Rohrabacher right in the middle

Paul Clinton

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is doing his part to smooth the way for peace

in the Middle East.

Rohrabacher traveled to the region Sunday as part of a

congressional delegation to vocally support President George W.

Bush’s “road map” for creation of a Palestinian state.

Rohrabacher, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and others are meeting in

Jerusalem this week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

“The level of hope is high and both Israelis and Palestinians seem

willing to seize the moment for peace,” Rohrabacher said. “In the

meantime, I am encouraging everyone I meet with to trust the process

and each other.”

Rohrabacher is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel

Sharon today. He will tour the West Bank, as well. Costa Mesa’s

representative should be back in the U.S. on Friday.

Bush’s Middle East peace plan calls for peace and a Palestinian

state by 2005 as part of an effort to end decades of intransigence on

the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Bush announced he will meet with Sharon and Palestinian Prime

Minister Mahmoud Abbas as part of a peace summit in the Middle East

next week. Bush leaves for the Middle East on Friday.

Supervisors support their own in Assembly race

County Chairman Tom Wilson has garnered the support of his peers

as he seeks a seat in the Assembly.

His four fellow supervisors, including Newport-Mesa representative

Jim Silva, have thrown their endorsement behind him, Wilson has

announced.

Wilson, who now represents Newport Coast, is running for the 73rd

District seat now held by Patricia Bates.

An award with some Hope behind it

To honor entertainer icon Bob Hope, Rep. Chris Cox has introduced

a proposal that would create an annual award in his honor.

Hope, who starred in numerous Hollywood movies and led USO shows

abroad for American servicemen from World War II to Desert Storm,

celebrates his 100th birthday today.

“As we celebrate Mr. Hope’s 100-year birthday, a grateful nation

is establishing a legacy in his honor that will last another hundred

years,” Cox said. “I can think of no more fitting way to repay our

debt to a great American patriot.”

Hope is not expected to attend any of the birthday celebrations in

his honor. He spends much of his time in his Toluca Lakes estate.

Cox introduced his bill, H.R. 2087, earlier this month. Sen. Diane

Feinstein has dropped in a similar proposal, S. 1150, which would face a vote in the upper house.

Both proposals would set up the Bob Hope American Patriot Award,

which the president will give out each year to a deserving American

who “best represents the ideals of freedom, democracy, strength,

justice and goodwill.”

Campbell talks workers compensation

Assemblyman John Campbell held a town hall meeting on Wednesday

with other legislators to discuss workers compensation issues facing

local businesses.

Campbell, who represents Newport Beach, held the meeting at

Chapman University in Orange.

At the meeting, Campbell joined Assembly colleagues Patricia Bates

(R-Laguna Niguel), Robert Pacheco (R-Industry), Lynn Daucher

(R-Brea), Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) and Todd Spitzer

(R-Orange).

Campbell criticized the state’s workers compensation system for

burdening businesses with burgeoning fees.

“The swell of increased fees is drowning our California

businesses,” Campbell said. “We cannot fail our business community.”