The Political Insider of the Desert Sun was surprised to find Steve Clute with us at Manuel Perez's victory party last week. We weren't. When Manuel Perez announced his candidacy for the 80th AD, Steve Clute was there. Steve Clute was part of our kickoff, and his endorsement quote headed the original website: "Manuel has the heart, corazon, to truly represent the people of this district." Clute left me a classy message before the campaign, and called me afterwards to thank me again for my work on behalf of Manuel. He made that call to everyone heavily involved in the campaign.
As we head into the general election, it's appropriate to take a moment to appreciate what a mensch Steve Clute's been throughout this campaign.
As I reported in an earlier blog, Dale Wissman, California School Employees Association, wrote a piece that disrespected Julie Bornstein, Democratic Nominee for the 45th Congressional District, Greg Pettis, former-Democratic Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, Pettis' supporters and bloggers, The Desert Sun, and the TDS' editorial staff and reporters. Rather than focus on the Victor Manuel Perez victory Tuesday in the Democratic primary for the 80th AD and on solidifying support for Perez amongst the West Valley Democrats and Decline to States, Wissman chose to go beyond the pale, to gloat about his responsibility for the victory, and to slam all of his perceived opponents. Wissman's email was then published on his cousin's blog, sending shockwaves through the Coachella Valley. (BBBz note: blog has now deleted the offensive post.)
Wissman, in response to intense public pressure from local Democratic club leadership, including President of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club George Zander, and to the increasing dismay of the Perez camp for the resulting alienation of local Democratic Club leadership, Democratic electeds in the West Valley, and the local Democratic activists and bloggers (soyinkafan's "West Valley elite"), apologized for the publication of his offensive email.
Ethics, honesty, fair play, honor, common sense, intelligence and truthfulness. Some, or all, of these were missing from several of the various campaigns leading up to the June 3rd primary election. Has politics always been a nasty business? Sorry, there are no answers in this blog.
More than that, at least for now, I cannot promise....
I consider myself a Yellow Dog Democrat and 80th Assembly District candidate Manuel Perez will have my vote in November. More than that, at least for now, I cannot promise.
As the Perez and Pettis campaigns began to kiss and make up, Dale Wissman, CSEA, posted a blog that brought the detente to an abrupt, and quite possibley, permenant, halt. Wissman disrespected Julie Bornstein, Democratic Candidate for the 45th Congressional District, Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember and former-Candidate for the 80th AD, Pettis' supporters and bloggers, the Democratic Clubs that supported Pettis, the unions that supported Pettis, The Desert Sun which endorsed Pettis over Perez, and the Desert Sun editorial staff and reporters.
Wissman could not have alienated potential support in the West Valley any more than he just did in his mydesert.com blog.
Wissman has apparently not been heeding the role modeling enacted by the Sen. Barack Obama campaign with Sen. Hillary Clinton and her supporters. Then again, the Obama and Clinton campaigns involve veteran staffers who do know how to 'kiss and make up.'
The response of George Zander, President of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club and Wissman's original blog are all posted below.
Disclosure: I've been a volunteer with the Perez campaign since April 2007.
We won. Manuel Perez won the Democratic nomination for the 80th Assembly District in California. He won thanks to grassroots organizing, an insightful and professional grasp of core issues, and the powerful support of his brothers and sisters across the broad spectrum of the labor movement. But essentially because he's a mensch, and he's in this for us. His rally speech at 2pm:
It's been such a joy to be a part of this campaign. Manuel is the real thing, and it's an honor to help. This is a seat California Democrats are determined to win.
Updated on Sun., June 8th to trim a bit, title was From Rally to Victory Speech - Election Day.
Gladis, Carlos, and Ruben last night at the Coachella campaign office (Alejandro was working for dad, too, this is a great bunch). Met my Calitics buddy Dan last night at last, and he's hitting the streets today. I've been well-trained to fear the kaynehorah (evil eye), but not Carlos. He felt good about the work they've done last night, and he's felt happy and positive for the entire campaign. This is his first time out as a field organizer, and the 200 campaign volunteers hitting the streets today are testament to his work this past year. It's 100 degrees in the Coachella Valley today. Low turnout expected by the registrar, she estimates 30%, 31%. But not among the ID'd voters for this campaign. The walk lists have less than 50 households per, because we are rich in volunteers. Plus, the union workers are out there, and who knows what their number is.
Manuel Perez is at once scholarly, passionate, and gracious. He knows public policy from both the planning and outcome perspectives, so give him a topic, and he'll give you a progressive and practical answer, with footnotes.
Manuel Perez wasn't going to be at the Rancho Mirage Library for the candidate forum Friday night. He was scheduled to be the honoree at an event for a coalition of fellow nonprofits, and they had already rescheduled the event around his campaign once. But we finally convinced him that a candidate has no choice but to be there, and he was brilliant. The interaction among the 80th candidates showed a clear frontrunner, the focus of both Rick Gonzales and Greg Pettis's attention. Manuel pivoted on both challenges, and his scope of understanding about education, healthcare, jobs and the environment was finally on display in the proper context.
