Gavin Newsom, winsome mayor of San Francisco, best known for defying state law and marrying gay couples while schtupping his married staffers--has dropped out of the race for the Democrat nomination in the governor's race. That leave septuagenarian Jerry Brown trying to get a second bite at the apple.

Oddly enough, Brown hasn't announced yet.

Neither has any Republican.

Its a considerable irony that the one guy who wanted the job was considered so out of touch by members of his own party, that he had to quit for lack of funds and poll support. Jerry Brown has a good chance just on the basis that he's experienced and is not gambling a future political career by adopting this particularly ugly baby.

Schwarzeneggar is rumored to be interested in challenging Barbara Boxer for her Senate seat in 2010. Its pretty sad when you have to root for a failed governor to win that particular race.

California is an interesting laboratory for socialist decline. In spite of two decades of decay, Democrats are stronger than ever in that state. Having visited the state many times over the last year, I think I may know why. Californians are like frogs in a pot with the heat being applied slowly--they don't realized they are being cooked until its too late. The standard of living in Los Angeles is not far different from some third world countries and for the same reasons--deep and comprehensive corruption. Small, old, decrepit homes that in middle America would only be suitable for crack houses, are mortgaged for more than half a million with both husband and wife working their asses off just trying to make ends meet. No one cooks or spends much if any time with the family because they must spend all their time working and commuting.

My wife was admiring her cousin's million dollar home, when I pointed out that it was roughly equivilent to the home our daughter's roommate and her new husband just bought for a little over 200K in Utah.

Its all so sad. Another beautiful place destroyed by Democrats.