XPosted 4/19/2008 1:32 PM PDT on MyDesert.com

…DoD Chairwoman Elle Kurpiewski announced that Carole Sumner Krechman had resigned from the DoD board and from her membership in the Democratic Club.

DoD represents itself as

“…the largest and oldest Democratic Club in the Coachella Valley, chartered by the State Democratic Party of California.”

According to the DoD website, Sumner Krechman served the club and its members as Vice President & Chair Fund Raising.  Sumner Krechman is also a member of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee…

…Sumner Krechman, Kurpiewski, and others have been contacted by this writer for comment, but to date have not responded.***

***Elements of this post that had been reported by and confirmed independently by multiple members of DoD who attended this meeting, have been redacted at the request of the DoD executive and boardmember(s).  Oh, the pressures exerted on a free and ‘unfettered’ press.  Now I know why The Desert Sun reporters do not report on the doings of the Bono Baxely Mack posse.

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!

Well, it has come to this.  Local progressive Democratic activists have for years attempted to work with The Desert Sun, aka The Pro Bono Sun, and, more recently, mydesert.com, to have more accurate and fair reporting on local politics.  But, the Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com has been oblivious to the changing demographics in the Coachella Valley and continues to inaccurately and unfairly represent local Democrats.

Case in point, the recent article which listed the four Democratic candidates for the CA 80th Assembly District that listed only three of the candidates and omitted the name of Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathdral City and Candidate for the 80th AD.  Inaccuracy at its worst, or prejudice at its best.

More below the flip…

Last week, the Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com corrupted an article on the ineffectual representation of Rep. Mary Bono Baxely Mack (R-CA) in the 45th Congressional District.  The Gannett news empire, of which TDS is apparently a not-so-integral part, posted an amazing story about Mack ranking 309 out of 425 Congressmen and Congresswomen in the current Congress re power and legislative skill.  Scathing journalism, truth to power.  TDS however watered down the article, incorporating the two powerful U.S. Senators in CA, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), and reworded the title of the article and the text to mask Bono’s ineptitude.

Must be nice to be a friend of TDS (was that the picture of the TDS hierarchy at Mack’s wedding?  Talk about conflict of interest).

The Pro Bono Sun is oblivious to the fact that the Coachella Valley is changing and the progression is probably irreversible.  During Election 2004, Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Coachella, and Indio all voted a majority for Kerry/Edwards over Bush/Cheney.  In 2000, when the CA 80th Assembly District was formed, Republicans held an advantage over Dems.  Now, as of February 2008, Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost 15,500!  Together, Democrats and Decline to State voters amount to 51% of the voters in the 45th Congressional District where Rep. Mary Bono Baxely Mack holds onto the district by the tips of her French nails.

Last Saturday, representatives from the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Democrats of the Desert, and the Palm Springs Democratic Women have launched a media watch group for the most egregious news media venture in the Coachella Valley: The Desert Sun (aka, The Pro Bono Sun).  These clubs plan to also include the other Democratic clubs and our allies in the Coachella Valley in our efforts to track the inaccuracies and bias of The Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com.

(Remember the Democratic Unity Rally for the New Hampshire primary where 75-100 activists gathered at the Look Patio Bar & Restaurant and where the Republicans had nothing scheduled?  The Pro Bono Sun took quotes from Democratic Rally organizers Greg Rodriguez and Rob Simmons for sure.  But, even without any event, The Pro Bono Sun tracked down three, count them, three Republicans to counter.  No Republican party, three quotes.  Democratic Unity Rally, two quotes.  Interesting.)

The Times, er, The Sun, it will be achanging.  Otherwise, the media watch wars begin.

(Xposted from www.mydesert.com)

January 10, 2008 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Presidential Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

A cool desert night saw multitudes of proud, progressive, Democrats and throngs of supportive locals, visitors, and prospective voters.  The trend is clear…red-to-purple-to-blue.

The Democratic clubs were represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (DSD) staffing the tables thanks to George Zander, President of DSD, and Bob Silverman, Treasurer of DSD.  Remember, the montly meeting of the DSD Democratic Club occurs on Saturday, January 12, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Desert Pride Center, 611 S. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs.  Re full disclosure, BluePalmSpringsBoyz iz a member of DSD.  Eleanor Jackson staffed the Democrats of the Desert Democratic Club table.