Well, well, well. Just when I thought that the Victor Manuel Perez for 80th Assembly District campaign was intimately involved with the current sleeze campaign being waged against Greg Pettis, Democratic Candidate for 80th Assembly District, they just might have proved me wrong. The recent mailings by Opportunity PAC to voters in Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, and Imperial County have voters alternatively scratching their heads and guffawing in uncontrollable laughter.
Victor Manuel Perez, his campaign for 80th Assembly District, and his employer cannot seem to agree on his job title. Wondering here why the major discrepancies.
Perez and his campaign sent out fact sheets and fliers to the voters of the Coachella Valley and Imperial County stating that Perez was 'Director of Community Health & Advocacy' at his place of employment, the Borrego Community Health Foundation. Perez also 'sold' the idea that he was a 'healthcare worker' to the California Nurses Association in seeking and obtaining their endorsement for the 80th AD.
However, when I placed calls to the Borrego Centro Medico Mobile Unit where Perez works, employees informed me that Perez was in fact 'Facilities and Maintenance Manager.' Seems a far step from Director of Community Health & Advocacy and healthcare worker.
Erica Solvig, reporter for The Desert Sun, in an article entitled "Outside funding inundates primary reports that special interests outside the CA 80th Assembly District have flooded the Coachella and Imperial Valleys with hate mail on behalf of Victor Manuel Perez. In fact, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission, Opportunity PAC has spent or plans to spend approximately $450,000 on hit pieces on behalf of Manuel Perez targeting the frontrunner Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilman and former Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City. One has to wonder just what Opportunity PAC hopes to get in return for its investment should Perez be elected. One also has to wonder what the workers and their families in these AFL-CIO-labeled 'rogue unions' who typically make between $18,000 and $24,000 per annum might think about such expenditures by this PAC for a little-accomplished candidate on behalf of them.
Voters across the District also report receiving repeated live phone calls purported to be from the Pettis campaign at all hours of the day and night but that are clearly not from the Pettis campaign. This is an apparent attempt on the part of special interests to suppress voter turnout in areas of Pettis strength in the District.' The Pettis campaign has received 'many' reports on these harassing phone calls.
XPosted 5/18/2008 10:40 AM PDT on DailyKos in blog by BlueBeaumontBoyz and on MyDesert.com in blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember for more than 13 years, former Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, and Progressive Democratic Candidate for the 80th Assembly District obtained the endorsement of The Desert Sun on May 4, 2008, for the November Democratic primary for the CA 80th AD due to his years of remarkable service, his involvement in the local Coachella and Imperial Valley communities, and his accomplishments and plans during his terms of office. Pettis obtained the solid endorsement of The Desert Sun.
U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and Congressmember from the Massachusetts 4th CD, gave a stirring speech early this evening to spur local Progressive Democratic activists to action on behalf of Cathedral City Councilmember Greg Pettis in his bid to replace the termed-out Bonnie Garcia (R) in the CA 80th Assembly District. Pettis is in his 14th year as Cathedral City Councilmember and has served as Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem. Frank noted in his talk that State government always benefits from having someone of Pettis' caliber move from local government to the State Assembly.
Frank, as usual, a combination entertainer, progressive Democratic rabble-rouser, and spiritual leader to thousands in the 80th AD, spoke about the failures of the Bush Administration in the areas of the environment, the economy, and education. Sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes assertive, and oftentimes Barney Frank, he delighted his audience with stories of Washington, D.C., and hopes for California and the 80th AD. Frank attacked the incompetence of the Bush Administration and the ambivalence of the Republicans towards freedom of speech. Frank noted that the monies wantonly spent during election campaigns is necessary and is protected under 'Freedom of Speech.' However, according to Frank, the financing of campaigns is one of the few areas where Republicans seem interested in protecting Freedom of Speech. Frank exhorted the attendees to help to fund Pettis' bid for the 80th AD, especially in light of the appalling amounts of monies being spent by the AFL-CIO-labeled rogue union and associations on behalf of the pretender to the Democratic nomination.
The California 80th Assembly District has the affluence of Palm Springs and La Quinta, where the well-off winter, and the Grapes of Wrath poverty of Duroville.
Manuel Perez: "For too long, the 80th Assembly District has been ignored and neglected by politicians. Growing up the son of farm workers, I know the struggles of working families. I will fight locally and in Sacramento to bring new opportunities and prosperity to all our communities."
Manuel Perez focuses on parents as well as students as a School Board Trustee, recruiting them to work with him to reverse the schools to jails pipeline in our poverty burdened communities. But it's not enough to educate, we need jobs in California, and specifically a green tech business plan from Palm Springs to Calexico. Check the plan on the flip.
XPosted 5/23/2008 6:21 PM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog of BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Coachella City Councilmember Gilbert Ramirez, Jr., former Candidate for the 80th Assembly District seat being vacated by the termed-out Bonnie Garcia (R), has endorsed Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember for more than 13 years and former-Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, for the 80th AD. Ramirez joins former-Mayor of Coachella Juan DeLara in endorsing Pettis's bid for the 80th AD.
