Plus: Missed in the guerrillas, Part II.

Isn't this sort of thing supposed to happen in the crude, macho U.S.? Emmanuelle Richard, blogging bilingually on the horrible French scandal of the summer. It's worse than Kobe. ... P.S.: I would rely on Emmanuelle's own translation rather than the Google translator, which identifies Bryant as "the star of the marked tennis shoe of rape." [Actually that's kind of evocative-ed. I don't want to have to lawyer this item, OK?] ...  11:14 P.M.

Choke hold: Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the obvious savior of the Democrats in California--but the California Teachers Association "would choke on a Feinstein candidacy" because of her heretical willingness to support program of school vouchers for the District of Columbia, report the S.F. Chronicle's Matier and Ross. The D.C. voucher plan is just a) an experimental pilot program in b) a single city with c) a demonstrably bad school system, but that's still too much for the union. After all, it might work. ... Remedial reading for Louis Uchitelle: In other recall-related news, Governor Gray Davis has finally signed a budget. He gave a speech taking credit  for avoiding harsh cuts. Daniel Weintraub concisely explains why this budget is--yes-- a house of cards based on wishful thinking and sleight of hand that merely postpones the pain!

The bottom line is that by next May, the state will almost certainly be facing a new shortfall of at least $12 billion--the same stubborn structural deficit that the governor and the Legislature have been ignoring since the dot-com crash in the spring of 2000.

Unfun facts: The state may have been $38 billion in the hole, but the budget still "raises the pay of state employees." No wonder the unions like the status quo. ... The budget also depends on "an unprecedented bond the state hopes to sell to repay the $10.7 billion deficit"--a bond issue that looks ever-so-slightly illegal. ... Psst ... : Prof. Rick Hasen thinks the whole Oct. 7 recall election will be postponed  by the courts, but not put off all the way to March, 2004 (as Gov. Davis wants), ... Will the courts also extend the time to file against Davis and thus prolong the Democrats' agony? ...9:53 P.M.

Saturday, August 2, 2003 

Beeblogger Daniel Weintraub, reflecting worries of GOP analyst Tony Quinn, seems to think there's a chance the California Supreme Court will use a strained legal interpretation to intervene and cancel the "replacement" part  of the October 7 gubernatorial recall (meaning that if Gov. Davis loses the recall vote, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante would automatically become governor without an election). I share Quinn's fear of a Bush-v.-Gore like judicial intervention on "stop the madness" grounds. It seems significant that the California court  scheduled written briefsin the case (instead of just throwing it out of court).  Why'd they do that if they weren't willing to be convinced they have a basis for blocking the "replacement" election? ...2:03 A.M.

Friday, August 1, 2003 

Missed in the Guerillas, II: Hassan Fatah, in the New Republic, says that not only would "small groups of resistance fighters unconnected to each other" be a more dangerous foe than an "organized 'guerrilla-type campaign' orchestrated by Saddam loyalists"--but the former is exactly the threat we're facing.

It seems as if a new anti-American group is popping up every day. None of these groups appear to be coordinating with each other or with any of Saddam's former top lieutenants. And none show a desire to see Saddam return.

The Pentagonwishes we were facing an organized guerrilla force of Baath loyalists. ... P.S.: Tribal codes that require revenge killings if American troops kill civilians are one cause of the attacks, apparently. (They're clearly a factor in the horrifying incident recounted in Anthony Shadid's latest WaPo dispatch.) ... Fatah sketches a strategy American forces are using to respond to the new threat. ... The other obvious strategy is for our troops to get out as soon as it's feasible. ... [Note: I think that link will get you past TNR's ill-advised subscription firewall. If it doesn't, complain to TNR co-owner Roger Hertog!]  12:59 P.M.

More Democrats standing firm behind Gov. Gray Davis!