More below the flip…

Paul Clay, teacher and an announced candidate for the CA 45th Congressional District to replace Mary Bono Baxely Mack, absentee Congresswoman, R-CA, discussed his congressional campaign and recent progress towards the party nomination.

Proud progressive Democrats discussed the recent victory in the New Hampshire primary of Sen. Hillary Clinton.  The excitement was tangible as activists discussed the pros and cons of the Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama and former-Sen. John Edwards campaigns for President.  Activists also discussed the absence of Gary Jeandron, candidate for the Republican nomination for the CA 80th Assembly District from the dedication of the Cathedral City monument to its soldier fallen in Iraq yesterday.  Interesting.

Back to Village Fest. Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stir the discussion concerning Mary Bono Baxely Mack’s (R-CA) support for Pres. Bush’s failed Iraq occupation policies. He discussed the Vets for Peace plans for ongoing vigils and marches. More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

Gene Stillman and others staffed the John Edwards for President table (re full disclosure, BlueBeaumontBoyz iz a John Edwards for President supporter).  They distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, signed up volunteers for the Edwards for President Campaign, and solicited voters to register to vote.  They discussed Edward’s strong standing in the delegate counts thus far (see CNN.com for totals including the Super Delegates).  Other Democratic Party activists staffed tables for the Hillary Clinton campaign (Wayne and Frank, Greg Rodriguez and his sons) and the Barack Obama campaign (Ed Grubman, Charlotte Murphy, M.D., and others).  Zander noted that at one time, 41 people surrounded the DSD, DoD, Edwards, Clinton, Obama, and Kucinich tables while only two women sat lonely and despairing at the Republican booth.  So very sad, and telling, indeed.

We registered eighteen voters last night, including one change of party affiliation from the darkside to the Democratic party and two changes from the Libertarian party to the Democratic party and Decline to State.  Moderate and progressive Independents and Republicans continue to express their distaste for the callous disregard for the U.S. Constitution of the Bush cabal, the failing occupation effort in Afghanistan and in Iraq, the war profiteering of the Bush cronies in business and industry, the regressive social policies of the Bush/Cheney administration, the faltering economy, and the drain on the Federal treasury as the Bush/Cheney miscreants funnel funds to their cronies in big business, especially to the oil and gas, insurance, defense, and pharmaceutical industies. Now Independents and Republicans are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander, Silverman, Turner, Murphy, and yours truly attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s on Arenas in Palm Springs! Ever celebrating the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs turning deeper shades of purple and blue!  But, still, beware the dying beast.

December 20, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

A chilly desert night became a cold desert night while proud, progressive, Democrats joined helped throngs of locals, visitors, and prospective voters understand the shift of the Coachella Valley from red to purple with blue in the offing.

The Democratic clubs were represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats (DSD) staffing the tables thanks to George Zander, President of DSD, Bob Silverman, Treasurer of DSD, and Randy. Re full disclosure, BluePalmSpringsBoyz iz a member of DSD.  Eleanor Jackson staffed another table for the Democrats of the Desert.

More details about Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Democratic Presidential Candidate Tabling below the flip…

Gene Stillwell helped out at the Voter Registration and Candidate Information tabling for the John Edwards for President campaign. Stillwell is an activist with the John Edwards for President campaign and is the Captain of the Coachella Valley for John Edwards One Corps Chapter. Stillwell discussed aspects of the Edwards campaign and his expectations for the January 3, 2008 Iowa Democratic Caucuses.

Rob Simmons also made a visit to the Voter Registration and Candidate Information tabling. Simmons is a member of the Palm Springs Airport Commission and is an activist with the Barack Obama for President campaign. Simmons discussed the fact that the week was a good one for the John Edwards for President campaign given his upswing in the Iowa polls.

David Hunsicker, an announced candidate for the CA 45th Congressional District to replace Mary Bono, absentee Congresswoman, R-CA, discussed his congressional campaign and recent progress towards the party nomination.

