I need to know more about her. Caught a small portion of Tom Sullivan's show this afternoon discussing this very topic. Apparently Ms. Kennedy was instrumental in the restructuring of workman's comp in CA, and worked very effectively with Schwarzenegger to get this accomplished. She may not be the "ringer" we think she is.
I just found an article with more about her, Wilson says she is OK, and also pro-business, but there are also serious negatives.
See this article, with some additional info, than in other articles:
Schwarzenegger replaces chief of staff with Democratic activist
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/11/30/state/n141540S25.DTL
But the fact that she was executive director of the CA Dem party is not encouraging.
"She also has crafted a pro-business image that aligns well with Schwarzenegger's goals to strengthen the state's economy and reform its budget process. In a statement, the California Chamber of Commerce said it had "the highest respect" for Kennedy and noted her efforts to improve the state's economy."
But then she was involved in the Davis scandal of taking money from Oracle.
I think it was a mistake on Arnold's part -- not a fatal one, but it wasn't his best decision todate.
I just stepped back and thought for a minute.
While I think this appointment was a mistake, I also think that the MSM is playing it up for all it's worth, precisely to turn the Republicans against Arnold, so then the Dems can finish him off in 2006.
Well, I hope other Republicans and conservatives will stop and think for a minute and realize the same thing -- if we turn against Arnold, we are supporting Angelides and the Dems, because no other Republican has any chance in CA in 2006.
Arnold may not be perfect and makes mistakes, but he is still orders of magnitude better than any Dem we would end up with instead.
The following provided by calcowgirl on a similar thread:
1972: At age 12, was inspired by actress Jane Fonda's support of American Indian and free-speech causes and opposition to the Vietnam War.
1977: Lived in Lancaster, Pa., within the evacuation zone of Three Mile Island. Developed a distrust of the establishment
1979: Enrolls and subsequently drops out of Millersville State College in Pennsylvania "because she was partying too much."
1980: Moved cross country to join Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden's "Campaign for Economic Democracy," a breeding ground for political training in campaigning, fundraising and field organizing, leading to a series of jobs and becoming one of the state Democratic Party's top field organizers.
198x-1991: Executive director of the California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League
1991-1994: Executive director of the California Democratic Party, selected by then party chairman, Phil Angelides
1992: Helped lead one of the biggest get-out-the-vote campaigns which put Feinstein in the Senate and helped put Bill Clinton in the presidency.
1993: Political director for Kathleen Brown seeking office of California Governor.
1995 to 1998: Worked as communications director to Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
1995: Begins program of recovery from alcohol addiction
1998: Director of the California Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign, a grass-roots campaign effort for 1998 election.
1998: Appointed Cabinet secretary by Governor Gray Davis. She was credited with managing the Democratic governor's initiatives on child support enforcement, energy conservation and health care, among other issues. Reportedly, she promoted Gray Davis' energy plans in 2001, and issuance of $12 billion in bonds to purchase more power, warning legislators of "Armageddon." She also acted as chief negotiator in budget discussions with legislators in 2001, angering many that the Governor did not participate more. (We all know how those energy and budget matters turned out).
1999: "Married" in a Maui commitment ceremony to lesbian partner Vicki Marti, a psychotherapist. Democratic lobbyist and party operative Darius Anderson, her best friend, served as her "best man"
2001: Had an active role in approving a $96-million contract with Oracle Corp. to provide software that state managers did not want or need, an issue raised by state Sen. Tom McClintock during confirmation hearings for her 2003 PUC appointment.
2003: Appointed to a six-year term on the Public Utilities Commission by Gray Davis, with an annual salary of $114,191. Meanwhile, Gray Davis also appoints her domestic partner, Vicki Marti, to the California Medical Assistance Commission whose function it is to set hospital Medical rates--a plum job paying an annual salary of $99,000 and requiring only 2 meetings per month.
2005: Reaches her senior year in college after 13 years of part time study.
Susan Kennedy:
1972: At age 12, was inspired by actress Jane Fonda's support of American Indian and free-speech causes and opposition to the Vietnam War.
1977: Lived in Lancaster, Pa., within the evacuation zone of Three Mile Island. Developed a distrust of the establishment
1979: Enrolls and subsequently drops out of Millersville State College in Pennsylvania "because she was partying too much."
1980: Moved cross country to join Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden's "Campaign for Economic Democracy," a breeding ground for political training in campaigning, fundraising and field organizing, leading to a series of jobs and becoming one of the state Democratic Party's top field organizers.
198x-1991: Executive director of the California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League
1991-1994: Executive director of the California Democratic Party, selected by then party chairman, Phil Angelides
1992: Helped lead one of the biggest get-out-the-vote campaigns which put Feinstein in the Senate and helped put Bill Clinton in the presidency.
1993: Political director for Kathleen Brown seeking office of California Governor.
1995 to 1998: Worked as communications director to Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
1995: Begins program of recovery from alcohol addiction
1998: Director of the California Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign, a grass-roots campaign effort for 1998 election.
1998: Appointed Cabinet secretary by Governor Gray Davis. She was credited with managing the Democratic governor's initiatives on child support enforcement, energy conservation and health care, among other issues. Reportedly, she promoted Gray Davis' energy plans in 2001, and issuance of $12 billion in bonds to purchase more power, warning legislators of "Armageddon." She also acted as chief negotiator in budget discussions with legislators in 2001, angering many that the Governor did not participate more. (We all know how those energy and budget matters turned out).
1999: "Married" in a Maui commitment ceremony to lesbian partner Vicki Marti, a psychotherapist. Democratic lobbyist and party operative Darius Anderson, her best friend, served as her "best man"
2001: Had an active role in approving a $96-million contract with Oracle Corp. to provide software that state managers did not want or need, an issue raised by state Sen. Tom McClintock during confirmation hearings for her 2003 PUC appointment.
2003: Appointed to a six-year term on the Public Utilities Commission by Gray Davis, with an annual salary of $114,191. Meanwhile, Gray Davis also appoints her domestic partner, Vicki Marti, to the California Medical Assistance Commission whose function it is to set hospital Medical rates--a plum job paying an annual salary of $99,000 and requiring only 2 meetings per month.
2005: Reaches her senior year in college after 13 years of part time study.
Too bad you couldn't have listened just a little longer. Check out my show report in reply #50, below. I was convulsed with laughter after this WOMAN used the "PW" negative sexual descriptor 4 times before Tom could get her off without hitting the kill switch. After she was gone, he says, "I don't think you can say that on the radio, can you?" I think he was smirking at Miss Kitty when he said it...
Oh puuuuuhhhhhlease. She was the Executive Director of the California Democrat Party, she was the head of NARAL, she worked for Feinstein. She was at the center of the Oracle Scandal. She was instrumental in the Davis budgets that broke the back of our state economy. She's married to another woman for pete's sake! Stop me when you feel you know enough.