Nixon, Connally and Shotgun In Oval Office

Here's an interesting photo.

Former Texas Governor John B. Connally with a shotgun and President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office in 1971.

The photo's caption by Michael Beschloss reads:

President Nixon and his Treasury Secretary, John Connally, survivor of JFK assassination in Dallas 1963, with shotgun in Oval Office, 1971.  Astonishing.

 

Apparently, the Parkland Hospital's doctors did a great job on Connally's right wrist in 1963. I shook hands with him in San Diego at a California Republican Party Convention in 1973 and he had a good strong grip.

RINO Schwarzenegger Endorses Harris

This morning, I took note of an article in The Federalist blog that former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has endorsed Kamala Harris for president.  

Of all people, he should know how bad Harris was to San Francisco and California as a whole. He was a disaster as governor and he was instrumental in the near-destruction of the Republican Party in California. The state is now essentially a one-party state thanks, to a great extent, to him. That's why the state, known now as Commiefornia, has a mass exodus of people fleeing it.

I then went to the source on the story, The Gateway Pundit, who wrote:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the self-proclaimed former “Republican” governor who famously barked at Americans opposing draconian COVID restrictions with a blunt “Screw your freedom!” during the COVID-19 pandemic, has endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, once the iconic “Terminator,” has now rebranded himself as a “capitulator.”

Ignoring the Constitution and principles of conservative Americans, Arnold now parrots the media’s anti-Trump narrative and bashes the party he supposedly represented.

Birds of a feather flock together, right?

To read more, go here. 

The Moribund California Republican Party

Above, Ronald Reagan addressing a rally at the 1979 California Republican Party
 convention at the Town & Country Hotel in San Diego. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I regularly attended the annual conventions of the California Republican Party (also known as the Republican State Central Committee of California). 

These days, state party has become a moribund shell of its former self. During the days of Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian and even Pete Wilson, the party had fairly decent leadership. I remember the days when the party mobilized its troops and won many special elections, even during the Watergate period.

Since Arnold Schwarzenegger's disastrous terms as governor, including his wacko Proposition 14, California has become essentially a one-party state. Small wonder it is called Commiefornia.

The party held its first 2024 convention in Burlingame last month. I just read one person's report on how the convention went and it is not too encouraging. 

The report, by William Del Pilar, begins with:

I am back from the California Republican Party (CAGOP) convention. My first in a few years, and many familiar faces are no longer around. While old leadership remains, I did see more younger faces than ever before. That gives me hope.

It was also great to see the San Diego Young Republicans out as a visible group. I met the future:

• A young female mayor with chutzpah, Indian farmers who’ve had enough.
• Latinos are fed up with Democrats hiding transitioning children from them.
• More blacks and Latinos are tired of CAGOP RINOs and are entering political races.

Sadly, none of that matters to an extent because leadership continues to be led by a token Latina who was elected not once, twice, but three times to serve her masters and not the people. For the bigots who want to call me racist, WRONG! I’m a conservative Latino, and I don’t need to be Latino to figure out why this person was selected to lead the CAGOP. She works for those above her who pay her, not the people!

To read the full report, go here. 

Republican Party of New Mexico Organizational Meeting

Last evening, I received the following email from the Republican Party of New Mexico.

Dear Friends, The following are helpful details regarding the Biennial Organizational Meeting next month and "Save the Date" information:   Biennial Organizational Meeting of the State Central Committee  “Save the Date”   December 3, 2022 9:00am New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum 4100 Dripping Springs Rd. Las Cruces, NM 88011

Even though Las Cruces is over 300 miles away, I am considering attending. I have been to Las Cruces once, which was for the Southern New Mexico State Fair last year. The party will be electing new officers to run the party machinery. 

I used to regularly attend the California Republican Party's state conventions, often as a voting delegate. The conventions that held elections of new officers were held in Sacramento. Driving down to Las Cruces would be about the same driving distance as Los Angeles to Sacramento. 

The California State Central Committee Conventions ran for three days. The New Mexico one appears to be a one-day affair. As such, this is probably why they call it a "meeting" instead of a convention.

Blast From The Past

Above, three "yutes": Arleigh Kerr, yours truly and Gary Julian. Photo by Ken Huthmaker(?).

Today, I received in the mailbox the above photograph. As Glenn Thornhill is clearing out stuff in preparation of moving, he came across the photo (how he ended up with it is unknown to him). Pictured are (from left) Arleigh Kerr, yours truly and Gary Julian. All of us were in our 20s when the photo was taken.

It looks like a print from Assemblyman Paul Bannai's administrative assistant Ken Huthmaker. He was an ex-press photographer who shot in black & white. Obviously, it was taken at a convention.

