Governor Calls PETA 'A Bunch of Losers'

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

"Political Malpractice"

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe says John Kerry's unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign was "one of the biggest acts of political malpractice in the history of American politics." McaAuliffe makes the statement in a memoir due to go on sale later this month.

He is highly critical of the Kerry campaign's decision not to criticize President Bush more harshly, and says he was "flabbergasted" to learn after the election that Kerry had $15 million left in campaign funds that could have been spent in a final push.

McAuliffe also quotes President Bush — telling Bill Clinton in September of 2004: "the Kerry campaign is the most inept group I have ever seen in politics. Don't let them ruin your reputation." And he says John McCain was also critical of Kerry's strategy, saying, "my guy (Bush) is no great shakes, but your guy (Kerry) looks like a wimp."

"Bunch of Losers"

Colorado Republican Governor Bill Owens says the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is "a bunch of losers." He is reacting to PETA's refusal to help some of the 340,000 cows and steers left stranded by southeastern Colorado's most recent snowstorm. A PETA spokesman told a Denver radio station that the group would not spend money to save the animals because, "In six months they're going to be killed and end up on someone's plate."

Governor Owens told the station he was amazed that PETA "doesn't want us to feed freezing cattle" and said "it's symbolic of what PETA stands for." Owens also called PETA "a strange group of people" and told listeners, "don't send money to PETA."

CAIR Reversal

California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer has rescinded a certificate honoring the Sacramento chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations — after learning the group has been accused of supporting terrorism.

The chapter's director got a certificate in November from Boxer in recognition of his outstanding service. But then Boxer saw accounts that some CAIR officials have been sentenced to prison, and that the group has refused to label Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations and refused to condemn Usama bin Laden.

Says Boxer, "We made a bad mistake not researching the organization. My organization created this problem. I caused people grief, and I feel terrible. Yet I need to set the record straight, and I'm setting the record straight."

Statue Switch

The state of California is going to switch out one of the two statues it is allowed to display at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington. A bronze likeness of Thomas Starr King has been in national statuary hall since 1931.

King was credited by Abraham Lincoln with preventing California from becoming a separate republic during the Civil War. But the state has decided to replace his statue with one of a modern day hero — President Ronald Reagan — who also served as California governor. The new Reagan statue will be installed sometime this year.

King's statue will be taken to the California state capitol in Sacramento.

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.