After Randi talked to Congressman Schiff, I immediately called his office and sent this email to him and copied my congressman. Get on it folks. Randi had a great idea. Its time for some Democratic Theater!!!

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Mr Schiff:

I've contributed to your campaign even though I'm up here in Santa Cruz. I was listening to you talk to Randy Rhodes on Air America (Wed, 2:48PM).

I gotta tell you, Randy is absolutely right. She knows her neighbors better than you seem to. It is an absolute requirement that the Democrats start generating some of the same political theater that the Republicans are famous for.

I'm in touch with a lot of people who believe the "drill here, drill now" mantra. If you don't show the lie in a more dramatic way, ie. if you only appeal to their intellect, you -will- lose.

I have a good friend in Colorado who is extremely smart, who has started several of his own businesses. He believes "drill here, drill now" and he believes all Democrats are wimps. I've been working as hard as I can to persuade him that the Republicans are not his friend, but he hates the Democrats and continues to believe the neocon propaganda. He honestly believes that government is the problem no matter how many examples I provide of the failure of the market.

Listen to Randy this time.

I have mixed feelings about Schiff. I voted for him in the 2000 election in the 27th District against Rogan in the "Law and Order" election. It is still the most expensive congressional race in history due to the L&O factor and Schiff's name recognition to this character:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Schiff_(Law_%26_Order)

Law and Order being broadcast 6-8 times a day in the district leading up to the election.

Then I saw his voting record over the past 8 years:

http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.p...x=6&go.y=13

I have a hard time supporting a guy who voted for the Iraq war, the Patriot Acts and the FISA amendments act.

Looks like another bluedog!!

I've known Schiff since before his first elective office, and was standing on my chair cheering when he confronted Gonzales during the Judiciary hearing. (I believe X-ray is also more than a bit familiar with him.)

Thing is, I am deeply concerned about Schiff personifying the worst stereotype of the blue dog (and he IS officially a blue dog). There's no hint of corruption. I'd throw myself on broken glass to defend him of any accusation tied to that, or of being a puppet of special interests. But I do believe he's come to believe that compromises with the Republicans for the sake of bipartisanship are more important than some of the exceptionally important issues on which he's willing to compromise. I know that when I talked to him after I'd finally come around to supporting impeachment, he was concerned about the division it would create between the two parties.

I'm VERY sorry I missed hearing this part of the show today.

I dare say I know the Democrats AND Republicans of Schiff's District better than he does. True enough, he hears more and directly from the big dogs of the district. But I talk to them AND to the regular folks, so I wish I'd heard the opinions and preferences he attributed to them. If anyone has a good recollection of those, please do pass it along to me.

BTW, in case you haven't heard, in recent months discussion has heated up wildly over the possibility that Feinstein will finally get off the pot and go after the Governor's office. And in that case, at least at this early date, by acclimation of the Dem leaders in CA., Schiff is the man they'd like to see run for her Senate seat.

What can I tell you, Dude?

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.