At first, my thought was that it was taken at a Young Republicans or California College Republicans convention. But if it was a Huthmaker photo, it is more likely from a California State Central Committee Convention in San Diego at the Town & Country Hotel (September 1975) or the convention in April 1976 in Fresno.

In either case, it was during the California Primary campaign as I am wearing a "RSD" button (for Robert Spencer Douglass, who was running for the 51st Assembly). We had a lot of conventioneers wearing them by saying they meant "Reagan Should Declare" against President Gerald Ford.

I don't recall ever seeing this photo before.

Jessica Patterson Elected California Republican Party Chair

Frankly, I don't know much about Jessica Patterson, but I understand she a Latina who beat three other candidates for the chairmanship of the California Republican Party.

Was she elected to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic or will she be able to revive, restore and grow the California Republican Party? Only time will tell.

I wish her good luck!

To read more, go here.

California Republican Party Chairman Election

The next state convention of the California Republican Party (CRP) will be held next month in Sacramento. This convention will elect a new state party chairman.

Right now, the CRP is "dead in the water and adrift". California is essentially a one-party state governed by leftist socialist Democrats who turned the state into Commiefornia. The crazy open primary system is a big factor on why the CRP is not even a shell of its former self. We can thank ex-Governor Schwarzenegger for this.

There are two ways the GOP can be a viable party in California again. One, is to go back to the former primary system. Second, is to rebuild the party from the bottom up. This includes organizing, voter registration, fundraising, candidate recruitment and training.

One candidate for state party chairman, Stephen Frank, has posted his plan of action to rebuilding the California Republican Party:



Quick Start Needed for California Republican Party – The Time for a Conversation is Over
Stephen Frank, Candidate for CRP Chair

In less than eleven months filing for the 2020 March 3 primary will close. In nine months, signatures in lieu will be opened. The time for a "conversation" is over. The time for action is now!

Just to recap: The Republican Party in November 2016 had 24 legislative seats, (Assembly State Senate and Congress), without a Republican on the ballot. As if this was not bad enough, in November 2018 there were 41 legislative seats without a Republican on the ballot - 25 Assembly, 6 State Senate and 10 congressional. In both elections there was no Republican on the ballot for U.S. Senate.

The CRP convention is seven weeks away and one candidate for Chair says we need to ‘start a conversation’. The time for talk is over, the time for action is now. As such, I am providing you with my plan of action in the first thirty days of being elected Chair.

My ‘Back to Basic’ plan provided the outline of what needs to be done to get the California Republican Party back on track and relevant again. The bylaws mandate that the Resolutions, By-laws and Initiative Committees meet at the February convention. But as per my plan, much more needs to be addressed, and done so, with a sense of urgency. To that end, and as per ‘Roberts Rules of Order’, by the end of March 2019, I will create and hold meetings of the following special committees to prepare the CRP for the 2020 election and the 2021 redistricting process.

1. Voter Registration

2. Absentee ballot harvesting

3. Communications

4. Legal issues

5. Finance a) high dollar b) low dollar

6. Ballot measures

7. Training of volunteers and candidates

8. Strengthening of County Committee’s

9. Candidate recruitment

10. Strengthening of volunteer clubs

11. Coalition building

12. Budget

13. Vote Integrity

14. Legislative challenges and coordination

I will open all these committees to the membership of the CRP, delegates and alternates. To that end, if you would like to serve on any of these committees or would like to see additional committees formed, please contact me directly at: stephenfrank@sbcglobal.net or 805-795-1271.

As a reminder: I am the only candidate for CRP chair that has been active in all areas of the Party. I was elected by a convention to the Board of Directors, served four terms as CRP parliamentarian and served on all the major and several minor committees. Unlike any other candidate, I have a working background within the State Party. If we are to revive the CRP, we must start now. We cannot afford to elect a Chair that needs time to learn and settle in. We must hit the ground running to ensure we have our people trained, our policies in place and our action plans ready to be activated in preparation for the 2020 election—and beyond.

I would be honored if you would endorse my campaign for chairman and vote for me if you are a delegate. Please vote for me, Stephen Frank, to represent all CRP members and to again make the Republican Party relevant again in California politics and policy, statewide. Can I count on your support?

###

If I were still a California resident and voting member of the CRP, I would be supporting Stephen Frank for CRP chairman. As Frank said, he's the only candidate with a "working background within the State Party." The others only have state legislative experience.

The Orange County Register has an interesting article on all of the candidates for CRP chairman. To view it, go here.

California GOP: Wartime Convention or No-Business As Usual?

