For a second year, Fox and Hounds Daily will offer the Black Bart Award
as Californian of the Year. As with last year, veteran California political
writers and analysts, John Wildermuth and Joe Mathews, will join me in nominating a
Californian of the Year; and a couple of honorable mentions, if the writer
chooses.
There are no specific criteria to follow in making the selection. Each
author will explain his reason for making his choice. Then we will try to reach
consensus. Perhaps, the selection took one courageous act, or a dastardly deed
that had great repercussions, or performed heroically in difficult
circumstances.
Last year’s award winner was then state senator Abel Maldonado,
recognized because Maldonado’s actions and ambitions seemed to dominate the conversation
over the course of the entire year from his February budget vote, to his
maneuvering for the top two primary to his November nomination for Lt.
Governor.
We thought, since those of us who practice in the political world are
considered scoundrels, that Black Bart would make a good symbol for saluting
the Californian of the Year. Black Bart was a notorious outlaw from
California’s frontier days. But he was known as a gentleman outlaw. While
robbing 26 California stagecoaches from 1875 to 1883, he never shot a gun
(although he was shot in the course of a robbery), never cussed, and was polite
to his victims. Another thing: he believed himself a bit of an artist leaving
poetry at the scene of some of his holdups, signing at least one poem: Black
Bart the po8.
Our winner could be a gentle soul but still be involved in the art of
political give and take. And, all of us Californians are artists in our own
worlds-at least many of us have an unproduced or half-written screenplay.
As 2010 comes to a close, we can look back at a lot of people and events
that added verve and color to California politics and business this year. As a
good-bye salute to 2010, Fox and Hounds Daily will choose a Californian of the
Year.
Our readers should feel free in nominating their own choices in the
comment sections after the articles.
John’s award nominating piece is published today, Joe’s Tuesday, mine
Wednesday. On Thursday we’ll offer our consensus opinion and name the Black
Bart Award winner-then Fox and Hounds Daily will be off until January 3, 2011
to await the inauguration of the new governor.
Happy Holiday Season to All.