Strangely, I was wide awake this morning and out of bed at 5:45 am. I went for a brisk jog, somehow full of more energy than usual. Maybe it's like that feeling kids get on Christmas morning, you know it's a special day.

Today is election day.

A year ago tomorrow was the day I launched my terbocongress myspace profile, fully aware of the June 3rd, 2008 Congressional primary.

I've got a big day ahead of me. In a little while I'll be stopping by the polling place in Grass Valley, that will be an interesting event. I've seen the sample ballots but have not formally voted for myself before. Throughout the day, I expect to be making far more phone calls than normal, mostly to supporters and various members of the local media I've developed relationships with. Tonite, I've rented a white limousine and will be driving around historic Nevada City from 8pm-midnite; if you know the area, stop by and celebrate with us.

Action Items:

VOTE THEODORE TERBOLIZARD

If you or anyone you know lives in CA-04, get out and vote today. Tell all of your friends in the area to do the same. Lower than normal voter turnout is expected, which is an advantage to my campaign. 'Decline to State' voters need to request a Republican ballot.

If you are around the country and want to help, you can volunteer to call registered Republicans in my district, and remind them to get and vote for me today; hopefully you have unlimited long distance or a good calling plan. Instructions, downloadable phone numbers and more are here:
http://terbocongress.org/phone/

Log on to http://news.google.com and/or http://news.yahoo.com and search for 'terbolizard.' Leave comments on any news article you can find on our race, encouraging folks to vote TERBO.

Finally, you can watch the end of last night's televised candidate event on KCRA Sacramento:
http://www.kcra.com/video/16467387/index.html&terbolizard

Best Wishes

tt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Grass Valley, California, May 28, 2008

contact: terbocongress@gmail.com

Hi, This is Theodore Terbolizard, candidate for the United States House of Representatives in California's 4th Congressional District. It's been a thrill to campaign throughout California's Gold Country for the past year, and I've been able to meet and interact with many different individuals and groups on the campaign trail. I've interacted with much of the local media, and spent many tens of thousands of dollars on advertising. Our June 3 primary is a week away, and it's time for me to share personal insights gleaned from endless hours of emails, google searches, cell phone calls and long drives on rural highways.

I'm proud to present a variety of media and social observations:

Best and Worst of the 4th Congressional District 2008

Best Blogger

Aaron Park
redcounty.com/placercountyca

Most people aren't smart enough to realize that Park, still in his 30s, is easily one of the top ten most influential Republicans in CA-04 and will be for quite some time. Park gets off on being 'heavy artillery' in political battles; literally, he's firing massive cannon shots from an armored vehicle when everyone else is running around with a handful of pebbles as ammunition. Park gets quoted by newspapers; that is sick praise for a blogger. He's also one of those political insiders who knows what's up before it happens. Not all is roses with Park, and that's part of his brilliance. His several-times-a-day rapid-fire posts are full of typos and grammatical errors; sometimes he gets baited by the establishment into backing or releasing information that later turns out to be false. Park will fearlessly get embroiled into bitter feuds online, full of name calling and other libelous mayhem; all par for the course as a media warrior. He was one of the first people to start publicizing my campaign, and he's given me the cold shoulder too. One of the most hysterically fun moments of the season was sending him a youtube video I made that mocked Doug Ose's 'TAX FIGHTER' ad campaign; both of us are opposed to Ose's voting record and big-government perspective, and found delight in a shared moment of attack that had us howling in laughter over the phone as he prepared to post it to redcounty.
Honorable Mention: Collin Williams at rejectsociety.com

Worst Blogger

Not Sure

It's 2008, an important election year, and bloggers are the kind of folks we need more of. Considering the role of the mainstream media in our political system, bloggers should be revered and cheered on at every turn right now. Even if they mock my campaign. Have at it everyone.

Best Journalist

Trina Kleist
theunion.com

It's unfair to call Kleist just a 'journalist' since she's actually the city editor for The Union, yet, Kleist still crafts stacks of column inches regularly. There are a lot of good traits to mention: Kleist has a well-traveled worldview that transcends much of the U.S.-centric myopia that distorts our politics in the media; Kleist knows when 'off-the-record' is off the record; Kleist is accessible and will both listen and offer insights. Her cover feature of me for The Union Express January 13, 2008 will stay in my mind forever, and this is after more than a decade of international coverage for various things I've done in my career. Even though I'm a fan and friend, I have to also be sure not to trust her also; politicians should be scared of journalists, even their favorites.

Worst Journalist

Gus Thomson
auburnjournal.com

I am not the only politician that will speak badly about Thomson, just ask around. Gus is the kind of fella that will overhear you telling a joke to a confidant in the parking lot after a speaking event, and then spin that into the theme of your public presentation in his review. Gus is the kind of guy that will ask you five questions that have nothing to do with your campaign, and then present that to the public as your central platform. I was able to make fun of Gus to his face in front of an audience at a speaking event, which resulted in him portraying me badly in print, which was brilliant! I love baiting reporters into giving me bad press: all press is good press. But Gus is still a bozo. He acts all nervous and weird and pompous and confrontational: dude, just chill out. Be likable as a person. I'm not hopeful that Gus and I will ever become friendly, but, all things are possible and maybe we'll figure out how to get along. I'm confident the Auburn Journal will transcend Thomson's time there; everyone else I've met at the Journal is great.

Best Website/Blog

Myspace
myspace.com

This online social software environment has become crucial to the next wave of politicians I'm meeting nationally. Myspace- initially a dating site and then a way to promote bands- has become a hotbed of political activism. Myspace bulletins have been one of the most important alternative newswire sources in the past year. The ability to search for individuals locally by zip code has been an amazing tool to reach out to people in the district, many of whom are psychographically very much in touch with my own campaign. I've met some really dear friends from myspace in the past year while campaigning. It is hard to explain what is happening at myspace politically if you're not participating, but online social networking is very significant and will continue to have expanding influence in our political future. If you're on myspace, add me as a friend: myspace.com/terbocongress ...and if you're not on myspace, get an account and figure it out; not being on there is like not being in the phonebook.

Worst Website/Blog

Placeropolis
placeropolis.com

First off, this online portal for Gold Country Media isn't all bad, it has some great community features, such as the blog and user areas, and it works well under the hood. As a former web designer, it's not that pleasing to look at; at least placeropolis is a great name and brand to work with for the future. I can even look past the fact that Gus Thomson's pieces are published there. The real problem I have with this place are the comment trolls, whose obsessive-compulsive partisan libel is more counterproductive than anything else. Maybe it's just a style, ethos or gestalt, in the same way yelp.com users tend to hate on everything. I've attracted fanatic haters at placeropolis, who have turned me into some bizarre caricatured cartoon fiction folk hero in their posts; I'd wish they just send me an email so we could get past whatever issues they have via one-on-one discussions. Further, supporters of my campaign have run into all kinds of problems at this place, getting their blog posts censored; not sure what is going on there. I have hope in the future of this site and have just started commenting there recently.

