California Insider

I understand why Angelides wants more debates, but I am puzzled at why he does not consider the format for the Oct. 7 event to be a true debate. Why would he want journalists in there asking questions that the governor could duck for 30 seconds or a minute when Angelides himself could use his "conversation time" to ask the questions himself, and follow-up, until the governor is forced to answer? Here is the California Broadcasters Association description of the format:

The debate format will be: an hour in length; candidates will be seated at a table at the moderator’s left and right; no opening or closing statements; voters will be asked for suggested questions; questions will be asked by the moderator; those questions will initiate a conversation between the candidates; the discussion on each question will last as long as it is productive; we will alternate between each candidate to start the question discussion; in lieu of closing statements, each candidate asks one question of the other for discussion.

Disclosure: I served on the CBA's advisory committee in 2003 that discussed possible formats for debates.

Sen. Deborah Ortiz says she has been told that the governor will sign SB 162, which creates a separate Public Health Department headed by a doctor. The department will break free of the current Department of Health Services, which spends most of its resources managing the massive Medi-Cal insurance program for the poor. The switch is supposed to help California better prepare for public health emergencies.

Phil Angelides has accepted what his campaign is calling a "joint appearance" -- not a debate -- with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for Oct. 7. This appears to be the one and only face-off between the two major candidates for governor. But Angelides says he wants more, and he wants a more traditional debate, with candidates standing at lecterns and questioned by a panel of journalists. The Oct. 7 event, sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association, will be a more casual affair, with the two candidates in a "conversation" moderated by former newscaster and one-time Assemblyman Stan Statham.

Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman breaks with most in his party to oppose Proposition 90, the eminent domain initiative. Ackerman does not like a second feature in the measure that would require governments to compensate land owners for reduced property values due to regulations.

Bill Bradley says the Angelides campaign has a lot bigger problems than its difficulty explaining its role in obtaining a private Schwarzenegger audio tape.

Robert Salladay parses the governor's words on immigration. He says Schwarzenegger is becoming more specific, and more Bush-like.

David Jensen says California's new stem cell agency is likely to be around for a lot longer than the 10 years originally projected.