Bakersfield.com Dianne Hardisty

Dianne Hardisty: 'Best job' now goes to Robert Price

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 1 Jan 2009 18:17:00 PST

For 18 years, I have had the best job at The Californian. I have been its editorial page editor. Now it's time for me to give the soapbox to Associate Editor Robert Price.

This month, I will step down to become a freelance columnist for The Californian seeking out stories about everyday people, local politics and those we elect to represent us. I will take a bit of a rest to reconnect with news sources and gather my thoughts about what I plan to write.

Dianne Hardisty: We will miss our quiet attorney — Bernie Barmann

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:35:00 PST

Kern County and its residents owe Bernard Barmann a huge debt of thanks. The county government building on Truxtun Avenue? Tip your hat to Barmann.

Same goes for the Public Services Building on M Street, the Juvenile Justice Center off Mount Vernon Avenue, courts and administration buildings in Shafter, Lamont and Kern Valley, the Fire Department Administration building and many fire stations.

Dianne Hardisty: Staring each other down costs $470 a second

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:07:00 PST

State Sen. Roy Ashburn hardly conjures up the image of a "shock jock." But every Saturday afternoon, the Bakersfield Republican morphs into a talk radio personality and takes to the airways on KERN 1410.

His two-hour gig, from 4 to 6 p.m., evolved from his stints filling in for hosts Inga Barks and Scott Cox. A regular guest on their shows, Ashburn eventually was offered his own spot.

Dianne Hardisty: Bad call — Telling Obama team to buzz off

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 4 Dec 2008 19:33:00 PST

Ya gotta feel just a little bit sorry for David Gustafson or at least I do for the decision he made a year ago that he must really regret today.

It was the fall of 2007. The air was crisping up. Snow soon would be falling. And Iowa's Jan. 4 caucus was only a few weeks away.

Dianne Hardisty: Millions going to Washington to witness history

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:01:00 PST

It's anyone's guess how many people will pour into Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20 to witness Barack Obama being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. It could be 1 million, 2 million, some are even guessing 3 million. But most people agree it will be the largest crowd to witness a presidential inaugural in the nation's history.

America's first African-American president will assume the highest office of this land in the midst of an economic crisis. The hopes and fears of Americans hang on his success.

Dianne Hardisty: Sarah Palin fascination is a national addiction

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:05:00 PST

Make her stop. For the few weeks that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin catapulted to stardom as the Republican vice presidential candidate, John McCain campaign operatives kept reporters away. Her rare sit-down interviews with network anchors were disasters.

The self-proclaimed "hockey mom" ignited Republican enthusiasm and worked up the party's base with attack-dog deliveries about Barack Obama "palling around with terrorists."

Dianne Hardisty: What happened to 'dynasty' in 30th Assembly District?

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 6 Nov 2008 18:35:00 PST

A political dynasty may have just fizzled. With thousands of mailed-in votes still being counted, it appears state Sen. Dean Florez was unable to get his mother, Fran, elected to the 30th Assembly District seat he once held.

Fran Florez's election would have created a unique mother-son team in the Legislature. It also would have bolstered Dean Florez's political clout as he prepares to run in two years for lieutenant governor.

Dianne Hardisty: Will 'youth vote' really turn out for Obama?

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:53:00 PDT

Shannon Cooper will reach a milestone next week. The Bakersfield High School senior will become an "adult" by turning 18 on Tuesday.

Likely there will be presents and a family celebration. But what makes this day special for Shannon is that she can vote. She has spent days reading sample ballot information and listening to candidates. She will be ready, she says, to mark her choices.

Dianne Hardisty: Political psychodrama has statewide impact

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:05:00 PDT

Baloney. What a fitting word for the 30th Assembly District race. It is a word prominently used in Democrat Fran Florez's ad to describe Democrat Assemblywoman Nicole Parra's endorsement of Republican Danny Gilmore.

Parra, who is leaving the Legislature because she is termed out, turned on her own party to endorse Gilmore, saying he is a better fit for her 30th District seat than Florez. But Florez correctly calls the endorsement a political "baloney sandwich." After all, it was just two years ago that Parra and the Democrats spent more than $2 million trashing Gilmore to block his attempt to unseat Parra. Gilmore and the Republicans spent about $1 million trashing Parra.

Dianne Hardisty: All candidates treated fairly

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:37:00 PDT

David Richmond is one of five volunteer community advisers to The Californian's editorial board. These advisers meet once or twice a month with the newspaper's editorial board, which is headed by The Californian's publisher, Ginger Moorhouse, and includes Opinion section staff and newspaper executives.

During election cycles, editorial board members meet with candidates and proposition campaign representatives as one of the steps in developing the newspaper's ballot recommendations. Community advisers are invited to attend these meetings, as well.

Dianne Hardisty: There's a price to pay for 'freedom of speech'

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:01:00 PDT

A few days ago, a friend e-mailed an Internet link ( www.catholicvote.com) to me. He was so inspired by the video that he joked he was tempted to convert.

Fat chance. The guy works for a local Protestant mega-church.

Dianne Hardisty: Did Palin sleep through her journalism classes?

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 2 Oct 2008 18:55:00 PDT

The pressure was on. Gwen Ifill, PBS senior correspondent and host of "The News- Hour," was preparing to moderate Thursday night's vice presidential debate.

Carrying research material down stairs in her home, she tripped and broke her ankle Monday. Ouch! She's tough. In pain, and her leg in a cast, Ifill vowed to remain the moderator shooting questions to Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden.

Dianne Hardisty: As debates approach, Wilbur wants answers

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:35:00 PDT

Wilbur Wells, a reader in Tehachapi, had a darn good idea the other day. Wells sent me an e-mail pleading for The Californian and its readers to turn up the heat on presidential candidates.

"I am getting frustrated with the broadcast media and how they are participating in the ongoing presidential campaign," Wells wrote. "My main complaints (aside from the fact that most in the broadcast media are blatantly biased) are that the voting public never gets to ask the presidential candidates questions of interest to them. The right questions are never asked and, when questions are asked, no one ever insists candidates answer them."

Dianne Hardisty: Protesting doesn't faze giant utility company

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:39:00 PDT

Drip drip drip. The protest drops fall on the big PG&E rock. But they aren't making a dent in the company's decision to give $250,000 to the campaign to defeat Proposition 8 the November ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriages.

"I don't understand why my PG&E payment is being used for purely political purposes. Why do the Public Utilities Commission and the shareholders of PG&E tolerate such abusive spending?" Roger Allred of Bakersfield wrote to The Californian. He was one of many to protest to The Californian, PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission. Likely most are Prop. 8 supporters.

Dianne Hardisty: 'Sarah Barracuda' dishes it out to Democrats

dhardisty@bakersfield.com (DIANNE HARDISTY) — Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:03:00 PDT

It's hard to portray Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin "the victim" after the tough, rousing speech she delivered at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night.

Writers to this newspaper, as well as Republican Party operatives, have lashed out at the scrutiny Palin has received since Republican presidential candidate John McCain announced her selection as his vice presidential pick last week.