Campaign Against Bush: EPIC Style?
This part of the conversation is run-of-the-mill cocktail party chatter across America right now:
"It's completely unprecedented!" says I. "I mean, think about it, when has it ever happened that millions of people have paid money to see an in-depth anti-incumbent 2-hour movie? I mean, it hasn't! And in red states too!"

This part is new:
"Actually, it's not completely unprecedented. This is basically what the right wing did against the EPIC campaign," says CLCV So Cal Political Czar, David Allgood.

"EPIC?" screech I. "What's EPIC?"

Okay, so then he reminds me: EPIC: Upton Sinclair's radical comprehensive plan to End Poverty in California, upon which he built his race for Governor in 1933.

A modicum of insufficient internet research (found some USC grad's Ph.D. fascinating thesis called Going Negative: the Smear Campaign Against Upton Sinclair) reveals both more and fewer parallels between the campaigns than even Allgood, no doubt paralyzed by temporary alcohol and nicotine withdrawal, contemplated:

True, cinematic genius and studio controller Louis B. Mayer played a key role in defeating Sinclair and electing conservative Republican Frank Merriam by creating and widely distributing several fake newsreels purporting to show the disastrous results if Upton Sinclair were elected Governor.

But a closer look at that 1933 election reveals even more similarity to this Presidential race. The real reason Sinclair seems to have lost was an unravelling of his own base, his own party. He was, it seems, successfully portrayed at least, as so far out of step with the mainstream FDR Democratic party that large factions defected every day on the campaign trail. Throughout the campaign, Merriam seems to have laid relatively low and allowed Sinclair's many detractors to bring him down.

The apparently wild success of Fahrenheit 9/11, especially among middle American possibly previously apolitical types, coupled with ever-amazing outcries from the Republican oldguard elite (former ambassadors and admirals come to mind), show that Bush is in deep deep doo doo. And, frankly, ala Merriam, who can blame Kerry for standing steady while his opponent sinks ever lower into the Michael Moore raked muck?

Let's just hope the result is the same: the radical (Bush) defeated.

No, Simply Music isn't giving me a kick-back for this promotion
If you've ever wanted you or a child to play the piano with fluency, but haven't succeeded, consider taking a course in the Simply Music method. Simply Music believes that everyone is musical and teaches you to play blues, classical and popular songs in your first few weeks without forcing you to learn to read music first or practice scales (like I had to for years).

In December of 2003, at the age of nine, never having had a piano lesson, or, indeed, any formal music instruction before, our son began taking Simply Music lessons in Sacramento. The results were astounding.

Our son has always been interested in music, but he is really just a normal 9-year-old boy. He likes to play and watch basketball and other sports, read Captain Underpants books and run around giggling and being silly with his friends.

At the end of his first lesson, he was playing a real piece of music nicely. At the end of three weeks, he had memorized three pieces and was playing them with expression and feeling. He couldn’t wait to go to his lessons or to practice, or watch the video or listen to the CD or, indeed, anything associated with the program.

None of the homework was overly time-consuming or difficult to fit into a busy family week. And the lessons are only ½ hour long—perfect for a child’s attention span.

He learned to play over 12 pieces in as many weeks, everything from Beethoven to Blues to Amazing Grace.

When I contrast this to the many years as a child that I put in doing scales, learning to read music and slaving away doing piano exercises—I have so much less to show for it today (and even then) than my boy does after just those few weeks. I am learning more about playing the piano from watching his lessons and practice than I did in over seven years of lessons!

Both he and I are completely hooked on this affordable and stunningly aptly-named program, Simply Music.

911 Centigrade
I didn't think I would do it this weekend. I had friends visiting. I had things to do. There would be other weekends.

And I uncharacteristically scorned MoveOn.Org's suggestion of a week or two ago to take a pledge to do it. A pledge to watch a movie? I don't think so. I'll pledge to call my congressman, give money, or hold a house party. But I won't pledge to see a movie. Much as I adore Michael Moore, and much as I planned to see the movie, I drew the line at that. And I didn't even blog about it (or much of anything--hey, I was camping, cut me some slack!)

