Larry Elder Needs A New Campaign Manager

Above, Larry Elder. 

It is a good thing that I left the mess that is called California.

The Democrats have a lock on the powers of government and made a mess out of the state. There is a recall election against Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom. But even if he is recalled, unless the state legislature flips Republican next year, nothing will change even with a Republican governor. 

Talk show host Larry Elder has thrown his hat into the gubernatorial ring. He is a good and capable man. But I now have my doubts that he will prevail after reading the following in the Los Angeles Times:

Elder is well-known among conservatives because his nationally syndicated, three-hour talk show is broadcast daily in L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and several smaller California cities. He’s heard in all 50 states in 200 markets, with a national audience of 1.5 million.

He also has 2.5 million followers on social media.

This is why having radio audiences in Utah, Texas and Florida — and being followed by millions on social media across the country — is important politically in California.

“These are potential donors,” says Lou Barnett, his campaign manager. “He has a national fundraising base.”

Good lord! Lou Barnett is Larry Elder's campaign manager?!

Old-timers of California politics, particularly those who were in the Young Republicans in the 1970s, are very familiar with Barnett. He engineered a split between the moderate and conservative factions of the YRs and sabotaged a Reagan endorsement for president of the California Young Republicans in 1976. This was widely reported just before the 1976 New Hampshire Primary.

Above, Lou Barnett.

In 1978, he was involved in some below-the-belt shenanigans in the Evelle Younger gubernatorial campaign by hiring some private detectives against Jerry Brown. When this was exposed, this led Mrs. Mildred Younger to state publicly about Barnett, "If I were that young man, I'd be worried about my political future."

Barnett tried to get a job with the Reagan administration in 1981, but when his past came to light, Reagan advisor Ed Rollins nixed it.

Barnett pulled some shenanigans against Donald Trump's California campaign chief in 2016.

Right On Daily posted:

Lou Barnett, the husband of Late LAGOP Chair Jane Barnett is a long time “friend” of Tim Clark. He is the individual that sent a list of recommendations in LA County over to the Donald Trump camp. (Namely Tim Clark)

These lists included the White Nationalist William Johnson.

They knew that Tim Clark would wait until the last minute to vet his candidates and there was a good chance that this guy would fly through the vetting.

It was told to me that the minute the list came out with Johnson’s name on it that Mr. Barnett leaked the news to the Guardian.

Was another campaign responsible for this dirty trick or did Mr. Barnett do on his own?

Apparently, age hadn't mellowed Lou Barnett.

I like Larry Elder, but his choice of campaign manager leads me to doubt his chances. Larry Elder needs a new campaign manager.

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.

Wendy Walden Julian, 1956 - 2019

Above, Wendy Walden (Julian) and other YRs with Bob Dornan
 and Paul Bannai in 1976. Her future husband Gary is at top right.

Wendy Walden Julian passed away unexpectedly today. She was the widder of XNGH Gary Julian and was an RN and realtor. She was part of "the gang" since the 1970s.

My condolences to the Julian family and friends.

*****
UPDATE (10/28/19):

A few days after this post, I learned that Assemblyman Bannai passed away at age 99 on September 14.

2017 F.I.D.D.C. Dinner

Above, the official program. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Photos by Armand Vaquer


The 2017 F.I.D.D.C*. Dinner is now history. It was the 45th annual dinner.

College and (not too) Young Republicans gathered today at the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in Northridge to celebrate the new year and take a fond look back at the past year of politics and events.

Above, the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in Northridge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This is the F.I.D.D.C.'s first dinner at the Tilted Kilt since The Man Cave in Studio City went out of business. We were served by the Kilt Girls.

We "handed" out the annual Freddie Awards, lit and snuffed out the "Eternal Turkey" and read last year's dinner's predictions and made our predictions for this year.

A great time of drinks, food, jokes and general fun was had by all.

Some photos of the dinner:

*I can't say what F.I.D.D.C. stands for. It's TOP SECRET!

Last Night At Tony Roma's

Above, from left, Tim Denton, Mark Rosenthal, Glenn Thornhill, Arleigh Kerr and yours truly at Tony Roma's.

An annual event will take place today at the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery in Northridge. It is something that dates back to our Young Republican days back in college.

As such, friends have come in from out of state to attend. In this case, Arleigh Kerr arrived yesterday from Lexington, Kentucky.

Last night Arleigh, Tim Denton, Mark Rosenthal, Glenn Thornhill and I met up at Tony Roma's in Encino for dinner. As what usually happens, we closed the place as we sat there in conversation about political events, some humorous and not-so-humorous.

I apparently missed the news last month that former California Lt. Governor Ed Reinecke passed away on Christmas Eve at age 92 as he came up in the conversation (most of us worked in his 1974 campaign for governor). I had met Reinecke and got to know him a little bit and he would have been a great governor, but he got railroaded with a phony Watergate-related charge that was later dismissed.

We had a good time and had a lot of laughs.

Annual Dinner

Above, (from left) Mike Collins, Mike Costelloe, Bob Kerns and Tom Cotrel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On this rainy day in the San Fernando Valley, I made the trek to the Studio City area for our annual get-together dinner of former Young Republicans (I guess you can now call us Old Republicans) and other political hacks from our college days. The gathering consisted those from California State University, Northridge, El Camino College, Pierce College and others.

It is hard to believe I've known most of these guys for over 40 years.

The dinner was held at The Man Cave Sports Bar. I had never been there before. Upon walking in, the first thing I saw was a blonde girl, nude, being painted. (Later, more nude women were getting painted.)

Unfortunately (or fortunately, it depends), they weren't a part of our group as we reserved an upper level dining area. So I have no clue what all that was about.

The dinner, as usual, was enjoyable. It was dinner number 44 since the tradition started in the early 1970s. A good time was had by all.