The following was posted at Facebook:

Dear Chairman Brulte and Members of the California Republican Party Board of Directors:

The results of the November 6 election were a disaster for the Republican Party and the people of California. There is no other way to explain the loss of five Assembly seats, seven congressional seats, three State Senate seats, a Board of Equalization seat, 41 legislative seats without a Republican on the ballot or for the second straight cycle no GOP’er on the November ballot for U.S. Senator.

Add to that the flip of 1.7 million Republicans—from one million more Republicans than Decline to State in January, 2013, to 700,000 more Decline to State than Republicans on October 22, 2018, per the Secretary of State.

Disaster is the only appropriate word.

In a few short weeks we are going to hold a State convention. The next convention after that will be in October, 2019, when filing for the March 3, 2020 Primary starts November 11, 2019 and ends December 6, 2019. Signatures in lieu start September 12, 2019, nine months from now.. By that time we will have lost, as a body, the ability to make a difference in the Primary or General Election.

Allow me to propose a “war time” program for the 2019 Organizational Convention, February 22-24.

1. Board meeting at 10:00am on Friday, February 22.

2. Noon—Executive Committee meeting with an honest appraisal of the November election and steps to be taken to organize meetings, conferences and coalitions in preparation for the pre-filing period, use of volunteers, voter registration, etc.

3. As usual, the County Chairs meet at 2:00pm, to hold their election for a new Chair of the County Chairs. Once the election is completed, discussion of what went right and wrong in the past election, creation of action groups, plans for regional training meetings, Regional CRP Vice Chairs hold meetings with their County Chairs and develop regional approaches, to start immediately.

4. At 5:00-6:00, hold nominal meetings of CRP Committees—Rules, Resolutions, Initiatives, etc. Seriously, none of that matters after the shellacking last month. We need to do real work.

5. Saturday morning hold a series of workshops, with the goal of setting strategies, timelines and determination of assets and needed resources;

a. Voter registration

b. Absentee ballot harvesting

c. Same day voter registration

d. Working with People of Faith, educators, taxpayer groups and other interest groups

e. Legal Team meeting to discuss potential lawsuits and legal actions to protect the vote.

After the lunch—1:30 to 4:00pm the following meetings

a. Communications

b. Messaging

c. Coalitions

d. Financing

e. Coordination between donors, legislators and grass roots

4:30-6:00 Nominations for CRP offices

Sunday morning:

1. Election of offices

2. CRP Committee Reports

3. Reports from each of the Saturday working groups.

4. Setting of time for each work group to meet within thirty days

This is an example of a working convention in “war time”. The October, 2019 convention, as we all know is almost all about the Platform, an issue that has to be addressed. If we do not do real work February 22-24, 2019, we will not be able to do the work, as a body, till the 2020 convention, which means no work at all will be done. As leaders we need to show leadership. Holding the business as usual Convention at this time would be as one Board member would call it, ‘FELONY STUPID”. There are a couple dozen members of the Board—there are about 1400 members of the California Republican Party, this needs to be all hands on deck.

Will you agree to hold a working convention in February? Let’s put all the members of the California Republican Party to work!

Sincerely,

Stephen Frank, delegate, Ventura County

Ronald Reagan In San Diego

Above, Gov. Reagan addresses the rally. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that I have my old photo albums easily accessible, I have been going through them.

This morning, I was going through an album from 1979. In it, are some photos from the Fall convention of the California Republican Party (those were the days when there really was a California Republican Party) in which former Governor Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan attended a rally at the Town & Country Hotel in San Diego on September 15, 1979.

Above, Paul (Mike) Evans, lower left, is approached by the Reagans. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Reagan was getting ready for his 1980 campaign for president. He later won the nomination on the first ballot at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit.

I scanned a couple of photos of that rally. They were slightly faded, but I did some tinkering and made them look marginally better.

In San Francisco Then And Now

I came across an old photo of me that was taken in San Francisco in 1978 while I was there for a California Republican Party convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

For the fun of it, I have the photo from 1978 and one from last year below when I spoke in San Francisco at the Japan Society.

The convention, for me, was most notable for being a drunk-fest. Several candidates for state offices had hospitality suites. One would have wine, another would have margaritas and another would have a full bar. And so on. I hit them all.

This led to the worst hangover ever. A former co-worker was attending UC Berkeley and came over to join me while hitting the suites. He also got plowed. He managed to lose a very nice umbrella while in his drunken stupor. I never heard from him again following that weekend. I didn't feel better until I was flying home the next morning.

That's what happens when one mixes and has too many drinks. I never did that again! 

Here's a photo from 1978:

Above, yours truly in San Francisco in 1978. Photo by Ken Huthmaker.

And, a photo from 2015 (a lot more sober) in San Francisco:

The 39th Anniversary of My 21st Birthday

Above, the first legal drink after turning 21.