And then, the weekend approached and people began to ask me which showing I was seeing and could I watch their kids while they went to this showing and did I have tickets and what would I be wearing and who would I be going with and would we be renting a hotel room and did we hire a limo and...well, you get the idea, it was no longer an option not to attend this weekend. It was no longer a question of whether, it was all the other details that mattered. To not see this movie on the first weekend it opens is like not voting. It's not an option.

And so, like everyone else in my corner of the demographic political woods, I saw Fahrenheit 9/11 this weekend. To be precise, I paid $5 to see it at 12:15pm on Friday, the first showing in Sacramento at the Tower Theater Save the Tower.

The 7:45 showing was sold out before we got there. Our showing sold out, and the one after it did too. Rumors of Bush-supporting hecklers spread through the crowd like wildfire (okay, fueled largely be me, but...). We glared suspiciously at each other, looking for the telltale signs: hair that doesn't move on women, lack of hair on men, flag lapel pins or crassly displayed crosses. Surely that man with a beard and birkenstocks couldn't be one of them? Nah, the notebook means nothing.

Due to a misguided last minute attempt to cop soup and bread at the Tower Cafe, we're stuck in the front row with Susan Barnhill and Ed, necks craned to take in even 50% of Michael's girth. We are thrilled. We are atwitter. At the last minute, I cause everyone around me to gasp by asking loudly sotto voce, "this is the Passion of Christ, right?"

It's not the Passion of Christ. But it does have an audience of true believers and plenty of gore (both upper and lower case). And it's moving and educational and provocative and everything else it should be. And now, a day later, I'm babysitting for my niece so my brother and sister-in-love can fulfill their civic duty.

Yes, (:)(:)(:)(:) Four Snouts up for Fahrenheit 9/11 and for the hype and for Michael Moore's projected $30 million dollar weekend. Meanwhile, my son is eager to take the pledge to see Spiderman 2 at midnight this Wednesday. He can't wait to see Doc Oc.

Protesting a Referendum on Public Funds for a Sacramento Arena
Last night I participated in a good sized rally outside the City Council meeting to protest Mayor Heather Fargo's concerted effort to use hundreds of millions of dollars worth of public funds to subsidize building a new sports arena for the Sacramento Kings--thwarted by her council representing its constituents well, she is now trying to get

City Councilmember, soon to be Assemblymember, Dave Jones led the troops as we packed the hearing room, standing room only, with a crowd outside pushing to get in. After 3 hours of pro stadium drek, culminating in a stupid LA-like statement by some (Sacramento King-owning) Maloof or another, flanked by the usual bimbos and bodyguards, Mayor Fargo let the public speak. You can read about it in today's Sacramento Bee article, in which I, or someone remarkably similar to me named "Sara Nicohols", am/is quoted.

What I said when I testified in the hearing was different from what is quoted. I said that although the residents of Southside Park would love to have a new sports and entertainment complex walking distance downtown, we are currently trying hard to get the city to build us a new playground, put more lights in the park, dredge the polluted lake and keep our youth club fully funded. We, like virtually every citizen of Sacramento, are vehemently opposed to public funding of a sports arena.

We find it impossible to believe that the Mayor and the Council aren't well aware of the public's strong opposition to public financing. And the revelation of some tortured polling can lead us only to believe that it will be used (like most polling) to sell the public something we don't want or need.

I didn't say this, but I, for one, will really resent having to fight this referendum on the November ballot. Doesn't the predominantly Democratic City Council understand that we've got a U.S. Senator to re-elect and a President to defeat?

The Way to Clean up Cah-lee-for-nee-a
According to Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Right's ArnoldWatch and everyone else, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is raking in campaign contributions at a record rate, faster than Gray Davis even. Here are his top 25 contributors, as reported by ArnoldWatch:

