Boston — California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer and Treasurer Phil Angelides are on a collision course. And there was a reminder last week on the floor of the Democratic convention.
Lockyer was interrupted in mid-sentence during an interview when a California party official raced through the state's huge delegation, shouting: "Californians, when Phil Angelides speaks, we all scream and yell!
"OK?"
Yeah, well, don't hold your breath, I figured Lockyer was thinking.
"Hi Bill," the official said, noticing Lockyer.
Lockyer forced a smile and kept any sarcastic thoughts to himself.
When Angelides did walk onto the giant podium for the non-prime TV slot -- interrupting our interview again -- Lockyer stood and applauded with the other Californians. But he wasn't about to join in the screaming and yelling for his political rival.
Angelides spoke for less than five minutes as hundreds of delegates from other states milled about inattentively, chatting -- normal convention behavior toward a non-prime orator.
He touched on some convention themes: "The American idea ... reflects the values of my Greek immigrant family: Work hard, sacrifice, invest so that the next generation can do better.... This idea is now threatened -- by debt, declining wages and disappearing jobs. It is time to stand up for our values."
"It was fine," Lockyer politely observed afterward.
Later, Angelides admitted to some "nervousness," but said he had heeded the advice of the veteran podium director, who counseled him as he walked on stage to ignore the jabbering delegates and speak directly to the millions of political junkies watching on C-SPAN.
At this juncture, Lockyer and Angelides are the chief contestants for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's expected reelection bid in 2006.
State Controller Steve Westly, who also was in Boston schmoozing delegates, told me he'll run if Schwarzenegger doesn't. Otherwise, he'll seek reelection as controller.
All three gubernatorial hopefuls were working California's 441 delegates and 61 alternates, the core of Democratic activism in the state.
Each spoke at a delegation breakfast, hung out with the Californians at parties and gave them souvenirs: Lockyer, Garrison Keillor's new book, "Homegrown Democrat;" Angelides, a little book of "Bushisms" poking fun at the president's "wit and wisdom;" Westly, a lapel pin containing his and Sen. John Kerry's pictures. (Yes, Westly's picture, not VP nominee John Edwards'.)
