LA Times political columnist, with a focus on the West, from the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol. California uber alles. Cat on a tin roof. Dogs in a pile.
Apr 23, 2021 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
Not to burst any bubbles (@Caitlyn_Jenner), and tabloids are gonna tabloid regardless, but comparisons with @Schwarzenegger and the 2003 California recall are, to put it bluntly, a bunch of hooey/1
Much of his appeal was based not so much on celebrity as his stance as a political outsider and perceptions Arnold transcended both major parties. But that experiment in on-the-job gubernatorial training didn't end so well/2
Nov 7, 2020 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Short thread, with some history-->
It is rare for sitting presidents to lose at the polls. Incumbents seeking a second term have won 17 of 24 times since 1860, a better than 70% success rate. The last president to lose his reelection bid was George H.W. Bush in 1992/1
But Trump faced powerful countervailing forces: the pandemic, the economic collapse, and a wrenching debate over the country’s painful history of racial discrimination. Alone among modern presidents, Trump’s approval rating never surpassed 50% in a reliable opinion survey/2
Feb 13, 2020 • 8 tweets • 1 min read
The polling was so useless ahead of the Iowa caucuses (an effective tie) and New Hampshire (Sanders by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin) that, of course, let us hie ourselves to check out all the latest polling!
Here's one of the sad things about political coverage in this day and age. It's much cheaper (as in costing virtually nothing) to sit at a laptop and “report” on polls than to go out and do actual reporting… *Please see below
Dec 9, 2019 • 13 tweets • 7 min read
There’s a saying the two happiest days of a boater's life are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell it. The same might be said about @KamalaHarris ’ campaign for presiden latimes.com/politics/story…
{Thread}
@KamalaHarris Arguably the best day of her campaign was that splashy kickoff rally in Oakland. The second best was the day she quit, preserving her viability as a prospective vice presidential pick and/or cabinet member in a Democratic administration...
Oct 4, 2019 • 22 tweets • 10 min read
When @KamalaHarris launched her presidential bid she counted California as a major asset. But rather than serving as a foundation, the senator’s home state is exposing the cracks in her campaign. Herewith, a thread seeking to explain why: latimes.com/politics/story…@KamalaHarris Being elected California governor or senator automatically puts that lawmaker on the short list of potential presidential/vice presidential contenders. And why not? It’s the richest, most populous and, indisputably gorgeous state in the country…
