Posted on 11/29/2005 9:35:25 PM PST by churchillbuff
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has hired Susan Kennedy, a top aide to former Gov. Gray Davis, as his new chief of staff, Capitol sources in both major parties said. The chief of staff's position is considered the most powerful administrative position in state government, with broad authority over policy-making and the sprawling bureaucracy.
The decision was made following two days of intense, closed-door meetings that included negotiating sessions across the street from the Capitol in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where Schwarzenegger stays while in Sacramento. Kennedy's hiring was the culmination of a five-hour meeting, sources said, at which Kennedy demanded--and got--sole authority over hiring and firing the executive staff. That provision spread anger among Republican insiders, who said they feared a major purge of GOP staffers among the governor's inner circle.
Republicans said Kennedy's hiring had been pushed by Democrats close to the governor--including his wife, Maria Shriver, and advisers Bonnie Reiss and Daniel Zingale. Democrats, meanwhile, said Schwarzenegger's decision was based more on his personal nonpartisan nature, rather than from succumbing to persuasive Democrats.
Whatever the reason, the governor's choice is the most dramatic in the Capitol since former Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, chose the late B.T. Collins, a maimed Republican Vietnam war veteran, as his chief of staff.
Kennedy's hiring signals a dramatic shakeup in the inner circle around Gov. Schwarzenegger, who suffered a major political defeat on Nov. 8, when his attempts to overhaul government--including spending limits and the creation of a retired judges' panel to supervise reapportionment--were rejected by voters.
Kennedy decided to accept the chief of staff's position following lengthy meetings at the Hyatt, but she had been approached earlier by the governor recently in Los Angeles to take the job--but turned it down.
She changed her mind after Schwarzenegger, who approached her anew to accept the post, agreed to give her broad authority over the staff. Schwarzenegger also had approached others to take the post, including former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, who turned him down.
The current chief of staff, Patricia Clarey, who joined Schwarzenegger early in his administration, was scheduled to leave by the end of year. Also leaving was Rob Stutzman, the governor's communications director, who was leaving to handle the governor's re-election campaign next year. Stutzman's departure was not officially announced, nor was his replacement. But one Capitol source familiar with Stutzman's situation said flatly: "He left to join the campaign. He left voluntarily."
The selection of Kennedy angered many Republicans--and some Democrats. Both sides noted that she had served Davis--who Schwarzenegger booted from office in the 2003 historic recall--as Cabinet Secretary. How could Schwarzenegger, who publicly criticized Davis as an incompetent governor, hire one of Davis' key players?
"It's unreal. She served the governor that voters kicked out. She was executive director of the Democratic Party. She's a Democrat through and through. What is he (Schwarzenegger) thinking?" one Republican said.
"Republicans spent years battling Susan Kennedy when she worked for the recalled Gov. Davis. It's unfathomable that one of the central figures of the Davis administration and Oracle scandal would be put back in charge of the governor's office," said another Republican, referring to the state's signing of a flawed, $95 million software contract that roiled Davis' tenure.
Democrats were equally nonplussed.
"She negotiated workers' comp. She was the executive director of the Democratic Party. She is everything he (Schwarzenegger) isn't. What's going on here?" a Democrat said.
Sure, and it figures it would be a Kennedy... Susan Kennedy.
I am hoping Arizona will adopt San Diego and Orange County.
Red counties in a blue state.
But with all the trouble here in San Diego lately, they probably wouldnt want us.
Its dark times here let me tell you.
The fight continues.
The SS California steamed on at Full Spend into the dark night, icebergs glittering all around like jewels as the ship cut a path thru the icefields not oft traveled by others, and for good reason.
Road apples it seems..
I'm a Republican Californian that voted for him, but he can kiss my you know what GOODBYE--He is history!!!