Pettis widespread support for his candidacy in the Latino/Latina communities is also apparent in his endorsements by Co-founder of the Palm Springs Democratic Club Lisa Arbelaez, Desert Stonewall Democratic Club activist Bill Cain-Gonzales, Candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District Greg Rodriguez, and Candidate for the 41st Congressional District Dr. Rita Ramirez-Dean. Pettis has also received endorsements from such Latino/Latina community activists as Christopher Arellano, Larry Baza, Juliet DeLara, Olivia DeLara. Tony Escobedo, Sylvia Escobedo, Maylon Gonzales, Jose Lemus, Christina Marquez, Rodolfo Martinez, David Membrez, Sylvia Preciado, Leticia Quezada, Nicole Ramirez, Dan Ruiz, Anthony Tapia, Ed Torres, and Joe Velasquez.
XPosted 5/23/2008 1:14 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in Blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 440 has endorsed Pettis in his race to replace Bonnie Garcia. IBEW Local 440 has long been active in Coachella Valley politics and Progressive Democratic circles.
Chuck McDaniel, an IBEW Local 440 leader and activist, had previously endorsed Pettis for the 80th AD. McDaniel is also Vice-President of the newly formed Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club and is a member of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee.
Garcia is termed out and cannot run for re-election.
Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet
Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat
Palm Springs City Councilmember Rick Hutcheson
Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund
Equality California
The Bottom Line Magazine
Palm Springs Democratic Club
Desert Stonewall Democratic Club
Invite you to meet
U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA)
and to join him in supporting
Greg Pettis
For California State Assembly (80th AD)
Saturday May 24, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.
Location for the Cocktail Reception at the home of Andy Linsky will be provided with a confirmed reservation
Suggested minimum contribution: $100 per person
Sponsor: $500 ~ Co-Host: $1000
XPosted 5/21/2008 8:50 PM PDT on MyDesert.com in Blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Well, well, well. The character of a man is demonstrated when under pressure. Seems that the leadership of Victor Manuel Perez, Democratic Candidate for the 80th Assembly District fails in more ways than one in the closing weeks of the campaign.
As suggested in the last electronic filing period, Greg Pettis has outraised and outspent his Democratic rivals combined. Not just outraising Perez, but Perez, Gonzales, and Gutierrez combined! The Desert Sun, in its editorial endorsement in the Democratic primary, echoed the endorsements of Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, former-Controller Steve Westly, State Controller John Chiang, State Board of Equalization Member Judy Chu, State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, and State Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Sally Lieber in noting Pettis' exceptional experience and accomplishments during more than 14 years as Cathedral City Councilmember and Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem. The Desert Sun also noted that Pettis was sure to continue to be a presence in the Coachella Valley following election, in this writer's opinion, much unlike U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Baxely Mack and State Assemblymember Bonnie Garcia. Garamendi stated,
"I'm getting behind Greg Pettis because he has a long record of results that matter to families throughout the Coachella and Imperial Valleys, and the experience to deliver on the promise of creating a healthier California," Garamendi said.
"We need to put this seat in the hands of someone who will be ready from the first day in office to make our health care system more affordable and accessible, to improve our economy by reducing the achievement gap in our schools and keeping college affordable for more students and to take the lead in combating global climate change," Garamendi added.
Xposted 5/20/2008 8:58 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
The Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District campaign announced earlier that Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, the highest-ranking Democratic elected official in California endorsed Pettis for the 80th AD to replace the termed-out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R). The campaign Press Release is as follows:
Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, the highest-ranking Democratic official in state government, has endorsed Greg Pettis in the open 80th Assembly District race.
"While Democrats in the 80th AD are fortunate to have a wealth of choices this year, I'm getting behind Greg Pettis because he has a long record of results that matter to families throughout the Coachella and Imperial Valleys, and the experience to deliver on the promise of creating a healthier California," Garamendi said.
Based on an XPost 5/19/2008 12:00 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in BluePalmSpringsBoyz blog
Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember for more than 13 years, former Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem, and Democratic Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District has again and again shown his ongoing and indefatigable support for the issues that are important to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. As indicated in earlier posts, Pettis is the only Candidate for the 80th AD, Democratic or Republican, to consistently and openly support Marriage Equality and Civil Rights for all members of the LGBT community. His opponent Rick Gonzales and Richard Guttierez have stated in public forums such as Democratic Club Candidates' forums that each would vote 'nay' on Marriage Equality. Victor Manuel Perez has refused to indicate in public whether or not he would vote for Marriage Equality if elected and shied away from answering directly at the same forums (his surrogates say that Perez supports 'gay marriage,' but Perez has not indicated that he would ever vote 'yea' on Marriage Equality in the Assembly. When his Campaign Director 'informed' members of the Desert Stonewall Democrats that Perez supported 'gay marriage,' members erupted in incredulity).
