Hawkins has spent the last several years, he says, writing three books on Arizona politics, none of which has yet been published. He has titles for two of them, Stealing Arizona and The Forty Thieves of Arizona. So it's all over for Hawkins in Arizona now. He is moving on. There was no farewell party thrown by Mecham. The monster is out of the dungeon again, too busy running for office again.
@rule:
@body:If you asked, I would have told you: For the rest of this week the right-wing nut cases will take charge of the Republican National Convention in Houston . . . John Chancellor has become the stuffiest of TV's commentators . . . C-SPAN's dissection of Ross Perot's reasons for quitting the race were fascinating. . .John McCain is in far deeper trouble at the polls than he realizes . . . The sight of Burt Kruglick arriving at the Republican convention as an honored guest tells you all you need to know about Arizona politics. . .
Once again, the Indian School land swap is being run by the Barron Collier Company. If it doesn't have the money to pay the Indians, the deal should be canceled . . . I would buy a new computer if I didn't think it would become outdated a week later . . . Doesn't it seem strange that former mayor Terry Goddard turns up as the lawyer for the downtown hotel that stalls on paying its water bills? . . Jay Leno's show isn't going to make it. . .
Something will happen to halt the San Francisco Giants' move to Florida . . . Gene Hackman should get an Academy Award for his portrayal of the crazed sheriff in Unforgiven . . . Don't make any reservations to fly home for Thanksgiving on America West Airlines . . . Isn't it odd how George Bush always gets incensed when asked questions he dare not answer? Joseph Mitchell's Up in the Old Hotel is must-reading for people who appreciate good writing . . . I don't know why, but Eddie Murphy isn't as funny anymore . . . We haven't heard the last of Ross Perot . . . Why are people begging for food on street corners if these are the best of times?
Baseball's become so predictable, I actually relish the return of George Steinbrenner . . . If you want to understand Serbia, read Rebecca West's Black Lamb, Grey Falcon . . . Not until Barbara Bush sounded off about abortion did I realize how desperately frightened the Republicans are of losing in November. . .
Despite Timm Rosenbach's recent completion records, I still haven't seen a better passer than Neil Lomax . . . Tom Agnos is the best sheriff Maricopa County has had since I came to town a dozen years ago . . . The federal government's Prescott trial against Peter MacDonald is not only a railroad job but an enormous waste of money . . . I watched Joe Stedino on the Larry King Show and realized Stedino's actually a better on-the-air presence than King or any other talk-show hosts you see. . .
I'd enjoy going to movies at AMC Town & Country a lot more if they'd use the air conditioning . . . I wonder if the area under the offensive basket is going to have enough room for both Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley . . . Tim McDonald of the Cardinals is as good as any defensive back in the league . . . An entire week has gone by without Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley making a grandstand play for attention. . .
Nobody can afford the price charged for beer at Cardinals' football games . . . Only those with a real sense of humor can think it's all right for Dan Quayle to be vice president . . . Why does the Phoenix street-maintenance department think it's necessary to tear up Indian School Road every six months?