1 A. G. SPANOS COMPANIES $614,700
2 EMULEX/ CEO PAUL FOLINO $488,764
3 THE NEW MAJORITY COMMITTEE/ The New Majority PAC $473,500
4 WILLIAM LYONS HOMES, INC. $466,200
5 WILLIAM A. ROBINSON $450,000
6 AMERICAN STERLING CORPORATION $436,200
7 AMERIQUEST CAPITAL CORPORATION $407,400
8 CASTLE & COOKE, INC./ DOLE FOOD CO. $352,000
9 JERRY PERENCHIO/ CHARTWELL PARTNERS $322,500
10 KLEINER, PERKINS, CAUFIELD & BYERS $277,836
11 HEWLETT PACKARD $271,200
12 TOYOTA USA/ TOYOTA DEALERS $258,133
13 ANHEUSER BUSCH COMPANIES $250,000
14 DRAPER, FISHER, JURVETSON/ TIMOTHY DRAPER $232,400
15 TARGET CORPORATION $220,000
16 P G & E CORPORATION - PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC $200,000
17 THE IRVINE COMPANY $188,200
18 MERCURY GENERAL CORP. $160,000
19 TRUST COMPANY OF THE WEST/ CHAIRMAN ROBERT A. DAY $151,200
20 KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN, INC. $150,000
21 CLEAR CHANNEL $145,000
22 CAPITAL PACIFIC HOLDINGS, INC./ CEO HADI MAKARECHIAN $145,000
23 H & S VENTURES, LLC $142,400
24 CALIFORNIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION $125,000
25 CHEVRONTEXACO CORPORATION $122,200

How to get fired today
Take an inappropriate unscheduled musical interlude at your office and listen to Eric Idle's hilarious Fuck you, FCC song at full volume.

Or, for those of you, like me, who are essentially housewives, it could just be another opportunity to say to the kids, "just because I'm laughing my head off doesn't mean you should ever say these words!!."

Run, Dennis, Run!
Okay, so I was phonebanked by the Dennis Kucinich for President campaign last night. Apparently, the campaign is really picking up steam. Dennis just won a primary last week and has picked up 2 more delegates.

Maybe my friends are right, maybe I've just become too mainstream, because I could barely keep from laughing at the well-intentioned phonebanker with a surprisingly good rap--at the end of the call, I complemented her on her pointless message and she said, "yeah, I give good phone." (maybe once the campaign raps up, she can make a little more money with that skill on a 900 number...)

Anyway, Dennis wants you to sign all these excellent petitions to pressure Kerry and the Democratic party at the convention. I signed all of them except the one to create a "Department of Peace"--it's probably a great idea but it just read a little too loony-tunes for me.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world...
Bill was in mourning for Ray Charles, not that other guy Friday. And so was I. I took the kids up into the Sierra foothills for the day and floated and played in a glorious mountain lake...er...reservoir.

Completely peaceful except for the motor boats and constant walkie talkies of families talking to their kids in the woods to make sure they are safe.

"Bobby! do you read me? over"

"Yes, mommy, I read you. over"

"What are you doing, bobby? over"

"I'm being torn limb from limb by a mountain lion aaaaaargggh over"

"well. at least I know where you are. over"

Mandatory Reading on Kerry
Take the time to read this exceptionally well-written, in-depth piece on Kerry:

The Misunderestimation of John Kerry

Beware of this man. He's won every race that he was supposed to lose.

by Charles P. Pierce | Esquire | Jun 01 '04

Mid-Mourning Break
First you get down on your knees,
fiddle with your rosaries
bow your head with great respect
and, genuflect, genuflect, genuflect

Oh, sorry, you're catching me in the middle of my mid-mourning song break (thank you, Tom Lehrer--check out the rest of the lyrics to the Vatican Rag!)
If you too, need a break from your national week of mourning, check out this Remembering Reagan Cartoon by Kirk Anderson.

Exhausted blogger
To return from one's college reunion tired and hungover to a national week of mourning for (as my mother used to put it) "that man" is too much to be borne.

One close friend quips, "Haven't we been to enough Reagan funerals over the years?"

As Arianna Huffington observes in her most recent column, comparisons between Bush and Reagan are in-apt. Reagan was loved because he painted a bold, optimistic big vision of the future. Bush's only strategy is to prey upon our fears, not hopes.

Kerry, on the other hand, is capable of playing to our hopes. Arianna is pushing Kerry to play big to win big--this a winning strategy.

But it takes more than just big talk, it takes the right words and images to win the American public on the right terms. Maybe Berkeley framing expert George Lakoff's recent tutorial on "Simple Framing" could be used by Kerry to change the lens through which the media see the important issues of today.

