George Putnam
George Putnam, the legendary pioneering newsman and radio talk show host who helped energize the electorate to pass property tax cutting Proposition 13, passed away in Chino on Friday at the age of 94. Putnam was a fixture on Los Angeles television and radio for 50 years in a career that spanned 70 years. He was still working at the mic on his syndicated “Talk Back” radio program up until a few months ago.
Putnam advocated for property tax reform for many years. He offered an open microphone to Prop 13 co-author Howard Jarvis on his program day after day. Putnam once said Jarvis appeared about 50 days in a row at one stretch. In turn, Jarvis credited Putnam, along with fellow talk radio hosts Ray Briem and Hilly Rose with getting the message out on Proposition 13.
The issue of property tax reform was one Putnam adopted well before any modern day property tax measure appeared on the ballot. In 1957 he helped conduct a rally at the Los Angeles Coliseum against high property taxes, although he once told me the organizers could have picked a better venue. Six thousand protestors looked lost in the cavernous arena. “If you’re going to impress people, for God’s sake, put it in a small area so that it overwhelms the room,” Putnam said.
Teacher Army
I attended an interesting panel discussion at the Los Angeles Central Library last night moderated by journalist and Fox and Hounds Daily contributor Joe Mathews on the topic: Do Teachers Unions Have Too Much Power Or Not Enough?
The question never was answered directly, but one thing that stood out was the idea from Joshua Pechthalt, vice president of United Teachers Los Angeles, for a teachers’ army. Pechthalt noted that teachers have a “footprint in every community in the country” and suggested they could serve as a catalyst for social change.
The way he expressed his idea, it sounded eerily like a plan consisting of hidden cells planted around the country that would rise up at the same time and march forward to pursue a liberal agenda that he listed in his remarks. Not that a social or political movement spurred on by ideas is unprecedented in this country. But what struck me was the underlying idea that all teachers think the same way and will carry out this program. I don’t believe that’s true.
Steve Barr, head of Greendot Charter Schools, also sat on the panel and had some compelling ideas on how to improve schools by bringing more money to the classroom and giving more control to teachers. Perhaps more on that at another time.
Recall Effort Could Backfire on Union
The prison guard union’s announcement that it will file recall papers against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger may not work out as union officials expect. This action will put a spotlight on the union and add evidence to the charge that public employee unions want to wrap up control of state government. Two weeks ago on this site, Patrick Dorinson drew a comparison between the public employee unions’ efforts to dominate state government and the railroad barons’ control of state government at the beginning of the 20th century. This recall effort is another piece of evidence to endorse that argument.
The California Correctional Peace Officer Association’s charge that this recall effort is not about money and the two-year old contract dispute with the governor is laughable. Everyone will see it for what it is.
The Republican Convention from a Reporter’s Point of View
Because of extensive reporting at last week’s Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, we know what the politicians and the delegates thought about the proceedings. But I wondered what a reporter might think of all the activity swirling around in the convention hall as he did his job. On one of the many long bus rides the California delegation had to take from its hotel to the convention center, I turned the tables and interviewed reporter John Myers from San Francisco’s National Public Radio station, KQED.
Myers is a respected veteran covering California politics as Sacramento Bureau Chief for KQED. In addition to his radio duties, he also blogs on politics at his Capitol Notes website.
Last week’s convention was the third one Myers covered. Previously, he reported on the Democratic Conventions in New York in 1992 and Los Angeles in 2000.
Raising McCain
Senator John McCain accepted his party’s nomination for President in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center last night in front of an enthusiastic audience. However, the excitement meter was turned down a bit from the previous night when Governor Sarah Palin spoke to the convention.
McCain’s address did not provide the drama, anticipation or the curiosity that the little known governor of Alaska offered the previous night. Then again, more drama was expected from a person that the Senator’s wife, Cindy, described earlier in the evening as “a pistol packing mother of five.”
As to McCain’s speech, the reviews from the California delegation were mostly positive. McCain was lauded for his direct approach and straight talk. I was told McCain understands the need to move the government forward with 21st century ideas. Others said he delivered the speech he had to give and did it well.
A former governor and, perhaps, a future one?
Former CA Governor Pete Wilson and Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman
Photos from Day 3 at the RNC
Secretary Rosario Marin and Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia in the California delegation
Palin Pizzazz
Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska lit up the Republican National Convention last night and turned anxious delegates into wild cheerleaders. Many delegates admitted waiting with unease for what amounted to a coming out party for the little-known governor. If Palin didn’t perform well, the delegates felt the campaign for President would never gain momentum.
But measuring the feelings of delegates who witnessed the speech in the Xcel Center, all concerns were put to rest. Former California Governor Pete Wilson said she was subject to “uncharitable speculation” before the speech that she would not do well. He said he was confident going into the speech that she would succeed. After he heard the speech, Wilson said, “My confidence was more than vindicated. She connected with the audience here in the hall and in the living rooms all over America.”
Political strategist Jeff Randle said that Palin had no room for error after the pounding she had taken since John McCain’s announcement that he had chosen her as a running mate. Randle said she made no error. Anaheim mayor Curt Pringle admitted to being anxious about her performance before the speech but concluded after the speech that it was “great and she over-performed.”
Delegates React to Thompson, Lieberman Speeches & Other Items at the RNC
Fred Thompson rocked the house at the Republican Convention last night in St Paul, Minnesota, but Sen. Joe Lieberman left a larger mark on the delegates at the convention.
Democrat Lieberman went farther than he was expected to go in support of Republican McCain according to a number of delegates in the hall. Despite a host of previous speakers, it fell to the Democrat Lieberman to first mention by name Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama.
“Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record — not in these tough times,” Lieberman said. He added, “In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.”
At the Republican Convention, a Pregnant Pause
With all eyes fixed on Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast the Republican Convention was prepared for a quiet, uneventful, first day. Then as one reporter labeled it, the “hot story” broke–the news that presumptive Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol was pregnant. This was the number one issue for reporters to the delegates. What would the news mean to Palin’s candidacy? How will the news effect the convention? What kind of mother is Palin? Did the McCain team know and when did they know it?
The campaign’s response was that McCain knew ahead of time and that the media should leave the candidate’s children out of campaign reporting. Even Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama argued that the media should stay away from the story.
The delegates rallied around Palin. On nearly every occasion when the names of John McCain and Sarah Palin were mentioned from the podium, Palin’s name received the louder cheer.