Proud progressive Democrats discussed the recent announcement that the Coachella Valley Unified School District was at risk for state takeover due to the continued inability to meet academic standards. Consensus was that this would ultimately hurt the candidacy Victor Emanuel Perez, Vice-President of the CSUSD Board of Trustees, and who is a candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District to replace the termed-out State Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R-CA). Activists also discussed the fact that the State may levy sanctions against the Palm Springs Unified School District and its Board of Trustees, including Gary Jeandron, candidate for the Republican nomination for the CA 80th Assembly District. Seems that in one fell swoop, the State Department of Education may have affected the candidacies of Perez and Jeandron and may have determined both the Democratic and the Republican primary races for the CA 80th AD. (re full disclosure, BlueBeaumontBoyz is a supporter of Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City and candidate for the 80th AD).

Back to Village Fest. Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stir the discussion concerning Mary Bono’s (R-CA) support for Pres. Bush’s failed Iraq occupation policies. He discussed the Vets for Peace plans for an uncoming holiday vigil. More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

Stillwell, Bob Morris, and yours truly, staffed the John Edwards for President table. We distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, signed up volunteers for the Edwards for President Campaign, and solicited voters to register to vote. We discussed Edward’s increasingly strong standing in the Iowa caucus polls. Of particular interest was the decision of Barack Obama to begin attacking Edwards in Iowa and New Hampshire, a sign of desperation. In addition, many hold that given Edwards strength in the rural counties, the weighting of the caucus results towards the rural counties, the presumed absence from Iowa of Obama’s college student voluteers and voters due to the holiday break, and Clinton’s probable tactical decision to throw support to Edwards in an attempt to short-circuit Obama’s campaign, Edwards should have a good night during the Iowa caucuses. Join representatives from Desert Stonewall Democrats, the Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District, and the Edwards, Clinton, and Obama campaigns at Look Patio Bar and Restaurant in Palm Springs on January 3, 2008, to follow the Iowa Caucuses results on several big screen televisions.

Other Democratic Party activists staffed tables for the Hillary Clinton campaign (Wayne) and the Barack Obama campaign (Hunsicker, Simmons).

We registered seven voters last night, including additional changes of party affiliation. Moderate and progressive Republicans continue to express their distaste for the callous disregard for the truth of the Bush Administration, the failing occupation effort, the regressive social policies, and the drain on the Federal treasury as they funnel funds to their cronies in big business, especially to the oil and gas, insurance, defense, and pharmaceutical industies. Now Independents and Republicans are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander, Silverman, Turner, Morris, and yours truly attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s! Ever celebrating the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs turning deeper shades of purple and blue! But, still, beware the dying beast.

November 8, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Cool desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/Stop-the-Insanity Democrats.  Milling crowds of locals, visitors, and prospective voters.  Village Fest was knee-deep in conferees from the United States Conference on AIDS 2007 (USCA) as well as attendees at Leather Pride Weekend.  I was approached assertively by two military people who angrily questioned my ‘Support the Troops/End the War’ position.  The male trooper expressed his concerns about stopping terrorism in Iraq and early withdrawal of troops meaning making insignificant the loss of thousands of U.S. military lives in Iraq.  I tried to educate both about the nature of the Occupation of Iraq and its present Civil War.  In addition, I was able to point out that the assault on Iraq was initially about avenging Sadaam Hussein’s alleged assassination plot agains George H.W. Bush and about securing a vast oil supply in the Middle East.  Also, the pointless loss of U.S. soldier’s lives lies at the feet of the warmongers in the Bush Administration (e.g., Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Gates, Pace, etc.).  We need to communicate with our troops and educate them that they are pawns in the service of a vengeful, cruel, incompetent despot.  And I do not mean S. Hussein.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Zander, President of the Club and Bob Silverman, Treasurer.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor Jackson, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Progressive Democrats were rejoicing in the resounding victories in Tuesday’s elections across the Coachella Valley.  More specifically, we discussed the win of Steve Pougnet for Mayor of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson for Palm Springs City Council, Karl Baker for Desert Hot Springs City Council, Craig Ewing for Desert Water Agency, and No on C.  Democrats were also excited about the prospect of John Williams winning the second Palm Springs City Council seat following the counting of the additional Vote By Mail ballots and a possible recount of the overall votes.

Vic Gainer, of the recently defunct Vic Gainer for Palm Springs City Council campaign slunked past the tabling without a word, probably embarrassed that we had discovered that he registered as a member of the American Independent Party after none of the Democratic Clubs endorsed his candidacy.

