Eyewitness: A California Perspective

Press is a Los Angeles television commentator who over the last seven years has garnered two local Emmy awards, a devoted following and a fair number of enemies. An ex-seminarian, political adviser and environmental activist, Press presents himself as a pragmatic, concerned liberal. He advocates gun control, equal rights, clean air and protecting endangered species. He's against censorship, bigotry, acid rain and Ronald Reagan. Though these are editorials, they are also major market television, which helps explain why his views sound bland and moderate. All too many of these are pleas for decency, good taste and fair play, as if he could shame his foes into agreeing with him. Perhaps the best reason to pay attention to these is that Press is now talking about running for the U.S. Senate. (January)