SacBee Columnist Dan Weintraub Scorches Me
After reading my extremely weak latest Eye on the Pie column, the ever Arnold-phantic Dan Weintraub comes back with this (which is, incidentally, a more succinct compilation of similar thoughts expressed by Vince Marchand):

Nice column, even with the gratuitous slap at your favorite SacBee columnist. Your trust in Kerry is touching, but it does seem a bit out of character for you. I don't picture you as the "save me!" type, but more as the engaged citizen who knows what she wants and demands it from her government, even if it is a government she trusts. Actually, while you were reading the Economist, Kerry was starting to answer the question himself. And it is starting to sound as if he and the Hated One almost agree on the future of Iraq at this point. Provide security. Get the UN and other nations involved. Get out as soon as possible (stay as long as needed and not one day more). As badly as Bush has screwed up on the details to date, I really don't think there is much difference between them about how they would proceed going forward. I think the real questions for them to debate are 1) was it right or wrong to invade in the first place, 2) knowing what you know now, would you do it all over again, and 3) would you ever do something similar in another country. I think Bush's answers are yes, yes and yes. Best I can tell, Kerry's are no, no and no. And that difference, not who should be the minister of finance in Baghdad, is where the real debate should be engaged. I would pay big money to see it.

My response: while I agree in large part that it is somewhat out-of-character and distasteful for me to rely on the politician to provide the answer, in my defense I want to steer my readers to the end of the column where I clearly stated that we had to force Kerry to articulate this clear position.

I disagree vehemently with the assertion that there's no difference as to how Bush and Kerry would proceed going forward. I think there's a decent chance that they might issue disturbingly similar sounding statements about what they'll do in the future, but their actions in interpretation of those statements and their likelihood of success will be radically different.

And here's where trust is a big issue again: He who is "missing his Herbert" has demonstrably lied to the American people more than once on this war; he has destroyed decades of credibility and diplomacy; he has blown apart important world alliances and burned bridges.

JFK will not do this. His record in Congress unequivocally shows that he can and will do this right.

Karl Rove and his merry men are working double-time to convince Americans that John Kerry is a wishy-washy flip-flopper. I can tell you from working in Washington as a public-interest lobbyist that this is far from true.

Like Horton (when he hatches the egg), Kerry has a record of saying what he means and meaning what he says. He has a record of doing the right thing, or, when he's wrong, admitting it and taking responsibility for correcting his course.

As someone who has worked with a multitude of politicians at all levels of government, I can tell you that this quality matters, ultimately, more than any other.

Perhaps, it is why, when the nation finishes mourning the loss of our greatest B actor, you will hear attack after attack on exactly that fundamental and extraordinary truth about John Kerry.

Rudolf's Diner
Read my Eye on the Pie column, in this, the 2-year anniverary issue of Rudolf's Diner and read Rudolf's Diner. I'm so proud of my the editor, my baby brother Evan Nichols. This 'zine gets better every issue.

And, if you're Dan Weintraub, read the answer to your unanswered question.

One Less Tenet
I know you're all wondering what my reaction is to Tenet's resignation. It's this: about darn time. For years Tenet has mislead and taken advantage of the American public. We deserve better.

That's why I go to UC Davis Medical Center...

Oh.

Apparently not that Tenet.

It was that other guy, the one that Al Gore, Bob Graham, Bill Clinton and Mario Cuomo laud as a decent, honest, public servant.

Nah, he's a crook. He's gotta go. But keep Tenet Health, so we have one Tenet left to hate.

If you don't know what's despicable about our remaining Tenet, read California Nurse's Association's Tenet (Heathcare Systems) Watch.

Burn, Baby, Burn

My pal Doug Heller at Arnold Watch (Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights) gives us this insight into the latest outrage from Enron:

http://ArnoldWatch.org weblog - June 2, 2004 - 12:45 pm
"Burn, baby, burn," is what one Enron electricity trader gleefully said about a California wildfire during the energy deregulation crisis. The fires, which knocked down power lines, helped push electricity prices higher. But that was one of the tamer comments found by CBS news among tapes in which Enron employees talk about shutting down power plants to steal "money from California to the tune of about a million [dollars a day]," and selling electricity to "grandma Millie... for f-----g $250 a megawatt hour." The tapes also show that Enron's head honchos, Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling were in the loop on the schemes to rob California blind. (Even with these revelations, the feds have not ordered the billions of dollars in refunds that Californians are due.) The tapes can be heard here.