Peter Navarro spills many beans re San Diego politics

Democrat publisher and Congressman Clint McKinnon, gadfly Mike Aguirre, Pete Wilson as mayor, Maureen O'Connor goes homeless in Balboa Park, Bruce Henderson on the Chargers

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Publish Date

June 26, 2022

Larry Remer, second from left. Larry’s Achilles’ heel is that he is needlessly obnoxious. (Joe Klein)

Peter Navarro fights Lynn Schenk, Susan Golding, Nancy Casady

Bilbray looked like most congressmen from California do who commute every week back and forth on the red-eye from Washington, D.C., which is to say he was pale and wan and more than a little wasted. He also had a Nixonian film of unflattering, shiny sweat on his face, whereas, TV veteran that I was, I had put on a little powder makeup to smooth out any sweaty and shiny edges.

By Peter Navarro, April 23 and 30, May 7 and 14, 1998 Read full article

McKinnon's own newspaper announces his 1948 congressional victory. "Mac was lucky in getting into Congress; he ran against a real boob. Charlie Fletcher was always saying the dumbest things."

The making of Mac

Clinton McKinnon put out the San Diego Daily Journal on a shoestring budget and paid his employees accordingly. “Eighty-six years old and sharp as a tack!” says Roger Hedgecock. “A canny old Scotsman,” says Sea World founder George Millay. “A shrewd businessman, and always blessed with incredible luck,” says ex-newsman, ex-Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin.

Mike Aguirre on John Alessio, J. David, Jim Bates, Roger Hedgecock, and the Penthouse suit

"I was thinking about how to shift the whole power structure in San Diego County ... to organize everything south of Interstate 8. Look at America — it was founded on the perfectability of humankind, but the people are given representatives like [Pete] Chacon, Bates, [Lucy] Killea. The representatives we’re sending are inadequate.

By Bob Dorn, April 19, 1984 Read full article

The Copley papers were faithful editorial supporters of the mayor. (John Workman)

Pete Wilson was here

In 1975 Mayor Wilson called the proposal to build some 14,000 homes in North City West “a big mistake.” He declared that allowing homes to be built in Carmel Valley, just east of Del Mar, would violate city growth policies, that the resultant traffic increase would be intolerable. But before his dire predictions came true, Wilson did an about-face and became an ardent supporter of the project.

By Matt Potter and Neal Matthews, July 26, 1990 Read full article

Mayor Maureen O'Connor goes slumming in Balboa Park

“O’Connor was no sissy. She scaled the steep ivy- embankments of Highway 163 to get into Balboa Park the way homeless do … the mayor and her shadows investigated … under a Highway 163 bridge, they laughed at the paperback reading choice at one campsite, ‘Pagan Land.’”

By Arturo Cardenas-Ruiz, Sept. 15, 1988 Read full article

First home game with expanded seating (Sept. 14, 1997); attendance deficit led to TV blackout. (Joe Klein)

Bruce Henderson— stadium prophet

"Every time they raise ticket prices it gives them more and more money to do what? To buy what they hope is a better and better team. The council will have to extend the ticket guarantee, give them $100 million to stay here, or they’re going to leave. The fact is that we haven’t locked this team in at all! 'The Chargers can start shopping the team in 2003 and get to come back and ask the city of San Diego to match the offer of any other city."

By Matt Potter, Sept. 25, 1997 Read full article