboratively with the district.”

The CVUSD was the ONLY district to receive trustee oversight.  Perez as V-P and long-term boardmember bears major responsibility for the failures of the District, its teachers, and its students.  That the CVUSD is suffering such consequences for the academic failures not only raises the question of Perez’ qualifications for Assembly, especially in the area of education, but also blunts the criticism of Jeandron.

If Democrats in the 80th Assembly District choose Perez as the candidate, one of the major issues in the campaign against Jeandron is either removed from the table due to mutual assured destruction on this issue or becomes even more of an issue given the CVUSD is the only District in the state that was assigned a trustee.

Having a ‘well-spoken’ or ‘charismatic’ candidate will not soften the damage to the local Democratic campaign to re-take this seat in November 2008.  Style will not win where substance can win.  Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City, unlike Perez and Jeandron, is untainted by the failures of the CVUSD and PSUSD school boards and Districts.  In addition, Pettis has the endorsements of State Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-49), Member California State Assembly Committee on Education, El Centro School Board Trustee Diana Newton, and Palm Springs Unified School Board Trustee Meredy Schoenberger.

(re full disclosure, BlueBeaumontBoyz is a Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporter)

Just got this information alert in from the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, George Zander, Chair, on behalf of the Pettis East Valley and Imperial County 80th Assembly District campaign.  The DSD club is devoted to advancing equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  DSD supports the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who support this mission.  DSD draws its strength from a nationwide network of individuals and clubs comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Democrats who are working to realize the following goals:

To educate the LGBT community and its supporters about the vast differences that exist between the two major parties on the issues of concern to the LGBT community;

To lead the Democratic party to improve its record on issues of importance to the LGBT community, and to work for the nomination of Democratic candidates from the local to national level, including qualified openly LGBT candidates who will be fully supportive of the fight against bigotry and intolerance;

To encourage the LGBT community to support and vote for Democratic candidates who are committed to defeating homophobia and prejudice; and

To work with the other local LGBT Democratic clubs and individuals to encourage and foster the creation of new clubs.

More below the flip…

The following is the alert from DSD:

Mr. Pettis’ campaign has continually taken the high road and has informed everyone connected with it to not say anything against the other Democratic candidates.  However, Victor ‘Manuel’ Perez has begun to get personal, and he has done it with the gay-card. Whispering to interviewing (Democratic) clubs that he is not part of an “alternative lifestyle…”

…(Pettis’) record in Imperial County and the Eastern Coachella Valley far exceeds any of his opponents, including Perez.  Greg Pettis worked as part of Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) on improving all grade crossings in Coachella and on improving Jefferson Road in Indio and La Quinta.

He chaired the Saving Immigrant Lives project in Imperial for two years and received an award from Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and other groups for his work.

Pettis led the effort in assisting in technical writing and lobbying the California Transportation Commission (CTC) on behalf of the Brawley bypass.  He also helped get money for Hobson Way in Brawley.

Pettis served as the East Valley’s representative on SCAG for six years and appointed East Valley councilmembers to all subcommittees.  He also served as ex-officio on the Salton Sea Authority.

XPosted 4/4/2008 7:45 AM PDT on MyDesert.com on BluePalmSpringsBoyz blog (re full disclosure, BluePalmSpringsBoyz and BlueBeaumontBoyz are Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporters)

Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, and his campaign, have fun afoul with campaign violations in two campaign scandals, according to my mydesert.com blogger source at Palm Springs Village Fest last night.

First, someone who has endorsed Perez for Assembly, apparently has been using her office computer to mail out campaign materials for the Perez campaign.  My source is in possession of an original piece of email from the campaign worker.

Now, as anyone who has worked in an office environment in the past 15 years knows: “Do not use your office computer for personal use, otherwise your job is in jeapardy!”  Well, not only did this employee use her office computer to produce mass emailings for the Perez campaign, but she works for the County of Riverside!  Not only is her job in jeapardy, but she violated State of California campaign law in her endeavors.

More below the flip…

My source contacted Roy Wilson, Supervisor in the County of Riverside and a newsreporter at The Desert Sun.  According to my source, Wilson has conducted an investigation and found that two, count them, two Perez campaign workers have been using County of Riverside computers to do campaign work for Perez.

Wilson has instructed their supervisor(s) to conduct an investigation and to act accordingly.  In addition, thousands of County employees will receive or have now received emails from the County reminding them that it is against the law to use County computers, offices, etc. to conduct campaign work.

Second, the Perez campaign has produced and distributed campaign materials that omit the required by law disclaimers that are required on each piece of material.  Soyinkafan, blogger on Calitics.com and local activist with the Perez campaign was observed handing out hundreds of these particular fliers at last weeks California Democratic Party convention in San Jose.  Complaints about the illegal campaign materials were filed on Monday, March 31, 2008, with the FPPC.

Seems that the Perez campaign is in disarray without adequate leadership and direction.  An organized and well-directed campaign would not make these kinds of mistakes, first not instructing its workers to not use office computers, let alone County resources, to further the campaign, and second, not vetting the campaign materials for irregularities and illegalities.

What is going on over at the Perez campaign?

