Pubdate: Mon, 14 Aug 2000
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Section: Inside Politics
Copyright: 2000 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191
Fax: (619) 293-1440
Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/
Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX
Author: Bill Ainsworth

HUFFINGTON TESTS LIFE AS BORN-AGAIN RADICAL ON STAGE

Six years ago, she was at the center of one of the most expensive and 
issue-free campaigns for a U.S. Senate seat, the 1994 run of her 
then-husband, Michael Huffington, against Dianne Feinstein.

Now, in her latest incarnation, Arianna Huffington, columnist, author and 
political theorist, is complaining that both parties are ignoring political 
issues and spending too much money on campaigns.

Huffington is the mastermind of the Shadow Convention, a collection of 
activists, public policy experts and celebrities who are staging 
"alternative" political conventions. These mavericks are serious about 
reform -- and serious about making fun of establishment politicians.

Huffington is credited with bringing together a diverse group, ranging from 
conservative Arizona Sen. John McCain to liberals like the Rev. Jesse 
Jackson. Former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart and comedian Bill Maher, the host of 
"Politically Incorrect," will also address her group in Los Angeles.

They met for five days in Philadelphia and have already started a second 
run in Los Angeles to talk about campaign finance reform, poverty and the 
failure of the war on drugs.

But skeptics doubt whether Huffington, a Greek-born, Oxford-educated 
author, is sincere in her newfound beliefs.

After all, they point out, before Huffington became a born-again radical, 
she was a staunch supporter of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his 
conservative "Contract with America." Before her conversion to 
conservatism, she dabbled in New Age religion. Her political odyssey has 
hardly been linear.

Her critics also note that this new champion of campaign finance reform was 
one of the architects of a campaign that broke nearly all spending records 
at the time.

Michael Huffington spent almost $30 million of his personal fortune and 
fell just short of unseating Feinstein in 1994.

But he was one of the few conservatives to lose that year. When the 
Republicans took over Congress, Gingrich ushered in a conservative 
revolution that Arianna Huffington helped support with her syndicated columns.

Since then, Huffington's views have evolved once again.

"It hasn't been one epiphany, it's been a succession of epiphanies," she 
said about her changing political beliefs.

Now, she describes herself as a "populist in the radical center" who 
supports reforming campaign finance laws, bridging the gap between the 
wealthy and the poor, and calling a truce in the war on drugs.

Kam Kuwata, who ran Feinstein's 1994 campaign and is managing her current 
re-election effort, is skeptical.

He agrees that she doesn't have a home in either the Democratic or 
Republican parties. "She belongs to the party of opportunism. She yearns to 
be relevant," he said.

But her new allies in a broad range of reform movements are thrilled.

In Philadelphia, as the mistress of ceremonies at the nightly political 
satire of the Shadow Convention, the elegant Huffington stood out among the 
activists clad in T-shirts, beards, shorts, bandannas and tie-dyed clothing.

Yet they listened attentively when she firmly, but politely, cut off some 
interruptions to move along the program. They seemed impressed by her 
promises to investigate some of the issues raised by grass-roots activists.

Ethan Nadelman, who serves as philanthropist George Soros' adviser on 
efforts to redirect the drug war and is promoting Proposition 36 on the 
November ballot to substitute treatment for punishment of drug users, said 
he is convinced that Huffington is sincere.

"She's embraced this issue with such gusto that I'm sure it runs pretty 
deep," he said. "She's an amazing ally to have."

Bill Ainsworth covers Sacramento for the Union-Tribune.
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