TIPOFF IT'S OPEN SEASON ON 2008 POLITICS FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

In politics these days, you can't launch your campaigns too early.

And liberal California Democrats already are gearing up for next year by taking a page from moveon.org's efforts during the 2004 and 2006 elections.

Courage Campaign (www.couragecampaign.org) is being launched by Rick Jacobs, who chaired Howard Dean's presidential campaign in California in 2004.

The effort includes national activists, such as those who were involved in the presidential bid of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry; the well-known, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis; and the well-connected, such as Sherry Lansing, former chief executive officer of Paramount Studios.

But the group also has drawn some local bloggers and activists, including Susanne Savage, who serves as the organization's political director and had been the San Fernando Valley area director of the Alliance for a Better California.

Jacobs and several of the group's top leaders recently began meeting with a variety of liberals in Los Angeles, including City Council President Eric Garcetti and public relations executive Bob Burke.

Burke said groups such as the Courage Campaign are being fueled by the success of Democrats in November and the growing public disenchantment about the Iraq war.

``There's an excitement and interest in politics now that I don't recall seeing for nearly 40 years,'' Burke said.

Former state Treasurer Phil Angelides, who was clobbered by incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger in last year's gubernatorial election, has signaled that he also wants to be part of any new political movement.

He has given his Web site a new name, Standing Up for California (www.standingupforcalifornia.com), to advance progressive proposals.

Angelides is surveying those on his e-mail list for their views on the top issues facing the state, and he will use responses to develop an agenda.

She's ba-a-a-ck. Kelly Martin, who was chief of staff and top legal adviser to former Mayor Richard Riordan, has been hired by City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo as legal counsel to Los Angeles World Airports.

The move has raised some eyebrows among airline officials.

Although Martin was not involved in Riordan's efforts to raise landing fees, anyone associated with him draws concern from the airlines. And that is particularly heightened now as city officials seek to raise rental rates at Los Angeles International Airport.

Martin's return also marks a reunion with Delgadillo. Martin worked with him in Riordan's office when Delgadillo was deputy mayor for business development.

Los Angeles bade farewell to two of its top administrators last week.

David Janssen, chief administrative officer for Los Angeles County government, and Bill Fujioka, city government's chief administrative officer, were feted at dinners for their compassion, toughness and smarts.

During their last official function, the two offered suggestions on dealing with the city's escalating gang problem.

Fujioka surprised many with an emotional outburst in which he labeled one proposal ``bulls---'' and told how his father, also named William Fujioka, chided his young son.

``I saw he had a tattoo of `WF' on his knuckles, and I asked him why he had his initials there, and he told me, `You young punk, that's for White Fence.'''

White Fence was one of the original biracial gangs in the city and once dominated East L.A.

Janssen said he had to steel himself during the dinner in his honor to avoid being overcome with emotion about partings. He had been told that imagining the audience naked keeps away tears.

``I thought of (Supervisor) Zev Yaroslavsky sitting there naked,'' he said.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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