A reasonable voice is heard

Most everyone -- but not, surprisingly, everyone -- seems pretty sick

of the whole “Nichols affair,” an easy short-hand for the press on

Newport Beach City Councilman Dick Nichols since he made a racially

charged comment (one of what’s turned out to be a series of similar

statements dating back even before he was elected this past

November).

But the story took an unexpected and, in the end, welcome turn

when Nichols explained his support of Assemblyman Ken Maddox of

Garden Grove over Assemblyman John Campbell of Irvine in the race to

replace state Sen. Ross Johnson.

“I like Campbell, but Campbell has made some endorsements that are

questionable,” Nichols told the Pilot. “He appointed a Log Cabin

member. ... Ken Maddox doesn’t have any around-the-back maneuverers.”

Without naming him, Nichols was referring to Laguna Beach’s Frank

Ricchiazzi, an openly gay co-founder of the Log Cabin Republicans

political organization who’s a notable presence around the town. He’s

also, as Maddox mainly was reminded, quite the firebrand.

Soon after Nichols’ comments were published, Ricchiazzi sent out

an e-mail extolling friends and supporters to bombard Maddox with

questions about why the assemblyman is “not speaking up, when his

supporters have been attacking John Campbell for selecting me as his

representative.”

The source of all this dust-up: Campbell, back in 2000, appointed

Ricchiazzi -- or “Uncle Frank,” as he’s known -- a voting delegate to

the California Republican Party. No harm in that, right?

Obviously, it rubs some the wrong way. And, if nothing else, it is

making for the latest battle between Maddox and Campbell, who are not

shying away from starting their primary fight off early. But the

addition of Ricchiazzi to the “Nichols affair” and the

Maddox/Campbell battle also turned up as useful, substantial and even

thought-provoking, given the harsh tone surrounding Nichols’ comment.

Best to let Uncle Frank have his say, in the words he used to

close the e-mail about Nichols. “To Republican activists and friends,

this is democracy, let us give a clear message that we are not going

to tolerate this open bigotry any longer.”

Those words should resonate with anyone who lets any debate turn

into a degrading, mean-spirited confrontation, regardless of whether

they support Nichols. Ricchiazzi -- whose role in politics was nicely

summed up by Campbell campaign consultant Chris Wysocki, who said,

“The only reason Republicans have a foothold in Laguna Beach is

because of the work Frank Ricchiazzi has done” -- offers a wise voice

in an arena where wisdom doesn’t always dominate.

A REAL POLL

A quick kudos to Rep. Chris Cox for one piece of his Web page: the

Poll of the Month.

Although at the time of writing, just 303 people had responded --

and in no way can it be a scientific measure of opinion -- the

question still offers visitors some small say in the state of the

union.

It also implies, at least, that Cox is interested in what visitors

to his Web site have to say.

The question this month: Which of the following issues do you

think is most important for Congress to address? The answers:

Defense/War on Terrorism 29%; Education 13%; Environment 10%; Jobs

and the Economy 40%; Healthcare 9%.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at s.j.cahn@latimes.com.