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Hear PBC on a podcast!

I’m still planning to launch the PBC podcast in June, and in the meantime, I joined media critic and progressive leader Norman Solomon on a podcast hosted by Joan Kenley.  The show is called “The Media: What’s True, What’s Not” and we explore the media’s role in the selling of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other issues.

Find the podcast at www.joankenley.com starting April 11.

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One door closes………

and another door has opened.  A few callers used that phrase to comfort me during our last week on the air.  I don’t quite consider it a cliche, because it’s true, too often.

The week after I signed off, I stopped in Sacramento–on my way to ski at Lake Tahoe–to visit Lt. Governor John Garamendi.  The meeting was requested by my friend John Ames, who has started the Genomics Education Institute and wanted to update the LG on his progress.  At the end of the meeting, I told Mr. Garamendi that I had gotten to know him pretty well through our radio interviews (dating back to 1990), and that I think he is the best candidate for Governor next year. And I mentioned that I’d like to work on his campaign when it gets rolling, as media consultant.

Since the primary is 14 months away, I didn’t expect any immediate response.  To my surprise, John called back a few days later, and on April 3 I was hired as consultant on media and message.  We are gearing up for the Democratic state convention in Sacramento April 24-26, so I’m now immersed in the policies and politics of California.

It’s pretty easy to be an outside critic with a radio show, but when you dive into the political pool–some would say “cesspool”–at a crisis point like today, it’s sobering and scary.  California is in very deep trouble, and we really can’t continue to play the special interest games that have ruled Sacramento for as long as I’ve followed the action.  The stakes are really high, we have a fictional budget that will soon collapse, again, as most Democratic leaders have been forced into a diabolical partnership with the Governator to pass a 6-pack of ballot measures on May 19 that will only make things worse, if they pass.

Garamendi has experience and vision, and the courage to lead us out of this mess–that’s why I offered to work for him.   Let me know if you support John, and would like to help in your area.