Best Comment Troll

Collin Williams
rejectsociety.com

I've had the honor of meeting the real life person behind this pseudonym. Collin is an awesome local and nationally focused blogger at rejectsociety.com. Yet, reacting in the comment space at various online papers throughout our district, he's a beacon of sanity and reason in a mud-slinging puddle full of slander, distortions and angry misspellings. Williams has been so effective online, it's my opinion that he's shaped the media's coverage of my campaign for the better, which is an impressive compliment.
Honorable mentions: Greenfloyd, Tahoe Liberty; both for their diligence.

Worst Comment Troll

gulliver
placeropolis.com

Being that I have a tendency to befriend my enemies, that's how I'd like to handle this one. Gulliver: send me an email; let's sit down for a lunch or something after the primary when there are no stakes involved; I'm accessible and easy to get ahold of. To date, reading your posts is constantly leaning towards stalker creepy; I think you care more about me than I do at times, and if you're that into it, I'd prefer that you get firsthand information from me directly, it would be more accurate. Peace. Email me.

Best Radio Personality

Skip Alan Smith
kvmr.org

Skip has a Thursday morning show called 'Dreamwalk' on KVMR that plays Native American and Indigenous People's music. Maybe that's enough to qualify as some heavy politics. What I really like about Skip is that he is an amazing rock drummer with a career older than I am; our band Chief Enablers played shows in the district this year in North San Juan and Nevada City with Skip sitting in when our regular drummer couldn't make it. It's hard to explain how cool Skip is; he looks like he's in ZZ Top and his roadie is his father, who is in his 80s.

Worst Radio Personality

Gary Dietrich
KFBK

How about some keywords: pompous, arrogant, rude, patronizing, deceitful, hubris.
Dietrich, along with his 'nonpartisan' group citizenvoice.org attempted to host an exclusionary "Ose vs. McClintock" debate- blocking Suzanne Jones and myself- days before our June 3 primary on FCC-controlled AM radio airspace, which would have subjected him and the folks involved to FEC complaints and investigations; after multi-front pressure via email, phone calls, blogs, local media and more, Dietrich backed down and cancelled his debate. Dealing with him and his staff was awful, they are a disservice to the community they claim to speak up for. Cough.

Best Newspaper

The Union
theunion.com

This paper gave me the most coverage and advertising exposure of all, from many different angles, from funny to serious to personal. Their offices are not far from where I'm living, and I've had the honor of meeting many of the people working there, variously through advertising, interviews and social interaction. Some folks insist that this paper treats me badly, but I completely disagree, especially as someone who subscribes to the 'all press is good press' belief system. Not every word they've written about me has been 100% accurate, but that's to be expected from an overworked and understaffed crew for a small paper that- to stay in business- has to spend more time covering High School sports than politics. Overall, the Grass Valley and Nevada City area is far better off because of this historically significant and completely up-to-date organization. I'm pleased to have advertised heavily on both their website and printed edition.
Honorable mention: The Mountain Messenger, notable for their detailed local fishing coverage and brutally real politics.

Worst Newspaper

The Sacramento Bee
sacbee.com

It's not fair to pick on a small paper with poor print quality, so I'll go big with this one. When I was a young teen living in Carmichael in the early 80s, I was a paper boy for the Bee. It's still the biggest show in town, as it was then. Fortunately, as an adult politician, it's outside of my voting district, and its tilt to the left is so repulsive to Republicans that people in my party avoid it like the plague, or use it as a reference for how NOT to vote; an endorsement from this paper is a curse to GOP candidates and causes where I live. Strangely, the folks at the Bee insist they're not biased when questioned directly. At one point, one of their online writers compared me to a mythical giant squid, and I've been retelling that to amused audiences on the campaign trail. In front of GOP-only crowds, you can always get a good laugh from the room if you mention the Bee. Honestly- when they haven't ignored me- they've given me lots of coverage, which- regardless of spin- is always of some benefit. My relatives in Sacramento are always thrilled when the Bee prints color photos of me (even if next to an unflattering story)-- this always results in a bunch of phone calls every time it happens. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't include the Bee in my advertising campaigns, but it was beyond my budget and small-town-centric ad strategy, apologies. I've enjoyed talking with political editor Peter Hecht, and some of our 'off the record' discussions have been of tremendous value, massive respect. Not too long ago I told Hecht that "I promise to continue making fun of your paper if you promise to continue making fun of me back" which seemed agreeable enough, we had a laugh over it. I'd love to help the Bee sell papers however they can. Shoutouts to Brian Baer and David Whitney; if all goes well, we'll be interacting a lot in the future.

Best Ad Person

Kelli Phenix
theunion.com

I advertised heavily with The Union, both print and online. Kelli had time to sit with me and go over advertising plans and options before I'd even started proper fundraising, well in advance of campaign season. Her insights completely changed my ad strategy, which initially was going to focus on column inches in small town papers. Her idea that I'd do well with printing my own glossy, full color inserts was golden, and led to the creation of two ad campaigns that extended beyond The Union to other small papers throughout the district, reaching more than a quarter million sets of eyeballs. Anyone in the Grass Valley/Nevada City area that wants to advertise locally should really consider color inserts in The Union; the pieces I ran there- more than anything else- helped create minor celebrity status for me; I get recognized walking on the street in those towns, largely from these campaigns. Be sure to talk to Kelli: she returns your calls, is always friendly and full of ideas.
Honorable Mention: Joe Miko at Gold Country Media, he's awesome. Mia Compomizzi at thecablegirl.com handled my TV spots, she was amazing, I highly recommend her.

Worst Ad Person

That guy.

I'd called up some dude who had a half dozen billboards on his various properties and he wouldn't let me advertise with him because he hates politicians. Couldn't remember his name. He says political billboards are vandalized often and he doesn't want to be involved. I have to respect his consistency; at least he didn't later turn around and rent the things to Doug Ose or Charlie Brown. His billboards have been blank for months. Not a very good businessman.

Best Candidate to Run Against

Suzanne Jones
jones4congress.com

It has been a pleasure to campaign with Suzanne, who is always accompanied by various members of her family, people I enjoy meeting with. Suzanne- like myself- prefers to stay to the very end at official campaign events, until the staffers finish putting away the chairs and decorations and vacate the event space; this is a stark contrast to the two experienced candidates, Ose and McClintock, who are ready to evacuate campaign events as soon as possible, often with the events still in progress. Suzanne and I have spoken regularly on the phone, watching each other's back as speaking events were announced, which tended to exclude us if we didn't speak up and invite ourselves onstage. Jones and I disagree on lots of politics, but I'd endorse her if I wasn't in the race, she is what I imagine the founding fathers had in mind for citizen representation in Congress. The best compliment someone gave to Suzanne is that she's like the heroine in a movie about the local mom on the school board who got so fed up with everything she ran for Congress. I'd love to see that movie.

For the record, I like all of the candidates personally, even Democrats Brown and Wolfgram. It's hard to explain the sort of kinship or bond we share; what we go through on the campaign trail is far outside of the ordinary and it's hard to find others who can relate firsthand. It's like we're all baseball players; maybe we're on different teams, or on the same team competing for the same position in the lineup; competition makes us all better. And if you think all six of us are no good, maybe you should consider running in 2010; go visit your local county elections office to get it all going.

