Nixon, Reagan, tax cuts, anti-immigration policies.

For decades, the Republican Party looked for leadership and ideas and inspiration from California.

Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh ear.

I said to my friend, I said, what party is he?

My friend said he's a Republican.

I said, then I am a Republican.

But the Golden State's GOP glory days, and the decades ago.

And the consequences of that waning legacy

is something Bakersfield Congress member Kevin

McCarthy encountered as he sought one of the most powerful positions in Congress and failed

again and again to get it until you finally eke through. It took four long days and 15 rounds

of balloting for Kevin McCarthy to hear these words well after midnight Saturday.

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy of the state of California, having received a majority of the

votes cast, is duly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

I'm Gustavariano.

You're listening to The Times, Essential News, from the L.A. Times.

It's Wednesday, January 18, 2003.

Today, how Kevin McCarthy's tortuous path to become Speaker of the House

is yet another loud death rattle for the California GOP.

Mark Z. Baraback is a political columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He focuses on California

and the West, and he's the only person at our paper who speaks faster than me. Mark, welcome

to the Times. Hey, Colonel, good to be back. So earlier this month, Kevin McCarthy accomplished his long-time

...