Angelides Opens Cal Dem Convention With A Bang (& A Biff & A Pow)

Spencer Critchley blogs live from the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento:

A fired-up Phil Angelides knocked both Arnold Schwarzenegger and rival Steve Westly in an appearance at the opening day of the California Democratic Party Convention. Trailing a posse of sign-wavers, Angelides told gathered press and supporters that he's the Democrat who has stood up all along for Democratic values, citing education, the middle class, health care and the environment. Styling himself "the Anti-Arnold", Angelides accused Westly, his rival for the Demcoratic party's endorsement as Gubernatorial candidate, of going along with the governor's policies, including tuition increases.

Angelides stressed funding education as a priority, saying "if we have to take back some of the obscene tax breaks for the rich to pay for it, we'll do it." Westly has also been highlighting education in his campaign.

Asked how he feels about a Fair Political Practices suit filed yesterday by the Westly campaign, Angelides dismissed it as "frivolous". The Westly campaign has complained that Sacramento developer Angelo Tsakopoulos was acting as an agent for the Angelides campaign when he and his daughter contributed $5 million to Californians For Better Government, a PAC that aired pro-Angelides TV ads.

Phil Angelides and a watchful bodyguard meet CDP Convention attendees.