More exciting details below the flip…

Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the CA-45 Congressional District, raised awareness about his candidacy.  Amalia Deaztlan, Campaign Director for Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District also spent time with the Democratics discussing the recent election victories and Perez’ prospects in the 80th.

Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stoke the fires of intelligent discussion and activism.  He discussed their plans to march in the Palm Springs Veteran’s Day Parade, Sunday, November 11, 2007.  More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, Captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter.  I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, signed up volunteers for the John Edwards for President Campaign, and solicited voters to register to vote.  We discussed Edward’s surprisingly strong standing in the Iowa caucus polls and his strength in the recent candidate debates.

Wayne and the boyz staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Dave and his wife and Dave Huntzinger spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob Morris of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 8 voters last night, including two changes of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Moderate and progressive Republicans have long had enough of the incompetence, ineptitude, and callous disregard for the truth of the Bush Administration.  Now they are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander and his friends, Tim, Renee, and Caesar, Silverman, Morris, Turner (Vets for Peace), Clay and yours truly attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Then, Zander, Tim, Renee, Caesar, Turner, and yours truly slipped over to Hunter’s Video Bar to trip the progressive light fantastic, celebrating yet another day in turning the Coachella Valley blue!

November 1, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Hot desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/Stop-the-Insanity Democrats.  Milling crowds of locals, visitors, and voters.  I was able to discuss my letter-to-the-editor in today’s Desert Sun with the other progressive Democrats at Village Fest.  The theme of my letter was the incompetence of Bush and Mary Bono R-45 and the expecancy that their promises re helping the victims of the Southern California wild fires are probably empty given nature of the promises made to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Years following Hurricane Katrina, and New Orleans, a great American city, and the Gulf Coast remain devastated.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Zander, President of the Club, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, Bill Gonzalez, and Randy.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Hopefully, we will see visits from Greg Pettis, Steve Pougnet Mayor-elect of Palm Springs, John Williams, City Councilman-elect of Palm Springs, and Rick Hutcheson, City Councilman-elect of Palm Springs at the next Village Fest.  Remember, Tuesday is Election Day.  You must vote on Tuesday or have your Vote-by-Mail postmarked by then to make a difference in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley!
More exciting details below the flip…

Craig Ewing, Candidate for the Palm Springs Water Board spent hours meeting and greeting the voters of the Palm Springs area.  Crowds met him with unanticipated enthusiasm.  Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the CA-45 Congressional District, raise awareness about his candidacy.  I discussed with him the unsubstantiated rumor that Mary Bono may wait until the last minute to announce that she will not run for re-election and will anoint Bonnie Garcia as her replacement.  The thought of Bonnie Garcia (“I wouldn’t throw Arnold out of bed”) as a Congresswoman in the District brought peals of derisive laughter from the surrounding voters.

April Hildner, of No on C, discussed the misrepresentation by the Yes on C people, the absence of committment to build a hotel by the developer, and the misinformation in the hands of the voters.

Tracy Turner, Vets for Peace, helped stoke the fires of intelligent discussion and activism.  More on anti-occupation efforts as information becomes available.

Richard Oberhaus, campaign manager for Greg Pettis, Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, helped the Democratic Clubs and local candidates.  Come to Palm Springs Pride 2008 this Sunday and see the local candidates in the Pride Parade!!

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter.  I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.  We discussed how poorly Obama did in the debate this week and how ill-conceived that nature of his attacks on Hillary were.  I am sure that the image of an African-American attacking a White woman is not the image that the Obama campaign wants to linger in the minds of Middle America.

Wayne and the boyz staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Burt and Dave Huntzinger spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob Morris of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.  Morris expects an announcement from Gore during his Leno appearance.

We also registered 9 voters last night, including one change of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Moderate and progressive Republicans have long had enough of the incompetence, ineptitude, and callous disregard for the truth of the Bush Administration.  Now they are voting with their feet by moving quickly to the Democratic Party!

