January 29, 2008

Tuesday tidbits

• LGBT for 93? That's the argument Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, has made in an e-mail letter urging support for Proposition 93, the term limits measure.

Laird, who is scheduled to term out of the Assembly at the end of this year, has been a big proponent of Proposition 93, including opening his own campaign account for the measure, Monterey Bay and South Bay Committee for Yes on Proposition 93.

The Bay Area Reporter has the story of Laird's unique pitch:

He used a new approach specifically geared to LGBT voters. In a letter circulated via e-mail, Laird couches support for the measure in terms of advancement of LGBT rights. He suggests that if the measure does not pass, it will lead to the demise of the LGBT caucus in the statehouse.

He argues that, "Without reform, term limits threaten the strength of the Legislature's LGBT Caucus. Formed in 2002 with five legislators – the largest state legislative LGBT caucus in the nation – the caucus hit a high-water mark with six legislators in the 2005-06 session," wrote Laird, apparently unaware that California is now tied with two other states in third place for the most out statehouse members. New Hampshire, with seven out state legislators, now has first place honors.

Laird never explicitly states that he will be termed out this fall in the letter. Instead, he argues that passage of Prop 93 will be a "decisive victory" for the LGBT community.

"By allowing legislators to serve up to 12 years in one house, we will have a much better shot of moving forward more quickly on LGBT issues – because we'll have the opportunity to build a more solid, stable base of support in the Legislature for the issues that matter most to us," wrote Laird.

• Josh Richman at the Oakland Tribune's politics blog rounds up Bay Area Democrats' responses to the President Bush's last State of the Union.

• Sen. John McCain, who is running ahead in California polls, announced his California leadership team today. (Many of the names have been previously announced.) They are:

State Chair
The Honorable Bill Jones - Former California Secretary of State

Honorary Vice Chairs
Mayor Alan Autry, Fresno
Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles County
The Honorable James Brulte - Former California State Senate Republican Leader
The Honorable James Cunneen, Former State Assemblyman, District 24
Dr. Tirso del Junco, Former California Republican Party Chairman
Supervisor Deidre Kelsey, Merced County
The Honorable Steve Kuykendall, Former U.S. Representative (CA-36)
U.S. Representative Dan Lungren (CA-3)
The Honorable James Nielson, Former State Senator, District 2
The Honorable Doug Ose, Former U.S. Representative (CA-3)
District Attorney Rod Pacheco, Riverside
Sheriff Mark Pazin, Merced County

• Meanwhile, Variety looks at how McCain is faring among Hollywood's glitterati.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on January 29, 2008 9:36 AM