The Give and Take of Politics Colors Golding’s Quest for Campaign Funds

Money and politics.

* When last we heard of gay activist John W. (Jack) Campbell of San Diego and Florida, mayoral candidate Susan Golding was returning his $250 contribution.

Her campaign manager said it was because Campbell lives (mostly) out of town.

But Campbell concluded that it was because of certain things in his background: a conviction for running a “callboy” ring in San Francisco; a flap over unsafe sex at a health spa he owns in Miami.

Now we learn that, a week after she returned his $250, Golding sent a warm letter to Campbell at his home in Coconut Grove, Fla.

She asked for another $250 contribution, and would he please volunteer to do some campaign work:

“You and I can do so much for this town because we care and are willing to work hard. I’d like to work with you, both now and after the election. . . . Thanks John. We’re going to win. And it’s great to know I have friends like you I can count on.”

Signed, “Best Personal Regards, Susan.”

Her campaign says the Campbell letter was just a mix-up, not a flip-flop, just one of a batch of similarly worded letters dunning previous contributors for more. The candidate doesn’t really want Campbell’s money.

Even if she did, Campbell says Golding can forget it. “Politics is strange,” he says.

* The Rancho Santa Fe Republican Women’s Club last week invited San Diego City Councilwoman Judy McCarty to a luncheon to stump for votes in her race for 3rd District supervisor.

McCarty’s opponent, Encinitas Councilwoman Pam Slater, heard about the McCarty-only event and managed to wangle herself an invitation despite a cool reception to the idea from the club’s leaders.

A McCarty supporter harrumphs that Slater “crashed” the event, a social faux pas at the Ranch.

She managed to speak for a few minutes to the 65 or so people until the moderator told her to sit down.

It is unknown how many votes Slater may have accumulated, but the session wasn’t a total loss.

She left the Rancho Santa Fe Inn with a cool $50 after winning the raffle at the end of the luncheon.

The Wild’s Most Wanted

It says here.

* The mystery of the fake bird’s nest and hidden camera at Mission Trails Regional Park has been solved.

No, it was not put there by environmentalists provocateur trying to lure a gnatcatcher and help stop construction of a visitors center at the park.

Rather, it was the work of Sandy Vissman, who is doing a master’s thesis in ecology at San Diego State University. She placed 14 “disposable” cameras in the wilds of San Diego County to find out what kinds of beasts are snatching bird eggs. She found that the predators are mostly jaybirds and small mammals.

Now she can add a new beast to her list of egg-killers: A bulldozer clearing the way for the visitors center rolled over her fake nest and its (real) eggs.

* Why are Coronado residents on their dog-walking rounds making sure to stop and gawk (and take pictures) at a house on A Avenue?

Because it is the home of James Stockdale, the retired admiral who is Ross Perot’s running mate.

Stockdale is teaching at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and the house is rented out to a college student.

It is not the house with the Perot sign on the lawn.

That’s the house next door.

* In her final years, Marie Lawrence of University City had trouble walking, and even fell a few times.

She would call San Diego police for help and an officer would come. She was a widow living alone, and she would try to pay the officers for their assistance, offers that naturally were declined.

She died the other day just short of her 96th birthday, and now her modest estate is being dispensed.

Among the beneficiaries in her will (along with the Rescue Mission and Area Agency on Aging) is the Police Department’s Northern Division, which will receive $500 “for all of your help.”

The money will go into a fund that is often used for youth activities and such.

A Meaty Issue

Janis Cadwallader reports a bumper sticker on a battered VW in line at In-N-Out Burger in Kearny Mesa: “Be Kind to Animals--Don’t Eat Them.”

Probably just ordering fries and a shake.