Please give us another run, B-1 Bob

S.J. Cahn

“There’s been nobody to replace Bob Dornan.”

Can you guess who said that, way back in September 1999?

If you guessed B-1 Bob himself, you’re either politically astute

or for some reason keeping really old copies of my stories around.

Dornan said that to me when he was toying with the idea of running

against Dana Rohrabacher -- a threat he made good on years later.

Well, not exactly “good.” Rohrabacher blew Dornan away in the primary

last year.

Now Dornan has blown some smoke about running, possibly as a

third-party candidate, to replace Rep. Chris Cox if Cox does, indeed,

get confirmed to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.

There’s little in Orange County politics that could be more

exciting than the possibility of Dornan running -- but only if he’s

really running. If it proves to be nothing more than a limp attempt

to get his name in the papers, we all probably should avert our eyes

now.

But if it’s not, let’s hope he’ll have a few classic lines like

this, from the same article mentioned above: “But they all know I’ve

got 30 IQ points on Dana,” he said in regards to county Republicans

who were certain not to back him.

Just imagine what words Dornan might have for state Sen. John

Campbell or, even better, the more moderate Marilyn Brewer, a former

Assemblywoman.

My guess, though, is that other journalists, wishful as I am that

Dornan might reappear and make writing easy, won’t go through with

his so-far half-cocked threats.

Nothing local it seems

I had lunch this week with a few connected Newport Beach residents

who mentioned my columns lately have been more statewide and national

in scope.

Two reasons for that: 1. The Cox nomination has rippled through

our national and statewide political seats, and that’s where the

action is right now. 2. There’s just not much action in our city

halls.

Sure, there has been the whole Brown Act note-passing fiasco in

Costa Mesa. While the incident allows for some fun with the “boys vs.

girls” issue, the divide on the council is largely more one about

what role -- and just how big that role should be -- government

should play in our lives. The “boys,” in general, have a

smaller-government philosophy than the “girls.” And as such, they

will continue to vote differently, regardless of gender.

In Newport Beach, there’s not much loudly brewing on the new City

Hall or the general-plan update -- which may turn into the next big

issue, if, and this is a big if, anyone who wishes to challenge the

city’s plans can find something in it that’s very simple, very direct

and very easy to make hit home.

Daily trips, housing units and any other bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo

won’t fire people up and certainly won’t get them to the polls (if

opponents can get a vote on the update).

Marinapark is lacking the allure of a hotel to drive debate.

I’m chalking the quiet up to the summer, when stories typically go

on vacation with the rest of us.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He may be reached at (714)

966-4607 or by e-mail at s.j.cahn@latimes.com.