Zander, Silverman, Morris, Oberhaus, Tracy Turner (Vets for Peace), Gonzalez, Randy and a worker from one of the San Diego Democratic Clubs attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

October 25, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Temperate desert nights and progressive, Support-the-Troops/End-the-War Democrats.  Large crowds of locals, visitors, voters and refugees from the Southern California fire storms surrounded the tables.  Many people from the mountain resorts, coastal cities, and San Diego County attended Village Fest.  One family donated funds for John Edwards’ campaign materials and the young daughter nabbed an Edwards button to wear!  German tourists from Laguna Beach sought refuge in Palm Springs from the smell of the smoke and the haze.  Our hearts and prayers go out to the families deeply affected by the Santa Anas.

Here is the flier that I distributed at Village Fest:

Question:  Who provides support and protection during National crises?

Answer:  The National Guard

Question:  Where is 50% of the California National Guard and its supplies?

Answer:  Iraq

Question:  Who is responsible?

Answer:  George W. Bush, the most incompetent President in U.S. history.

Question:  Who refuses to accept responsibility?

Answer:  George W. Bush (I guess in some respects, Bush is the answer.)

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Z, President and Bob S.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor, and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City and Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, spent two fun hours at the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plans for the campaign and the 80th AD.  His visit came close on the heels of his endorsement of former-Sen. John Edwards for President 2008.  April Hildner, of No on C, discussed the massive funding by the proponents of C for advertising.  We wonder where that money is from.

Hopefully, we will see visits from Pettis, Steve Pougnet Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, John Williams, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, and Rick Hutcheson, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs.

More exciting details below the flip…

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter and Tiffany from the Coachella Valley John Edwards for President One Corps Chapter.  Tiffani and I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.

John Edwards’ pollster, Harrison Hickman, has prepared a polling memo which proves, once again, that John Edwards is the strongest and most electable candidate. You can view this memo by clicking here: http://johnedwards.c….

Back to Village Fest.  Joy L. and others staffed the Sen. Hillary Clinton table.  Ed spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table with David H.’s assistance.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob M., Amber Rose, and Amber Rose’s husband of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 10 voters last night, including one change of party affiliation from the Dark Side.  Later, George, Bob S., Bob M., Richard, and Randy attended the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

October 18, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).

Cool desert nights and progressive Democrats.  What more could a boy (or for that matter, a girl) want as a prelude to a fifteenth anniversary weekend in Pasadena for Heritage Weekend (actually, a non-anniversary weekend as, thanks to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, we cannot have a legal anniversary.)?  Large crowds of locals and visitors and voters surrounded the tables.  One highlight was the posse of Marines from 29 Palms who came by, especially the one who wanted one of my John Edwards’ bumper stickers that read “Support the Troops/End the War.”  (Is it wrong to flirt with War Heroes?  Isn’t that part of supporting the troops?).

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to George Z, President, Randy, Jim R, and Jim’s partner.  The Democrats of the Desert and the Palm Springs Democrats staffed another table as well.

Steve Pougnet, Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, spent two fun hours at the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plans regarding revitalization of the Palm Springs Downtown corridor, crime and safety, energy conservation, and community involvement.  His visit came close on the heels of the vote by Palm Springs City Council to endorse the Wessman development projects (Pougnet and Ginny Foat were in the minority in opposing this Chino Cone/hillside development).  Pougnet has been endorsed for Mayor of Palm Springs by both the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club and the Palm Springs Demoratic Club, the only local Democratic Clubs to make an endorsement for mayor, as well as The Desert Sun.  Pougnet has been active as City Councilman since 2003 and currently serves as Mayor Pro-Tem.  He is also serves on numerous boads and committees, including President of the Mizell Senior Center, chairman of the Coachella Valley Association of Government’s Energy Conservation subcommittee, board member of the Valley Action Group, and a member of the Palm Springs Unified School District Advisory Committee.  He was also co-chair of the Citizens Task Force for Mountain and Foothill Preservation and Planning.

Hopefully, we will see more visits from Pougnet, Greg Pettis, Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, John Williams, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs, and Bob Mahlowitz, Candidate for City Council of Palm Springs.