Worst Candidate to Run Against

Doug Ose
dougose.com

Doug isn't someone you'd associate with the word 'likable', it's totally not his style. Yet, Doug and I have been able to develop a bit of a friendly accord, we smile when we see each other and have had some insightful chats. Of all the Republican candidates in our race, he's the most distant from my positions, although we do agree once in awhile. One of the things not to like about Ose is that he's not very accessible; he tends to arrive late and leave early at the campaign stops; it's hard to get to know him. Another annoying thing with Ose is that his staff tends to seed audience questions at debates with obscure and useless issues which Ose then rattles off obviously pre-rehearsed answers to; I caught onto this fakery at our first meeting, yet the audience doesn't always get it. Finally, running against a candidate who outspends the rest of the field combined with his own money is never fun. Fortunately, he doesn't spend his money wisely, wasting it on uninspiring, boring and ill-conceived signage or negative campaign ads, which only make him look bad. I'd prefer Doug stuck to the private sector, our economy needs him there.

Most Exciting Local Race other than the CA-04 GOP Primary

El Dorado County District 2 Supervisor
http://www.sacbee.com/eldorado/story/885737.html

Lots of attention has been focused on the 3rd Assembly seat race between Sue Horne and Dan Logue, which has been costly and bitter. However, the real exciting race is over in 'El Corrupto County,' where the District 2 Supervisor seat has some heavy competition. I've met a number of the candidates and had some great conversations with them; accessibility and personal likability are very important to me with politicians, so this is a tough race for me to take sides on. I see likable qualities in Ray Nutting and George Turnboo, but if I had to pick one- fortunately I don't because I don't reside in El Dorado County- I'd pick Harry Dean. Harry has some great folksy, locally-concerned and informed positions that are what you'd hope to see with any local elected official, and he's the kind of person you can talk to at great length (I have). Check Harry out online at harrydean.us

Best CA-04 Candidate Fashion Statement

John Wolf Wolfgram
votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=104235

Democrat Wolfgram rode his motorcycle to the Placerville League of Women Voters debate. Underneath his leather jacket was a suit; he took his motorcycle helmet up to his seat in front of the audience and put it in front of him on the table. I'm pretty sure he always wears cowboy boots with his suits.

Worst CA-04 Candidate Fashion Statement

Tom McClintock
tommcclintock.com

I like Tom, but he suffers from lack of style. The day of our Downieville debate, I called his office to tell his staff I'd be appearing at the forum that night in jeans and a jacket with no tie, and that Tom would be wise to do the same. Downieville is the kind of place where local politicians wear plaid shirts and jeans. Men wear t-shirts to church in these sort of towns these days. McClintock rolls into town in a blue suit with a white button down shirt and red power tie, he looked woefully out of touch and embarrassingly stiff. Then he bellows out the same old Ronald Reagan quotes he uses every time, but in front of an audience that's one third Democrats, whoops. As a dignitary, it's important to be in tune with your surroundings; Downieville is the sort of place where the President- or the Prime Minister of Italy- would go casual in shirtsleeves. Even Doug Ose figured out he could do the Sierra City candidate forum in a plaid shirt with no tie.

Most Memorable CA-04 Citizen

Don Russell
Editor, the Mountain Messenger

Downieville's Russell is an instantly memorable maverick, someone who is so in tune with Gold Country living that he might very well be an apparition right out of the 19th century. Sure, he loves motorcycles and chain smokes cigarettes, but he's got an amazing time-travel side to him; maybe he's California Gold Country's version of England's fictional Dr. Who. People love him and/or hate him, he's simply that great. Count me in as a fan for the ages... I've been 'Russellized.' Many cheers to you brother. I highly recommend a story on Russell that was recommended to me by Peter Hecht at the Sacramento Bee:
A mountain of salt with their weekly newspaper
http://dwb.sacbee.com/content/news/california/story/14288585p-15112025c.html

Best Candidate Forum/Debate

Downieville Candidates Forum

Yuba Theater, Downieville, May 1, 2008

The venerable Don Russell MC'd a lively event with 3 of the 4 GOP CA-04 candidates and a bunch of local Board of Supervisors candidates. For one, the Yuba Theater is a beautiful spot that absolutely must be utilized for town hall meetings with our future Congressmen in years and years to come. It's got a spacious, theatrical stage, movie theater seats and dark red curtains lining the walls. It feels great to be there. I really want to get my band Chief Enablers to shoot a music video there someday, it's that cool. Downieville is one of the coolest vintage Gold Country towns, small, personable, friendly... the kind of place where you'd launch into lengthy conversation with a stranger who will suddenly turn into a significant friend. The people in Downieville really make public meetings a joy; for such a small town, they are massively informed, insightful and free-thinking, with strong Libertarian feelings infused in Republicans and Democrats alike. They are not afraid to speak up and interrupt a meeting or voice disagreement; I like that in a room full of constituents. From the podium, I asked the crowd how many of them would like the war in Iraq to be over, and nearly everyone raised their hands. If you get the chance, go visit Downieville again, or for the first time.

Worst Candidate Forum/Debate

William Jessup University
May 8, 2008
jessup.edu

This College willfully excluded Suzanne Jones and I from the stage, and despite a big crowd and the grandest production values imaginable (it was bigger budget than most Presidential fundraisers), it was awful to sit through. Jones and I were present and witnessed a petty, lame, boring and completely uninspiring dialogue between Doug Ose and Tom McClintock. After a dozen campaign stops with all four candidates, it's really obvious that we're better off as a party when we don't leave the two boring guys exposed for endless personal attacks on each other. When Jones and I are present, we all focus more on the issues, and seeing where we all agree or disagree is far more useful for crafting the future of the Republican Party. As far as the William Jessup people, their ebullience was completely annoying; everyone seemed to be on mind-altering prescription drugs of some kind or another; watching them smile through a badly conceptualized debate with poor performances on the stage was a tremendous disappointment. My legs kept falling asleep as I sat there.

Favorite Local Republican in a Position of Power

Bill Neuharth, Chairman, Nevada County Republican Central Committee

I won't name names in the neighboring Counties, but the way Neuharth conducts meetings should be studied by anyone wanting to maintain similar positions. Neuharth is engaging, fun, fair, folksy, and unafraid to tell a joke or let loose a grin. Nevada County has its own style, certainly. The neighboring counties have severe problems with the GOP Central Committees, with variously outrageous, contentious, spiteful or bitter interactions from the top down that I couldn't imagine in Nevada County meetings. As Republicans, it makes sense to figure out how to work together and not fight internally. Cheers to Neuharth.