The first legal alcoholic "adult" beverage I had after turning 21 was on February 7, 1975 in the bar at the old Senator Hotel in Sacramento, just across the street from the California State Capitol Building. I was there for the bi-annual convention of the California Republican Party (known then as the Republican State Central Committee). That was the convention in which the new party leaders were elected. (Those were the days when California actually had a viable GOP.) How do I know the date of that momentous event? Well, it is written in back of the photo.

The drink was a vodka and Seven-Up, which was one my favorites at the time. The above photograph commemorated the occasion. That was a fun weekend. In fact, a group of us later had a grand time doing Richard Nixon imitations in that bar. So grand a time we had, that we didn't immediately notice U.S. Senator Robert Packwood of Oregon sitting nearby watching us. I don't remember if he was scowling or smiling. I think he was scowling.

It is hard to believe that 39 years whisked by since then. Tomorrow I am turning sixty, which (some say) is the new fifty. Okay, I'll go along with that so nobody will get an argument from me on that point. Maybe I should take a page out of President Reagan's book and call it the "39th anniversary of my 21st birthday."

Fortunately for me, I feel as well as I did on that milestone day in Sacramento. I am in great health. I walk about a mile every night. Keeping the brain exercised by blogging and through other writing activities is very important. It helps to keep the mind sharp. Perusing hobbies and being engaged in current events is also healthy for the mind. These things I also do. It also helps to have a fine lady in my life. She keeps me on my toes.

Some people get depressed over aging. I'd imagine I would be too if I had health problems. My great-uncle used to say, "Growing old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative." One should look at aging with a sense of humor. (By the way, here's a bunch of "turning 60 jokes to enjoy: http://seniors.lovetoknow.com/Turning_60_Jokes. The woman pictured looks older than 60 to me.)

Ten years ago, the fiftieth anniversary of Godzilla was celebrated. At the time, I remembered my late mother griping about another movie monster's fiftieth anniversary. Back in 1983, there was a bit of a hoopla over the the fiftieth anniversary of King Kong. My mother complained that it reminded her of her age as she was born in 1933, the year that King Kong was released. As Godzilla and I both arrived in 1954, and since I was involved in some of the festivities surrounding Godzilla's anniversary, it didn't bother me as Kong's fiftieth anniversary annoyed my mother. I still remembered her annoyance, though. I haven't yet heard Godzilla complaining about turning 60. He's probably too busy with the new movie that's coming out in May to even notice.

I do feel fortunate to have reached this age. (Believe me, I've earned every year of it.) Several friends of my age group have passed away over the past fifteen or so years. I would have liked nothing more than to have been able to celebrate our entrance into "sexagenarianhood" together with them. (Sexagenarian, I like the sound of that!) But it was  not to be. I will raise a glass or two in a toast to them when I am in Japan.

It has been an interesting 60 years. I've seen many places, met many people (some were the movers and shakers of the time), witnessed some history and done quite a number of things. I don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. I am still having fun.

It's been a good ride! So far.

John Wayne and Ronald Reagan Talk GOTV (1966)

Here's a stroll down "Memory Lane."  It is a video of John Wayne and Ronald Reagan talking GOTV (Get Out The Vote).  It was produced in 1966 by the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee with the Republican State Central Committee of California.

30th Congressional District: Democrat vs. Democrat

Regular readers of this blog know that I refused to jump on the "bandwagon" with elected Republican officials in supporting either Rep. Brad Sherman or Rep. Howard Berman in their battle in the 30th Congressional District (the district of my residence).  Neither one of them were acceptable to those of us who stand by our conservative principles.  I supported Republican Mark Reed.



This is due to the new law that the top two vote-getters in the primary election are able to face each other in the general election.  It doesn't matter which party the top-two belong to.  In this case, the top two are Democrat Liberals.

The 30th Congressional District only has a 26% Republican registration, while the Democrats have 48%.  Not much of a chance for a Republican to give the Democrats a contest.

California is dominated by Democrats who have brought this state to near-bankruptcy.  The GOP is virtually powerless to stop them.   One may as well call this a one-party dictatorship as in the former Soviet Union or China.

I considered the possibility of supporting one of the Democrats (the lesser of two evils), but there is nothing in their records that I can sink my teeth into to offer support for.  Both are "no damn good."

If the Republican Party is to make any inroads in California, it needs to rebuild itself.  The California Republican Party (i.e., the Republican State Central Committee) is primarily comprised of ineffective political hacks and virtually no money.  It really hasn't been an effective party organization since the 1980s at best.   A thorough house-cleaning is in order.

Gary Julian has posted his thoughts on the Sherman-Berman race.  To read it, go here.