THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:

Assemblyman and senatorial candidate Chuck DeVore and his new-media partner in crime are at it again.

Remember last week when we told you about DeVore’s YouTube video “After the Hope of November is Gone,” a send-up of President Obama sang to the tune of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer?” Well, it turns out that Henley didn’t exactly want to bookmark that or add DeVore to his favorite YouTube channels. In fact, he asked YouTube to pull it for “trademark infringement.”

DeVore’s response? Oh no, you didn’t. DeVore’s tickled at the prospect of getting free earned media out of the dispute and plans to do more parodies sung to the tune of Henley’s songs (just like those old Mad Magazine ditties). Imagine “All She Wants to do is Tax, Tax, Tax,” to parody his opponent, Sen. Barbara Boxer, and the Eagles drummer.

“When we first put it together I was joking with [Justin Hart], wouldn’t it be funny if Don Henley engaged on this because it’s pretty well-known he’s a left-wing activist,” DeVore said. “His lyrics took on Ronald Reagan back in the day and he’s pursued legal action in the past to prevent Republicans from using his songs at conventions.”

It’s all part of DeVore’s new-media strategy to raise his name recognition against the better-known Boxer.

(You can read more about it at Paul Anderson’s blog, Supplied to Anderson, at www.dailypilot.com/daily blogger/panderson.)

Candidate gunning for DeVore’s vacated seat

At 43, California Assembly hopeful Shawn Black has already served as a U.S. Federal Air Marshal, managed security for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and helped distribute more than 50,000 pocket-size American flags to U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now he’s gunning for Assemblyman Chuck DeVore’s 70th District seat in 2010.

It won’t be an easy road for this social conservative. Fellow Republican and Tustin Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Amante also has his eyes on DeVore’s seat.

DeVore is running for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and the seat is up for grabs. Amante has already garnered endorsements from U.S. Reps. John Campbell and Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), and several Republicans in the California Senate, including Sen. Tom Harman.

“It’s been said that I’m a young GOP upstart and the economy is tight and Amante has quite a bit of money,” Black said. “I like being underdog, I like being a candidate that has a heart behind him and can go the distance, but money is the biggest challenge right now.”

Shawn joined the Army at age 17, and patrolled the East-West German border during the Cold War. He has a degree in theology and also served as an ordained chaplain. After 9/11, Black volunteered to serve as a U.S. Federal Air Marshal, doing 1,400 missions around the world.

He founded Project Prayer Flag in 2002, which sends pocket-sized American flags with prayers attached to them to U.S. service members.

Black’s first taste of politics and public service, was hearing his father’s stories of doing security for President Richard Nixon and John Wayne. A police officer in Buena Park for more than three decades, Black’s father would act as a bodyguard whenever Nixon or Wayne visited the John Wayne Theater at Knott’s Berry Farm.

“We would hear stories about Richard Nixon and that keyed our love for God and country, so I joined the service and went into law enforcement,” Black said.

Black will speak at noon today at the UCI Student Center on the outdoor stage. For more information, visit www.shawnblack.com.

Congressman unhappy with plane cuts

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is not happy about the plan to cut spending on big-ticket military vehicles unveiled by Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday.

Gates said the proposal was aimed at refocusing military spending on less conventional conflicts like battling insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan as opposed to traditional warfare.

One of the items on the chopping block is the Boeing Co.’s C-17 cargo plane, which is built in Long Beach, part of Rohrabacher’s district. The congressman estimated that the proposal will cost 5,000 jobs and chided the administration for spending billions to stimulate the economy through job creation efforts while simultaneously cutting a program that provides employment.

Congress can override the proposal. The C-17 has been the target of cuts in the past, but has been defended by Congress.

Reporter BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected]. Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected]. City Editor PAUL ANDERSON may be reached at (714) 966-4633 or at [email protected].