Favorite Political Club

Republican Federated Women

These groups assemble in various counties throughout our state; as far as grass roots go, this is where it all goes right. GOP politicians rightfully extend tremendous respect to these clubs. Cheers to these ladies; I will be making efforts to help promote these various clubs in the future. These women are generally older in age and gleefully patriotic; it's like being in a room full of cheerleaders who are now grandmas and great grandmas. Typically, they have luncheons with politicians as the featured guest speakers; highlights are their raffles, patriotic floral displays and gaudy GOP jewelry (I've bought some very cool elephant lapel pins at these events). If you are a Republican woman- young or old- who wants to have a political impact, I implore you to find your local group of Republican Federated Women and join; these clubs are slowly dying off and need new blood; yet, their extended timeline- these clubs are decades old- guarantee that they won't be subject to the same sort of frustratingly temporary nature of most grass roots political clubs. Everyone would be surprised at how open-minded and forward-looking these Republican women can be, go see for yourself.
Honorable Mentions: League of Women Voters, Ron Paul meetup groups.

Political campaigns are full of many small victories and defeats; many battles define a war. A major victory has happened in my campaign for the United States House of Representatives in California's 4th Congressional District, an act that has been playing out over the past weeks.

Leading up to our June 3, 2008 primary, the four candidates on the State ballot for the CA-04 GOP nomination have been invited to more than a dozen various candidate forums and debates across our large rural district. Two of the candidates, Doug Ose and Tom McClintock, are career politicians who reside outside of our district boundary. During the primary season, Ose and McClintock were involved in two debates that deliberately excluded candidates Suzanne Jones and myself from taking the stage, even though we asked to be included. A third 'Ose vs. McClintock' exclusive debate had been planned just days before our primary.

Initially, a group at http://CitizenVoice.org had planned a public May 28th debate with Doug Ose and Tom McClintock at Sierra College in Rocklin, to be broadcast on KFBK 1530 AM, a newstalk station that features Rush Limbaugh. CitizenVoice describes itself as being involved in the "creation of a major new nonpartisan movement clearly focused on assisting all citizens," yet it refused to allow Jones or myself to participate in their debate. CitizenVoice at first refused to return calls or emails from either Jones or myself, so we reached out to our supporters, who started calling their offices and sending in finely-crafted emails asking them to have us on the bill.

Leading up to this, supporters of my candidacy had been variously disappointed by watching the major media coverage of debates during the primary campaign, some of which completely ignored that I had been in attendance and talking through the microphone addressing questions in front of a live audience. Here is an excellent blog piece that explains some of what was happening with press coverage:
Media Disinformation: First Hand
http://www.rejectsociety.com/index.php/2008/05/01/media-disinformation-first-hand/

I'm not sure how many calls and emails were directed at the CitizenVoice offices complaining about their exclusion of Jones and myself from their planned debate, but I was cc'd on many emails that were sent. This had to have some impact on Gary Dietrich, who is both the President of CitizenVoice and an announcer at KFBK radio, who began emailing the Jones campaign and myself to explain why we were not being welcomed in his debate. I posted some of our email correspondence directly to myspace:
Radio host attempts to justify efforts to fix elections...
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=197955307&blogID=395156375


Fortunately, I have managed to spend a great deal of time pouring over Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations in advance of my campaign, and- while campaigning- have learned various things about FCC campaign restrictions firsthand from various radio hosts in our community. For example, even with deregulation, there are still election restrictions for FCC regulated airspace such as AM radio; I know this because some stations- while supporting me as a candidate- did not want to be forced to offer equal airtime to candidates they oppose and therefore would not have me on-air at their studio. It was clear that Dietrich, CitizenVoice and KFBK were doing something questionable, so I started sifting through my copy of the FEC CFR and found codes directly relating to our situation. FEC CFR 110.13 (c) describes how staging organizations such as CitizenVoice- in accord with radio stations such as KFBK- are allowed to exclude candidates from debates on AM airspace in the 30 days before a primary election if they have objective, pre-determined criteria in place. It was clear from the CitizenVoice website and also email communication with Dietrich and his other staff that they had none of that in place. I called the FEC in Washington and was connected to a Commissioner there, who encouraged me to file an FEC electioneering communications complaint against CitizenVoice and KFBK. I sent this information to Dietrich, CitizenVoice and candidate Suzanne Jones, who is an attorney. Jones was able to find additional FEC CFR codes relating to the use of public space, such as the state funded college where the debate had been scheduled.

While this process had been unfolding, I'd been talking to various folks in the local media about what was happening, as was Jones. A small paper in our district, the Auburn Journal, decided to write about what was going on with KFBK, and had their reporter contact Jones and myself for a feature story:
Candidates want to have say in debates: Jones,
Terbolizard excluded from some public events
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/84651.html
I was quoted accurately: "You have to pick your battles wisely and this is the battle to pick," Terbolizard said. "This is the last straw. If we are not viable candidates, then the people should be able to see for themselves."

Further, discussions were happening between all the candidates and some of their staff regarding the exclusion of Jones and myself from the May 28 event; both the Ose and McClintock camps wanted us involved. Even the democrats, especially Wolf Wolfgram, were siding with Jones and myself. After attending approximately a dozen debates together, it was clear that the dialog was more interesting, and more focused on issues, when it wasn't just Ose and McClintock on stage. Ose and McClintock, when presented as a duo, turn into a bitter, nit-picking snoozefest focused on each other and not the issues when there are no other voices to either back them up or challenge their views. It was clear to many people that it wasn't good for our party to exclude ideas and discussions as we head into the future.

Then, less than a week before the May 28 event, a moment of elation as word comes through the venerable redcounty placer blog that Dietrich and CitizenVoice cancelled the Sierra College debate:
Score One for the Lizard and Mrs. Jones ---
http://www.redcounty.com/placercountyca/2008/05/score-one-for-the-lizard-and-m/

This was followed up shortly by news that KFBK were having an in-studio debate instead of at the Rocklin campus, again, with word coming through redcounty placer:
Debate Update - KFBK is Hosting all 4 Candidates
http://www.redcounty.com/placercountyca/2008/05/debate-update-kfbk-is-hosting/

Later that day I spoke with folks from KFBK and confirmed for May 28th. The debate will be streaming live from their website:

Wed, May 28, 7pm PT

4th Congressional District Debate

Newstalk 1530 KFBK Sacramento

Wednesday, May 28 @ 7pm

live stream: http://kfbk.com/pages/debates.html







This whole process has been a major victory, and there are many components involved. Clearly, the United States public knows something is very wrong with the way major media outlets cover news, especially political news; this is a source of motivation that- in the context of our congressional race- could be focused into action on a specific event with a favorable result. Many thanks need to be extended to: supporters who directed phone calls and emails to the original, exclusionary event organizers; bloggers who covered the story; people who left comments on news websites- both large and small- on this topic; newspaper editors and journalists who listened and wrote about what was happening; the other candidates and their staff for their support; the FEC for free consultation, and anyone else who thought about or talked about what was happening. If we work together, we can transform the world around us for the better; our well-being depends on it. Be involved. You make a difference.