More exciting details below the flip…

We had representation at the tables from the Sen. John Edwards campaign, i.e., yours truly, captain of the Palm Springs for Edwards One Corps Chapter and Tiffany from the Coachella Valley John Edwards for President One Corps Chapter.  Tiffani and I distributed position papers from the John Edwards for President campaign, provided campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and solicited voters to register to vote.  In just the past week alone, John Edwards received endorsements from dozens of local, state, and federal elected officials in Oklahoma, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Maine.  Senator Edwards has also recently been endorsed by more than 3 million union members from all across the country including more than 1 million SEIU members from the following 11 SEIU State Councils: Iowa, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Ohio, Oregon, and Massachusetts. 

John Edwards also earned the endorsement last month of the Transport Workers Union of America (200,000 active and retired members), the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (520,000 active members), the United Steelworkers (1.2 million active members and retirees), and the United Mine Workers of America (105,000 active members and retirees).  The Iowa Postal Workers Union also endorsed Senator Edwards this past week as well.

John Edwards’ pollster, Harrison Hickman, has prepared a new polling memo which proves, once again, that John Edwards is the strongest and most electable candidate. You can view this memo by clicking here: http://johnedwards.c….

Back to Village Fest.  Wayne and the boys from the fab Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign had twinking lights and gave away free Hillary balloons to the young and to the young at heart.

Ed spearheaded the Sen. Barack Obama table with Richard and Kurt’s assistance.  The Obama people were active in collecting information from potential volunteers.  Bob M. of the Draft Al Gore campaign circulated petitions to get Nobel Prize Winner Gore on the 2008 California Democratic Primary ballot.

We also registered 16 voters last night, including two at the Unofficial Drinking Liberally (UODL) after-party at Bongo Johnny’s!  Keep turning the Coachella Valley blue!

I had the opportunity to begin the UODL a tad early as I had to leave Village Fest to begin my un-anniversary celebration (remember, Gov. Schwarzenegger will not allow Marriage Equality in CA or as a result, anniversaries either).  Anyway, I hopped over to Hunter’s Video Bar, and who did I see?  None other than Udo Kier, former Andy Warhol star and actor in such movies as ‘Blade,’ ‘Halloween,’ and Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Grindhouse.’  Yes, after an internal debate and a call to my un-husband, I decided to be the typical stareffer and bought Udo a bottle of water and schmoozed.

You never know what will happen when you are active in your community and working to Take Back California and America.  See you next Thursday night?!?!?!

October 12, 2007 – Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Candidate Information Tabling at Palm Canyon & Arenas, Palm Springs, CA, Thursday nights from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.  (Adult beverages enjoyed thereafter at the local pubs).  The atmosphere was as crystal clear as the country’s need for a change.  Locals mixed with visitors and the tables were once again crowded with eager and expectant crowd.

The Democratic clubs were well represented as usual with Desert Stonewall Democrats staffing one table thanks to Bob S, Treasurer, Randy, and Bill G.  The Democrats of the Desert staffed another table thanks to Eleanor who was the voter registrar extraordinaire!  In addition, representatives of the Palm Springs Democrats were there as well.

John Williams, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council, made an exciting visit to the Democratic Club tables in order to raise awareness about his plan to create jobs and expand existing businesses, to keep Palm Springs safe, to manage growth, and to support our senior citizens.  He has been endorsed for Palm Springs City Council by both the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club and the Palm Springs Demoratic Club.  John has been active in the community and currently serves as President of Small Hotels of Palm Springs, is a member of the Police Advisory Board, is a boardmember of the Mizell Senior Center, is a current member and former chair of the Historic Site Preservation Board for the City of Palm Springs, is secretary for the Warm Sands Neighborhood Organization, is treasurer of the Desert Business Association, and is a boardmember and co-chair of the fundraising committee of the Desert Women for Equality.

George Zander, President of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, made a brief visit in order to schmooze and to raise the spirits of the crowds even further.  As usual, George was bedecked with buttons and stickers showing support for the candidacies of Steve Pougnet for Mayor of the City of Palm Springs, Williams for Palm Springs City Council, and Rick Hutcheson for Palm Springs City Council.

Paul Clay, declared Candidate for the 45th Congressional District also made a surprise visit with his wife.  Clay easily made connections with the politicians and volunteers who were surrounding the tables.

Hopefully, we will see more visits from Greg Pettis, Candidate for CA 80th Assembly District, Pougnet, Hutcheson, and Bob Mahlowitz, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council.