No Endorsement in the 80th AD

Manuel Perez may not have the money nor the local poohbah incumbency, but he definitely had the mojo this weekend.  I stand in awe of the union members who are my fellow delegates in Manuel’s corner.  Wizards with lists and cell phones, truly incredible.  

The endorsing caucus for the 80th AD was pretty intense, and the days preceding it packed with manuevering, accusations, threats.  Greg Pettis had put out press releases pre-announcing his endorsement after his March 13th PreEndorsement meeting victory, so he had a lot to lose here.  Greg managed to place every proxy he could, plus switching one of our votes.  But it wasn’t enough to reach 60% of the vote, as Manuel Perez also had strong support from delegates,  and Rick Gonzales found proxies for his folks, too.  So, no endorsement until the primary is over.  

The real winner is the district, as we have an abundance of Democratic  talent in this race.  Manuel Perez just won the endorsement of many more legislators, met with Karen Bass, the new speaker, won the endorsement of Alice Huffman- President of the California State Conference of the NAACP, also won the California Nurses Association (which is a huge plus), also the California Medical Association, the California Teachers Association, SEIU State Council.   I truly believe that Manuel is not only the best progressive in the race, but that he’ll win the primary and the general.  He’s a proven advocate for immigrants, students, and impoverished communities in the eastern end of the district, and a true progressive who stands up for gay rights, the environment, and a women’s right to choose, the major issues on the west end of the district.  Greg is great, so is Rick, but neither cover all the bases that Manuel does, nor do they have his charisma and passion for change.  He’s inspiring.

Here’s what David Dayen said, and I agree completely:

I continue to be very impressed with Manuel Perez; he is a transformational and not a transactional candidate, someone who doesn’t just check the boxes of the single-issue groups and vote the right way, but really changes the conversation and fights for progressive change.

I wish I were still there, but my son’s tenth birthday begins in a matter of hours, so that’s that.  It’s good to see the Calitics crew always, and particularly fun this time to talk to kid oakland and Caligirl, as I hadn’t had the chance before.

We have an exciting race ahead.  

PALM SPRINGS, Ca. – Coachella Valley residents were recently treated to an anti-Democratic lead story on the front page of The Desert Sun’s LOCAL section. An anonymous website designer posted a ten-year old story trashing a local Democratic candidate and used it as the basis for his/her web creation. The designer sent an email message advertising the site to the local newspaper staff. A reporter from Gannett’s The Desert Sun newspaper critiqued the new, partially completed website, emailed the designer a note listing some errors and suggested corrections, and then published a story announcing the new website’s debut. The reporter also gave the greatest gift of all by printing the new website’s Internet email address. The reporter subsequently enhanced the gift by posting that website email address online in various areas of the newspaper’s MyDesert.com news and blogging service.  

The Desert Sun newspaper’s participation in the creation and advertising of the new Internet offering was the most important factor in the anti-Democratic website’s success in achieving visibility and recognition. If budding designers wish to achieve similar results, here’s a handy recipe that may prove useful in their pursuit of an active and vibrant new website creation.

1. Register your new website name in the Internet registration database on Tuesday. Select an alias name for yourself so you can remain anonymous. Use that alias in all your correspondence about the new website.

2. Upload a skeleton design to your website and then fill a few pages with out-dated, anti-Democratic political garbage.

3. Send anonymous email announcements advertising your new creation to local politicos and, of course, to lots of staff members at The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs.

4. Wait while The Desert Sun newspaper reporter logs on and critiques your new website content.

5. Review email from The Desert Sun newspaper reporter advising of errors and suggested corrections.

6. Make newspaper reporter’s suggested error corrections to website content and thus enhance its credibility.

7. Wait for reporter’s Monday morning Political Insider column to appear in The Desert Sun newspaper.

8. Read lead story announcing the debut of the new website and yourself as its anonymous author – written under the oversight/supervision of the reporter who so helpfully critiqued your new creation.

9. Your anti-Democratic smear campaign is on the road to success for the reporter has printed the Internet address of your new website. The free exposure provided in The Desert Sun has provided the high visibility you sought and need in order to attract viewers to your website.

10. Sit back, have a martini and congratulate yourself on your exemplary accomplishment. You, an unknown entity, acting anonymously, have created a new anti-Democratic political website and managed to have its debut the subject of a newspaper story – AND they’ve even printed the Internet address of your creation. Your identity is secret and nobody knows whether or not you’re an employee of The Desert Sun newspaper. They took your offering, hook, line and sinker – just like fish bait – and didn’t bother to learn the identity of their source. You did it all in less than a week and they can’t even prove you exist! They’ve left no doubt about you for it’s clear you’re a genuine professional – and possibly the only one of that caliber sitting at their table.

Lest anyone question whether this report represents fantasy, it’s all based on fact. The numbered steps above represent a fairly descriptive recitation of events leading up to The Desert Sun’s March 24th publication of  “Mystery ‘Scoop’ slings Pettis dirt” story in its weekly Political Insider column. One word of warning to other new website designer wannabees. Don’t expect similar red carpet treatment from the newspaper if you’re planning on an anti-Republican political website. Your effort has to be directed against Democrats in order for you to merit their support and the free publicity.

At The Desert Sun newspaper, “They don’t just report the news, they create it!“