Ted Terbolizard
Gold Country, California


more related:

Score a win for Ted Terbolizard in California!!
http://breakthematrix.com/node/8756

Media Blackout on Terbolizard
http://www.rosevillept.com/detail/83645.html

Media Blackout on Libertarian Candidates
http://www.rejectsociety.com/index.php/2008/05/08/media-blackout-on-libertarian-candidates/

Doug Ose And Tom Mcclintock May 28 At Sierra College
http://www.rocklintoday.com/news/templates/community_news.asp?articleid=6184&zoneid=4

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THE 4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT PRIMARY DEBATE
http://citizenvoice.org/events.shtml
"Due to security concerns that have been referred to law enforcement, the 4th Congressional District candidate forum scheduled for May 28th at Sierra College has been cancelled. We are sincerely disappointed that these increasingly significant concerns necessitated this step. All the best to the citizens and voters of the 4th CD. We encourage your thoughtful participation as you select a new representative to send to Washington."

Below is an unbelievable email exchange between myself and the weasel
behind the May 28th radio debate I've been blocked from participating
in or sponsoring. Note his shift to long winded attacks on my
perceived 'anger' after I accuse him and his 'non-partisan' group of
'fixing elections.' If he had any clue, he'd realize I was the one
with the wide smile telling jokes at the debates, bringing levity to
otherwise dreary events, while Ose and McClintock are the ones in
bitter exchanges in our candidate forums. I wasn't angry until after
receiving his last reply. Ideas anyone?

tt

Fwd: Your email regarding the 4th CD race

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gary Dietrich
Date: Thu, May 15, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Subject: Your email regarding the 4th CD race
To: terbo congress


Hi Ted-

You obviously have a great deal of passion at this point to have sent an email of the content and tenor below. I've been in the heat of political battles many times…I know how intense the emotions can become. Unfortunately, your passion has spilled into the kind of anger that is precisely what many feel is so damaging about elections these days…from local to national. Voters are tired of it. And, unfortunately, your anger is misdirected, Ted. You are frustrated, but not because of a single debate. There are other events you have not been included in as well…but the outcry from you or your campaign prior to now has apparently not reached this level of emotion, at least I hope others haven't been subjected to it. The denigrating language, the threats, the strange assertions that somehow those associated with the debate have any interest in "deliberately" discrediting any campaign. Wow…I don't think this is the kind of candidate you want to be, or the kind of campaign you want to run. We can't make your frustrations better for you. What we can do, with absolute integrity, is assure you that there is no agenda whatsoever among the event partners, sponsors, volunteers, and others involved in the event. If you listen to my analysis on-air with any regularity, you'll know that I am a straight shooter. I try my level best to be fair to all. And I try to do my best on behalf of voters and citizens and residents of this region, state and nation. I receive compliments in this regard all the time, from all over the ideological spectrum. And Citizen Voice's reputation for this is also highly regarded. Please don't take out your frustrations on a guy, and an organization, that are doing their level best to serve our citizenry, and have sacrificed much and worked incredibly hard to do so.

I also encourage you not to speak for other campaigns. Let them speak for themselves. This is only fair, as you would want the same from them. I hear from and am in touch with candidates and campaigns all the time. You're welcome to send me any materials, web-based info or other items you think would be helpful as I prepare for my analysis on-air leading up to the June primary and as Citizen Voice puts our election web pages together.

We respect your feelings, Ted. We wish you all the best with your electoral effort. From your description below, it sounds as though you have done lots of hard work, and you are supremely confident. Should you win in June, you will be invited to participate in a general election debate prior to the November election that is currently being planned.

As to sponsorship, it is an odd question the answer to which seemed so obvious that it honestly appeared your inquiries about it were simply additional expressions of your frustration with a political system you feel has done you wrong. No candidate is ever allowed to sponsor any debate in a race they have entered…at any level, whether or not they participate in the event. At least, in my quarter of a century of involvement in the public arena, I've never heard of this happening.

Ted, we've never met or spoken, and I don't remember receiving any materials through Citizen Voice or the broadcasters I work with from your campaign. Prior to your entrance in this particular race, no one has ever mentioned your name to me in over 20 years of work here in the capital region. So anything you'd like to zip my way…I'll put with the materials I review from all candidate and issue campaigns.

I'm glad for you that you have supporters who are behind you. Running for office can be a very difficult endeavor at any level…and having those that care about you in your corner is invaluable. In fact, yes, we've heard from a few folks who are supporting your candidacy. Just today I received a very gracious email from one who appreciated my taking the time to thoughtfully respond and, even though he didn't see it exactly the same way, understood the decision about debate participants.

Again, all the best as you move ahead, both with this campaign and any other efforts you undertake in the public arena. Regardless of party or perspective, I always try and encourage those who take the leap. In many ways, it's a real act of courage.

One last thought that may be helpful. Keep your eyes on the prize, and on your actual opponents in this race. Don't get sidetracked with frustrations about the system, the media, an event or other things that take your focus off of doing the best you can to share with voters with a message that you truly believe in. If it resonates with what's in their own hearts, they'll support you, and no one over the long haul will be able to stand in your way. In the end, you will have preserved your integrity and feel good about your efforts, regardless of the outcome. (And I've worked on electoral efforts that didn't go the way I'd hoped so I know of which I speak.) It will be my honor to congratulate you as your party's nominee for November if you are successful.

I have watched many candidates and campaigns over the years try to pick a fight with someone or something else, especially a high profile one, thinking it will somehow advance their efforts. It never does. People don't want to see a campaign go after people or organizations, especially those that genuine try to do good. They want to believe in you, yourself, as a candidate. They want to build trust with you. They want to look up to you and your ideals.

Feel free to pass this email on to those you have spoken to regarding your feelings or perspective. They certainly deserve to know that we have treated you with the same respect we afford all those who contact us. I've taken good deal of time to thoughtfully and sensitively respond to you in the midst of an incredibly busy time as a demonstration of this sincere effort to care for people appropriately. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens too little in our day.

Again, all the best going forward.

Regards,

Gary


Gary Dietrich
President and Co-Founder
Citizen Voice
1215 K Street, 17th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 503-3194
CitizenVoice.org


On 5/14/08 8:20 PM, "terbo congress" wrote:

