Potemkin Village, Oscar-Style
Despite the fact that surveys show public aversion to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s stagecraft and gimmickry, the Governor continued the “kitchen cabinet” charade in Santa Rosa yesterday.
Though they are described as simple meetings with average Californians, a Reuters report indicates the staging for the meetings is more Hollywood Blvd than Main Street.
“Schwarzenegger typically attends carefully staged events. On Thursday afternoon he attended his third "Citizens' Kitchen Cabinet," at which he meets a few Californians to talk about public policy issues.
“Anne Speake, who hosted one of the gatherings at her home in Fresno two weeks ago, described extensive preparations. ‘The people started coming out, the lighting people, and they brought out a big generator and cables through my garage,’ she said in an interview.
‘Evidently the people who do the lighting did, for example, Reagan's funeral and the Academy Awards.’” (Reuters, 4/7/05)
The Santa Rosa event was no different than the ones in Fresno and Long Beach. According to the Pool Report filed by the San Francisco Chronicle, the entire group was handpicked by the Chamber of Commerce and the Governor’s staff:
“Nancy Miller, 44, of Santa Rosa, a career pathway and community outreach coordinator for Santa Rosa city schools. She said she was contacted by the executive director of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce about her participation and is a member of the Chamber's Leadership Santa Rosa group…
*Teejay (CQ) Lowe, 29, of Santa Rosa, the director of community relations
for G&G Supermarkets. Lowe said he was contacted by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce president…
*Stacey Camara, 41, a Santa Rosa police officer, who was also contacted by
the Santa Rosa Chamber president…
*Julio Caceres, 31, assistant vice president of First Community Bank in
Santa Rosa, also contacted by the Chamber president…
*Peggy Mays, "50-something," of Sebastopol, administrator of the Santa
Rosa Spine Institute and the Santa Rosa Ambulatory Surgical Center. Mays
said she was chosen for the event after being contacted by her friend, an
attorney, whom she said was a gubernatorial appointee.” (Pool Report, 4/7/05)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that “advance staffers visited Tuesday and again Wednesday...” and that they were “planning out camera angles and TV lighting in her living room.”
“The attendees said they were asked to keep details confidential before the meeting. They were given materials outlining Schwarzenegger's proposals in advance and background on how the meeting would work during a conference call Wednesday, but they were not restricted in what they could ask.” (Press-Democrat, 4/8/05)
I’m sure the fact that they were hand-picked by the Chamber, coached in advance and dropped into a big-budget production had no impact on types of question these “real” people asked Governor Schwarzenegger.
###
Though they are described as simple meetings with average Californians, a Reuters report indicates the staging for the meetings is more Hollywood Blvd than Main Street.
“Schwarzenegger typically attends carefully staged events. On Thursday afternoon he attended his third "Citizens' Kitchen Cabinet," at which he meets a few Californians to talk about public policy issues.
“Anne Speake, who hosted one of the gatherings at her home in Fresno two weeks ago, described extensive preparations. ‘The people started coming out, the lighting people, and they brought out a big generator and cables through my garage,’ she said in an interview.
‘Evidently the people who do the lighting did, for example, Reagan's funeral and the Academy Awards.’” (Reuters, 4/7/05)
The Santa Rosa event was no different than the ones in Fresno and Long Beach. According to the Pool Report filed by the San Francisco Chronicle, the entire group was handpicked by the Chamber of Commerce and the Governor’s staff:
“Nancy Miller, 44, of Santa Rosa, a career pathway and community outreach coordinator for Santa Rosa city schools. She said she was contacted by the executive director of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce about her participation and is a member of the Chamber's Leadership Santa Rosa group…
*Teejay (CQ) Lowe, 29, of Santa Rosa, the director of community relations
for G&G Supermarkets. Lowe said he was contacted by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce president…
*Stacey Camara, 41, a Santa Rosa police officer, who was also contacted by
the Santa Rosa Chamber president…
*Julio Caceres, 31, assistant vice president of First Community Bank in
Santa Rosa, also contacted by the Chamber president…
*Peggy Mays, "50-something," of Sebastopol, administrator of the Santa
Rosa Spine Institute and the Santa Rosa Ambulatory Surgical Center. Mays
said she was chosen for the event after being contacted by her friend, an
attorney, whom she said was a gubernatorial appointee.” (Pool Report, 4/7/05)
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that “advance staffers visited Tuesday and again Wednesday...” and that they were “planning out camera angles and TV lighting in her living room.”
“The attendees said they were asked to keep details confidential before the meeting. They were given materials outlining Schwarzenegger's proposals in advance and background on how the meeting would work during a conference call Wednesday, but they were not restricted in what they could ask.” (Press-Democrat, 4/8/05)
I’m sure the fact that they were hand-picked by the Chamber, coached in advance and dropped into a big-budget production had no impact on types of question these “real” people asked Governor Schwarzenegger.
###
posted by Roger Salazar & Andrew Acosta at 3:45 PM
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