Bob Mulholland
Encyclopedia
Bob Mulholland is a California based political activist. He was a senior advisor to the California Democratic Party
from 1991 to 2010.
He is married to Jane Dolan, who served from 1979 to 2011 as Butte County Supervisor
of the second district in California.
From 1992, he was a political consultant to Tony Blair
and the Labour Party (UK)
. The campaign techniques he introduced helped "New Labour" to its decisive election victory in 1997
.
alleged Mulholland intercepted voter registration cards from Democratic Party voter registration tables
of voters who had re-registered Green Party
, sending the card back to the voter with a letter on state Democratic Party letterhead, reprinted by the Guardian, asking the voter to reconsider the change of party. Withholding a voter registration card for more than three days is a misdemeanor
in California.
Mulholland gained national attention for his stunt in the United States Senate election in California, 1992
. Four days before the election, when polls showed Bruce Herschensohn
one point behind, Mulholland disrupted a Herschensohn appearance with a large poster advertising a strip club
and shouting "Should the voters of California elect someone who frequently travels the strip joints of Hollywood?" Herschensohn admitted he had visited a strip club once, with his wife and another couple. But press coverage
of his "frequenting" such establishment required him to spend the waning days of the campaign denying related allegations. Barbara Boxer
won the election by five points. Mrs. Boxer denounced Mulholland, and then party chairman Phil Angelides
suspended him from his job as the party's political director. He was reinstated two weeks later.
Mulholland's participation in the Florida 2000 recount
reportedly induced Republican
anxiety.
He participated in killing a 2007 proposal that the party censure
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
for her failure to oppose the confirmation
of Judge
Michael Mukasey as U.S. Attorney General. He is quoted as saying "It is going to be thrown out and rejected. Sometimes people can't anticipate or can't understand the big picture."
In the United States presidential election, 2008
, he criticized John McCain
for his age
and for contemplating a campaign for California
's electoral votes.
California Democratic Party
The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...
from 1991 to 2010.
He is married to Jane Dolan, who served from 1979 to 2011 as Butte County Supervisor
Butte County Board of Supervisors
The governing body of Butte County, California. The board consists of five members elected by district for four year terms. As of January 3, 2010, the board of supervisors consisted of Bill Connely, Larry Wahl, Maureen Kirk, Steve Lambert, and Kim Yamaguchi....
of the second district in California.
From 1992, he was a political consultant to Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and the Labour Party (UK)
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. The campaign techniques he introduced helped "New Labour" to its decisive election victory in 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Controversies
The November 1991 San Francisco Bay GuardianSan Francisco Bay Guardian
The San Francisco Bay Guardian is a free alternative newspaper published weekly in San Francisco, California. The paper is owned mostly by its publisher, Bruce B...
alleged Mulholland intercepted voter registration cards from Democratic Party voter registration tables
Voter registration drive
A voter registration drive is an effort, often undertaken by a political campaign, political party, or other outside groups , that seeks to register to vote those who are eligible but not registered...
of voters who had re-registered Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
, sending the card back to the voter with a letter on state Democratic Party letterhead, reprinted by the Guardian, asking the voter to reconsider the change of party. Withholding a voter registration card for more than three days is a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
in California.
Mulholland gained national attention for his stunt in the United States Senate election in California, 1992
United States Senate election in California, 1992
The 1992 United States Senate election in California took place on November 3, 1992, at the same time as the special election to the United States Senate in California. Incumbent Democrat Alan Cranston decided to retire. Democrat Barbara Boxer won the open seat. Both of California's present...
. Four days before the election, when polls showed Bruce Herschensohn
Bruce Herschensohn
Stanley Bruce Herschensohn is an American political commentator and senior fellow at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy in Malibu, California....
one point behind, Mulholland disrupted a Herschensohn appearance with a large poster advertising a strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
and shouting "Should the voters of California elect someone who frequently travels the strip joints of Hollywood?" Herschensohn admitted he had visited a strip club once, with his wife and another couple. But press coverage
News media (United States)
Mass media are the means through which information is transmitted to a large audience. This includes newspapers, television, radio, and more recently the Internet. Those who provide news and information, and the outlets for which they work, are known as the news media.Some high-quality news media...
of his "frequenting" such establishment required him to spend the waning days of the campaign denying related allegations. Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
won the election by five points. Mrs. Boxer denounced Mulholland, and then party chairman Phil Angelides
Phil Angelides
Philip Nicholas "Phil" Angelides is an American politician who was California State Treasurer and the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of California in the 2006 elections...
suspended him from his job as the party's political director. He was reinstated two weeks later.
Mulholland's participation in the Florida 2000 recount
United States presidential election in Florida, 2000
The 2000 United States presidential election in Florida took place on November 7, 2000 as it did in the other 49 states and D.C., which was part of the 2000 United States presidential election...
reportedly induced Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
anxiety.
He participated in killing a 2007 proposal that the party censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
for her failure to oppose the confirmation
Advice and consent
Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
of Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Michael Mukasey as U.S. Attorney General. He is quoted as saying "It is going to be thrown out and rejected. Sometimes people can't anticipate or can't understand the big picture."
In the United States presidential election, 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, he criticized John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
for his age
Ageing
Ageing or aging is the accumulation of changes in a person over time. Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline...
and for contemplating a campaign for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's electoral votes.