> Gary
>
> Your point is? Are you suggesting that I'm not allowed to partake in
> your exclusionary 'non-partisan' event because of your existing
> political bias? You're comparing Suzanne Jones and myself to 100+
> candidates in a non-Federal election in 2003? You make very little
> sense sir. You fall short of saying so specifically, but are you
> implying that it is your role to deliberately discredit my campaign
> and attempt to fix elections in the United States?
>
> Do you realize that I'm considered a favorite in various parts of this
> district? Do you realize the amount of press coverage I've been
> getting, including front page stories in many of our district's small
> town newspapers? Do you realize that four different TV commercials
> for my campaign have been aired on three cable systems and broadcast
> stations over the past months? Do you realize that I've dropped over
> a quarter million full color, glossy fold-out newspaper inserts over
> the past month or so in various small town papers? Do you realize
> that I have the strongest printed materials, most uplifting TV spots,
> and strongest web prescence of any of the candidates in this race? Do
> you realize I get cc'd on emails sent to your organization complaining
> about my being left off the bill? Do you realize that in many ways I
> am the dominant speaker in the forums held to date in this race? Do
> you realize that if Ose and McClintock split the vote just right, I
> could win, solely on my strength in Nevada and Sierra counties where
> I've been heavily campaigning for the past year solid? Do you realize
> that I'm prepared to SPONSOR your debate and that no one has returned
> my calls in this regard? Why has no one at your organization returned
> any of my calls?
>
> Certainly, you have every right to freely engage in any activities you
> choose, entirely at your own discretion and to your own benefit or
> demise. Please explain yourself. I will be holding you accountable
> publicly and have already found interest from the editorial staff in
> two of the most significant newspapers in our district to cover a
> story such as this.
>
> tt
> 530 575 6600
> http://terbocongress.org
>
>
> On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 5:02 PM, wrote:
>> Ted,
>>
>> Thanks for your message. I genuinely appreciate hearing from people with
>> passion for the public arena.
>>
>> Unfortunately, putting together coverage of politics and government,
>> including candidate debates, can be a very tough job...and no one succeeds
>> in making everyone happy. If you don't cover a race at all...you're labeled
>> as unconcerned. If you include info on all candidates in every race (which
>> is near impossible to do in any sizable media market), you're accused of
>> watering down coverage and not providing adequate coverage for the "truly
>> serious issues and candidates." And if you try and draw a line somewhere in
>> between, you're accused of "picking sides" or "favoring" a stance on an
>> issue or a particular candidate.
>>
>> This is the response I sent to the campaign manager of a sincere candidate
>> for a significant office in 2008 who does not by any objective standard have
>> a chance of winning:
>>
>> "I always commend and encourage those serious candidates who take the time,
>> energy and resource consuming leap into the electoral arena. I do know it
>> well...and how demanding it can be.
>>
>> As you know, airtime and print space is hard to come by. I try to honestly
>> present listeners, viewers and readers as much information on candidates as
>> I can. Sometimes, that means having to prioritize those that have a really
>> serious shot at winning. If we didn't do this, we'd end up with the
>> unrealistic task of interviewing dozens of candidates for every major
>> race...like the '03 Davis recall that had over 100 candidates file for
>> governor. It's not a slight on anyone...it's just a realistic necessity in
>> the media. I know you understand."
>>
>> This is the gracious response I received:
>>
>> "Hi Gary:
>>
>> Thanks for the reply. I completely understand - we just wanted to "get on
>> your radar". We enjoy hearing you on KFBK... Thanks!"
>>
>> My intent on both Citizen Voice?s election pages and on KFBK's election
>> webpage is to provide links to all candidates' websites for more information
>> on them for those interested. We may also have the opportunity to provide
>> individual interviews with candidates in some races if station resources
>> exist to do so. The media is a tough business these days --- with lots of
>> financial challenges and resource constraints.
>>
>> At Citizen Voice, we do the absolute best we can on behalf of citizens
>> everywhere. And I always try to do the same personally in my role as a
>> broadcast political analyst, and always will. I appreciate the many, many
>> messages that affirm this on a regular basis. Few even attempt to involve,
>> inspire and involve citizens in the public arena on behalf of all,
>> especially the most vulnerable. Fewer still are willing to commit
>> tremendous time, energy and resources to make it happen. I'm proud to say
>> that Citizen Voice has done this, done it well, and will continue to do so.
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>> Gary Dietrich
>> President and Co-Founder
>> Citizen Voice
>> 1215 K Street, 17th Floor
>> Sacramento, CA 95814
>> (916) 503-3194
>> CitizenVoice.org
>>
>>

Congressional candidates show differences

http://www.mtdemocrat.com/story.php?id=101.1

Friday night [May 9, 2008], five candidates hoping to fill John Doolittle's seat in the U.S. congress once his term concludes debated in the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors chambers.

The local League of Women Voters-sponsored program drew candidates Doug Ose, Tom McClintock, Suzanne Jones and Ted Terbolizard, each striving to win the Republican nomination in the June 3 primary.

Also present was John Wolfgram who hopes to win the Democratic nomination against fellow Democrat Charlie Brown and then go on to face the GOP winner Nov. 4 for the District 4 congressional seat.

They spoke to an audience of 25.

The candidates' seating arrangement at the table seemed to punctuate their contrary philosophies, with provocative contenders Terbolizard and Wolfgram sitting on each end while Ose's and McClintock's elbows met even if their eyes did not throughout the entire debate.

Doug Ose, a Northern California businessman and former congressman, told the small but interested audience that he was returning to politics to set "a nation adrift" right again.


Ose emphasized the importance of ending the speakership of Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives and lowering taxes. He also discussed the importance of keeping in touch with his constituents, promising to "work hard and come home virtually every weekend."

State Sen. Tom McClintock told the audience that "our job as citizens is to set things right and correct leaders who have lost sight of the constitution. I agree with Ronald Reagan who said government is not the solution to all of our problems, it is the cause of all our problems."

McClintock stressed the importance of enforcing illegal immigration laws and constructing a fence along the Mexican border to end the "drain on American resources" that is overwhelming the country.

A fifth generation Californian and artist, musician, Internet developer and spokesman, Terbolizard stated simply that he doesn't like the way government intrudes into citizens' lives, adding "I like to vote no."

Terbolizard also discussed his idea that the Federal Reserve is in large part responsible for our current economic woes and should be overhauled.

Forty-year-old Terbolizard speculated that his views often differ from the other candidates largely because of his younger-generation thinking.

To which nonconformist attorney Wolfgram replied, "Your age group is not known for its wisdom."

Terbolizard ended his introduction with a rebuke to McClintock and Ose to behave themselves…a warning neither candidate heeded.

Wolfgram began his remarks by quoting British historian Lord Acton's statement that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, adding that "power plus immunity in government inevitably leads to corruption."

The current president of the Constitutional Defender Association directed Acton's diatribe against America's judicial system, challenging it to remain faithful to Constitutional ideals.

Jones said she was running for office because she is "disenchanted with the Republican Party, which she described as "so self-absorbed that it has forgotten (the citizens) exist."

Jones, who has worked for small business served in civil service for the U.S. government overseas, and passed the California state bar exam as an adult, pointed out that she is the only candidate who grew up in the district and is in touch with its people and needs.

"If you want things to be different we need to do things differently," Jones said.

The candidates discussed questions of national security, illegal immigration, water rights, energy, global warming, universal healthcare and the Iraq war.

Only one candidate, Terbolizard, said he would vote not to continue the war in Iraq, citing the war's drain on the economy and the toll taken by U.S. troops. All the other candidates said that America must finish the job it started in the region.

"Our conduct in Iraq is sadly lacking," McClintock said, referring to the shortage of resources to back U.S. troops.

Wolfgram said that while "we have no business being there, we created the problem with Saddam Hussein." Americans cannot just leave Iraq "like we did in Vietnam and Cambodia. The solution is for Congress to openly debate it and find a solution" that is both good for America and beneficial to Iraq.