I can't post the whole thing... there is a lot more...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/11/04/MN50594.DTL&hw=Susan+Kennedy&sn=001&sc=1000
NEWSMAKER PROFILE
Susan Kennedy - Wielding power behind the scenes
Gov. Davis' Cabinet secretary finds her calling in Capitol
Robert Salladay, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
November 4, 2001
(snip)
Few people in California are powerful than Kennedy, even though most everyone outside Sacramento has never heard of the 5-foot-2 woman in St. John's suits standing at the governor's side.
The notoriously distrustful governor relies on a handful of aides ... Kennedy is the most ideological of the three...
"She's Bones, Scotty and Sulu all in one," said Daniel Zingale, director of the Department of Managed Health Care, who first met Kennedy during a retreat for young liberal activists at Jane Fonda's Southern California ranch in the early 1980s.
(snip)
She was an activist who grew up during the end of the Vietnam War and lived in the evacuation zone of Three Mile Island. She learned to distrust the establishment, but she became a close aide to the state's other centrist icon, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., whom Kennedy cites as her biggest political influence.
Kennedy worked for Feinstein for only three years, from 1995 until Davis' election in 1998. But as executive director of the California Democratic Party in 1992, Kennedy essentially helped put Feinstein, along with Barbara Boxer, into the U.S. Senate.
(snip)
Darius Anderson, a corporate lobbyist in Sacramento and one of Kennedy's closest friends, said he watched Kennedy run a statewide campaign in 1992 that "was unbelievably ruthless in having to succeed and could not take failure as an answer."
(snip)
Anderson served as best man at Kennedy's commitment ceremony last year in Maui to Vicki Marti, 53, a psychotherapist. They share a two-bedroom house with a pool in Fairfax overlooking Mount Tamalpais. ...
The daughter of an electronics salesman and a school secretary, Kennedy grew up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and found herself drawn to politics through an early fascination with Jane Fonda. As a preteen, she kept a scrapbook with articles and pictures of the unconventional actress and activist.
(snip)
BTTT for cross reference. Thanks lainie!
Why would they do that?
Please tell me how we were worse off with Gray Davis... I really would like that laid out here... (and that was terrible torment)
...and the Orange County Republicanistas don't say a word. May G-d save our Republic.
Keep fighting the good fight, NAH.
>>Full Spend into the dark night
Thought it was a typo... then started chuckling. LOL.
I'm not a huge fan of Ahnold. I didn't vote for him. I voted for McClintock, but I've supported anything the Governor did that was good for the state. I'd do that regardless of the governor's party affiliation. I'm sure not going to oppose a tax cut simply because it's proposed by a democrat. I voted YES for each of Ahnold's propositions. Aren't your "conservative" friends concerned about the future of the state? Don't they see it going down the toilet if something isn't done soon? Man, if a "moderate" can't get much done as governor, a true conservative won't stand a chance. I think the state is beyond help at this point. It's going to have to get a lot worse before enough people wake up to demand true change.
the first thing the bitch tells arnie.........don't execute "tookie".
Well this is a brilliant move. Geez, just gotta love that "crazy" Arnold. What a wacky guy. We are having some fun now! Maybe next he can hire Jerry Brown away from Oakland. Good times a commin'!
Shades of Harriet Miers' appointment.
Four points:
1) SK Makes Mrs. Miers look like Bork.
2) We may be jumping the gun here. Just because Arnold hired a liberal doesn't mean he's going to adopt her ideas. The relationship between a Governor and Chief of Staff is "I boss, you follow." She may have been selected for something else other than her odious socialism.
3) Even if this is "betrayal, crime, murder" bla bla bla, what choice is presented?
"On this corner, 200 pounds of pure muscular Rinosism: THE GOVERNATOR! ANd in this Corner..."
a)a conservative who'll make the Founding Fathers proud or a traitor who should not even be in the same hemisphere as America?
b)If in the other corner is a true blue guy/gal, what chance does s/he have of winning?
More often than not, when Conservatives want to "teach them a lesson" we barely survive class.
Let's hope for the sake of everyone SK will serve no other function than being Arnold's lacky. And if, God forbid, Arnold had turned for the worse, that we could replace him with someone better, not worse.
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