Jones, who has traveled to different parts of the world and seen universal healthcare in practice, said "there are lots of freebies and time off but (those countries) pay gigantic taxes to fund the free health care. There is no way this country can afford to foot the entire bill."

Terbolizard repeated his philosophy of private sector handling issues, including healthcare for its citizens, adding that too many regulations and government control are stifling the private sector's ability to explore options.

Wolfgram said he generally agrees with universal healthcare "as long as it is done prudently and alongside education to prevent expensive health problems." He favors a raise in consumer taxes to pay for the additional burden.

The debate in its entirety will be aired on cable Channel 2 "several times in the next month" leading up to the June primary, said debate moderator and League of Women's Voters leader Paula Lee.

Contact Denise Siino at (530) 344-5062 or e-mail her at dsiino@mtdemocrat.net.

Many folks have been asking how my campaign for the House of Representatives has been going, so I'm putting together this written update. Campaign season here in California's 4th District has been wonderful. I greatly enjoy traveling around our district and meeting with various people in communities such as Downieville, Oroville, Loyalton, Nevada City, North San Juan, Rough and Ready, Placerville, Auburn and beyond. The historical treasures in our old California Gold Country towns are always a delight and I always recommend visiting.

My primary election is June 3. Absentee ballots were sent out a week ago, and 2/3rds of our district votes this way, with spikes coming at the beginning and end of the voting period, which means many votes have already been cast. We've just finished a heavy two weeks of candidate forums and debates that coincide with the absentee ballots going out.

I've enjoyed meeting and socializing with the other candidates. Despite our often striking differences politically, there is a definite kinship between us all, or most of us anyway. It's hard to explain what it's like to speak to audience after audience on the campaign trail, or to have your words wildly misquoted in newspaper after newspaper, or to put together a marketing effort with your face all over it... so, as politicians, we all share some common experiences; Republican and Democrats alike, there's a kinship in standing up to run for office. Cheers to fellow Republicans Suzanne Jones, Doug Ose and Tom McClintock, along with Democrats Charlie Brown and John Wolfgram; we all benefit as a society by having more folks such as these run for office. Already, I can tell I've had an influence on the other candidates; I've been speaking without notes, telling jokes, and soliciting audience feedback to such a degree that I've seen the other candidates follow my lead and improve their public speaking; I delight in this knowledge.

As far as actual issues, it's clear that I'm the only candidate willing to discuss the Federal Reserve system, it's like it's the 'F word' and the others won't go there. So I bring it out every time I can. My fellow Republicans will blame high gas prices on supply and demand fundamentals, and I always disagree, pointing out that all commodities, from gold to gas to copper to cotton to milk are all going up in price, but holding relative value to each other; it's the dollar that's LOSING value due to inflationist expansion of our money supply. As I explain over and over again, the Federal Reserve system is operating outside of proper Constitutional Congressional oversight; it's not the role of the Fed or the Executive branch to regulate our currency. Also, I'm easily the most anti-war of all the candidates, if not the only truly anti-war candidate. This is interesting because most audiences we face will be nearly unanimous in wanting the Iraq war to be over with; I often ask for a show of hands on this subject and it is very telling. Blog and newspaper coverage of the candidate events are starting to single me out for my anti-war position; over and over again, it's clear that if- as Republicans- we believe in less taxes and less government, you can't at the same time also want to endlessly continue deficit spending of the Iraq occupation without being blatantly hypocritical.

There are all kinds of little victories as the campaign continues: Getting an email from someone saying they sent in their absentee ballot and voted for me already; Seeing campaign signs put up in unexpected places by random volunteers; getting stopped by people who recognize me on the street, or ask for my autograph; earning the respect or acknowledgment of various political leaders in the local establishment. I've been doing exceptionally well in our candidate events. My advertising efforts- while smaller than my big money rivals- have been enormously effective in getting word of my campaign out. Two new TV commercials for me launched on three different cable systems last week, and I in the past month or so I've dropped nearly a quarter million glossy, full color newsletter inserts into various small town newspapers.

I am certainly not a favorite in the race at this time, with the two well-known and well-funded candidates Doug Ose and Tom McClintock in the race. However, it is still very possible that I can win the primary. If the two main candidates can split the vote enough, I could get past them. I've focused my campaign heavily on the rural and mountain communities, where the career politicians are not well respected. Further, our GOP has gone through some genuinely bad years, and voter discontent within the party is high; being from the old guard isn't necessarily beneficial at this time. The need for new faces and new ideas is something I can sense heavily. As little as 20,000 votes can win our primary in a four candidate race, and I know that I have appeal that extends far beyond what the other candidates offer.

There are also all kinds of little defeats on the campaign trail, which I liken to one of those road race movies where the villain will have a button in their race car for an oil slick, or another lever for knives to come out of the side of their car to slash your tires as you try to pass. Easily, the biggest obstacle has been the major media. Sacramento is the big market just to the South of our district; the TV, radio and main newspaper (The Sacramento Bee) in that area have been an outright obstacle to campaigning: variously marginalizing, ridiculing or ignoring my efforts. However, a number of things have been helping break down this barrier. A small handful of supporters have been repeatedly mentioning me in user comments on the Sacramento Bee website when they've neglected my campaign; the political editor of that paper called me in person earlier this week to try and work up a story on me; efforts by folks like you are having an impact.

Today I attended a luncheon where 'the two main candidates' were invited to speak. This is a common setback; there seems to be at least one event a week where I'm excluded from the bill where Ose and McClintock are going to appear, but I show up anyway. Ose and McClintock always arrive at the last minute and leave as soon as possible; today they were out of the building before dessert was finished; they don't make themselves very available to folks. Today, I arrived early, and- as always- stayed until the very end when the last organizers were done cleaning out the place. This always gives me an opportunity to meet with as many people as possible. While I was sitting in the audience, many people came up to me and introduced themselves, and after the event, many people came up to me and said hello as I stood in the lobby handing out free pocket Constitutions and campaign literature. Lots of folks told me that I'd already earned their vote, despite being excluded from the microphone today; indeed, I may very well have been the top vote getter in the room based on the feedback I was getting.

Action Items:

There is a high-profile candidate event coming up on May 28th, where I have again been excluded from the stage, even as I've already demonstrated to many that I am- in many ways- the best public speaker in the race. I'd like to invite you to visit their event website, and make efforts to let the organizers of this 'non-partisan' event know that I, Ted Terbolizard, should be invited to speak there as well, along with candidate Suzanne Jones, who is also being shunned. Already, a number of supporters have been helping in this effort, but we've yet to see or hear anything from the event staff.
http://www.citizenvoice.org/election.shtml

If you'd like to help call voters in my district, we've set up a system where you can download phone numbers of fifty voters at time, and call them yourself on my behalf. Visit http://www.terbocongress.org/phone for more information, including a sample script.

If you can help in the online news comments, please search for 'Terbolizard' or 'California 4th Congressional District' on news.google.com or news.yahoo.com, and leave a kind word in the user feedback areas for any articles that are recently posted on various news websites.


To get the latest on the campaign, please visit http://terbocongress.org

Thanks for your interest, and may you find a way to help make an impact in our political world.

tt

Today I drove over to Oroville, a Historic Gold Town on the far Western side of the 4th Congressional District, one of the only parts of Butte County I would represent in Congress. 'Oro' is Spanish for 'gold', so literally, it's 'Gold City.' I'm a huge fan of Gold Country towns, and absolutely love getting to tour through all of them that I can to meet with various folks as I campaign. Yesterday we had a candidate forum/debate up in Downieville, an event I am highly pleased to have attended. Some of my ancestors were buried in Oroville before 1900; my mother has always wanted to take me by the graveyard to see some of the tombstones but I didn't have enough notice to bring her along today.

The main reason for my Oroville visit was a TV Interview with ABC Channel 7 Redding. The station contacted me a few days back and I was able to fit the trip into my hectic campaign schedule. When we were planning the shoot, I suggested that we meet somewhere in the Historic District, so the cameraman picked Montgomery Street at Myers, a cute area full of Antique Shops, Clothing Stores and Restaurants. I was also able to schedule a visit with a reporter from the Oroville Mercury-Register newspaper to coincide with the trip. Small town media is always far easier to deal with than the nefarious mainstream media folks down in Sacramento.

I arrived in Oroville almost a half hour early, and dropped into a local cafe on Montgomery Street to get a cup of coffee. I found a small place that had some tables outside on the sidewalk, and it turned out that I didn't move far from that spot for the next two hours. Inside, I waited in line to order my coffee, and the woman behind the counter- her name is Monica- sort of stared at me and asked, 'Are you TERBOcongress?' with some sort of disbelief. Turns out, both she and her husband have already donated to my campaign online and have been promoting my candidacy. And there I am, asking if they have any coffee. Small world. I promised her I'd come back and visit with her after i finished my interviews. I sat outside in front of the cafe, lit a fine cigar and sipped coffee until the TV reporter arrived.

It's pretty easy to spot a Congressional Candidate in Downtown Oroville, especially when they're wearing a tailored pinstripe suit, with a silk medallion tie, pocket square, cufflinks, wing tip shoes and all that. So the reporter for the TV station and- later- the newspaper, found me easily. I pulled a big stack of flyers, newsletters, bumper stickers and posters out of my car and set up camp in front of the cafe. During the TV shoot, we spoke about the Federal Reserve, foreign aid, where to cut the Federal Budget, and, at my insistence, the charms of California's Historic Gold Country, something the other 3 candidates in my race seem oblivious to from my perspective. After a brief interview, we wandered up and down the block, getting footage of me talking with random constituents and strolling by various storefronts. We also shot footage of my various campaign literature, and my 1875 one ounce gold coin I carry with me nearly everywhere.

The Oroville Mercury-Register reporter arrived almost the same moment the TV reporter exited the scene. We sat outside in front of the cafe for a relaxed interview over lunch. I ordered what turned out to be one of the largest plates of Nachos I've ever attempted to eat; piles of avocado and cheesy goodness with plenty of jalapeños. Somehow, we started to make a scene; the neighboring shop keepers kept coming out to meet me and I gave away a small stack of posters and bumper stickers in not too much time. I was stunned at how many of the people in Oroville are keenly aware of the Federal Reserve system being responsible for things like high gas and milk prices, throwing it into the conversation the moment they realize they're standing with a politician; the other candidates in my race avoid this topic like the plague. The people on the street are far more aware than most folks would give them credit for. A young couple with their very cute son stopped by and we talked very intensely about Ron Paul (they're fans), the role of the internet in politics- the Fed- and more. The cafe had given me a complimentary pair of their chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert; I gave these to the young boy one at a time and he seemed intensely grateful. His face was soon smeared with chocolate.

After the second interview, I had to go back to the car to get more posters and bumper stickers as promised for some of the shopkeepers. I went back inside the cafe and autographed posters for some of the staff. Next door is one of those infinitely fascinating antique shops that has all kinds of musty things; this one specializes in dishware. I visited with the shopkeepers, who had already put my poster up in the front window, along with a pile of TERBOcongress propaganda at the register from earlier. The two ladies in the shop were like a machine gun nest full of political observations; I appreciated their sharing of ideas and perspectives. Wandering through the store, I was wishing my daughter was with me, she's always thrilled with things like small porcelain kitty cat sculptures. I'll have to bring her back by sometime; she could have spent over an hour in there rifling through things. For myself, I wound up buying a small metal and enamel lion crest pin I wore out of the store on my lapel, and some extremely garish vintage mink cufflinks. That's right, mink cufflinks. I'd never seen anything like them. And they were shockingly affordable.

This campaign season has been a complete thrill, I'm thriving on it and enjoy it immensely. On the way home I stopped at the General Store in Rough and Ready for some fierce political conversation over the outdoor grill; I was disappointed I'd stuffed myself so thoroughly with nachos beforehand; the burgers looked juicy, huge and smelled delicious, but I couldn't eat another bite. I bought myself a commemorative Rough and Ready bolo necktie- those western string ties- I'll probably wear that with the mink cufflinks tomorrow for the South Placer Republican Women's Luncheon in Roseville and tell stories about where they came from.

Hi.

If you have unlimited long distance, or live within the CA-04 Congressional District, I would like to invite you to call registered voters in my area directly to tell them about my campaign for the United States Representatives, which is nearing the crucial primary election. Various volunteers have set up a database of phone numbers you can download 50 at a time; this is an amazing use of communications tools and social networking power. The link below has additional information, including a sample script.

http://terbocongress.org/phone

~ please repost ~

Best Wishes,
Theodore Terbolizard

"Last night in the 4th Congressional District of California there was a debate between the 4 candidates running for John Doolittle's seat of the House of Representatives. Those 4 candidates are Tom McClintock, Suzanne Jones, Theodore Terbolizard, and Doug Ose. I went to the debate as this is my home district and watched one candidate talk circles around the others followed by a complete media blackout of that candidate. The news papers and television flat out refuse to even acknowledge that this candidate is running, even though he is clearly the man for the job. That man, is Theodore Terbolizard."

more: http://www.rejectsociety.com/index.php/2008/05/01/media-disinformation-first-hand/

Final marketing plans for my primary campaign are in their final stages, and I am a few thousand dollars short. Even the smallest donation at this time will be highly appreciated and put to immediate use.

http://terbocongress.org/donate

Donations have helped put together a great ad campaign! In the coming week- when absentee ballots get mailed out- I'm launching a new TV commercial, dropping 80,000 full color fold-out inserts into local papers, mailing 10,000 postcards, sending out mass emails, and organizing a volunteer phone campaign; all of this along with personal appearances/candidate debates and an active street team out flyering and putting up yard signs, etc.

To date, every donation has gone directly towards marketing and advertising costs; I have not taken any sort of personal draw, even though it is allowed by FEC rules; to the contrary, I have been spending as much of my own funds on the campaign as I can. I have also accepted only personal donations, zero lobbyist or PAC money.

Thanks for your support

tt
http://terbocongress.org