SoCal HITS Event

I'm going to be doing a reading / talk / Q&A on Thursday, May 7 at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California at 7:30PM. My grasp of southern California geography is a little shaky, so I'm not really sure who that's convenient for and who it doesn't work for, but I'm not doing any other events in the area at this time so if you can make it please do. I think the folks who came out to Borders last night had a good time (maybe they'll chime in in comments and tell me I'm wrong).

UPDATE: Nixon library? Yeah, it does seem a bit weird. And yet, they asked me to come and so off I go.

Comments

Living in Southern California, I can tell you Yorba Linda is convenient for no one. Especially people trying to get from the Westside of LA to there for 7:30 p.m.

Posted by UberMitch | May 2, 2008 10:20 AM

Nixon Library? Isn't that worse than FoxNews?

Posted by Al | May 2, 2008 10:26 AM

The Nixon Library?

Posted by Marshall | May 2, 2008 10:27 AM

From my house, it's about a half hour less convenient than the Reagan Library.

Posted by southpaw | May 2, 2008 10:28 AM

It would seem that if Mr. Yglesias can travel all the way to Orange Co., Ca., he could make it to a Borders in Northern Virginia.

Posted by SLC | May 2, 2008 10:37 AM

It's a trap, Matt. They're going to boil you in a cauldron and suck the meat off your bones...your delicious, delicious bones.

Posted by JH | May 2, 2008 10:43 AM

I thought I'd make it last night, but didn't, err..I mean, couldn't. I figure (and hope) you have other DC gigs. I need to get you to sign my (your) book so I can impress my girlfriend.

Posted by asl | May 2, 2008 10:43 AM

Ah, libraries are run by librarians, not politicians.

Posted by Freddie | May 2, 2008 10:44 AM

Oh, and if you can have one of those DC signings on a rainy night, that'd be awesome.

Posted by asl | May 2, 2008 10:45 AM

Well, it's relatively convenient if you live in northern Orange County, Pomona, Chino, or Riverside. If you live in L.A. proper, then no, it's not convenient.

Posted by Adam Villani | May 2, 2008 10:47 AM

Nixon saw himself as a master of Realpolitik. In that sense, his library is a perfectly appropriate place to discuss a book that rips neocons.

Posted by Shawn | May 2, 2008 10:57 AM

It's not too far from Kevin Drum, so you can give him crap if he doesn't show, I guess.

Posted by godoggo | May 2, 2008 10:59 AM

My grasp of southern California geography is a little shaky

Nice pun .

It's a pity you're going to the Nixon Library after they've taken down their old, pre-National Archives affiliation Watergate display, in which we learned that the liberals' decades-long conspiracy against RN finally bore fruit.

You can see the "Pink Lady" pamphlet, though. And there's some Vietnamese restaurants around there, I think.

Posted by Delicious Pundit | May 2, 2008 11:04 AM

You'll be talking in Dubai the following week, I assume.

Posted by phil | May 2, 2008 11:07 AM

The Republicans in attendance might come loaded for bear, given Matt's subtitle. However, the subtitle is a bit misleading. The book might more accurately have been called, Heads in the Sand: How the Republicans Screwed Up Foreign Policy between 2001 and 2007, and How Foreign Policy Screwed Up the Democrats during that Same Period.

Posted by Dan Kervick | May 2, 2008 11:07 AM

I want to buy HITS in kindle format, but so far no luck. I wish your publisher would get a move on. There's a whole untapped market of kindle fanatics...

Posted by Anne E | May 2, 2008 11:37 AM

Hey, while you're there, pick up some of the Richard Nixon coffee mugs. I bought a bunch of them as gag Christmas gifts several years ago -- but they were really good mugs. So I bought a bunch more, including half a dozen for the house. They generally get a laugh. Plus, how much fun is it to pour scalding liquid onto Richard Nixon's head???

Only downside is the people at the Nixon library now think I'm one of them...

Posted by Roddy McCorley | May 2, 2008 11:54 AM

Yorba Linda? That's the Cleveland of Southern California. Why don't you come down to Del Mar or La Jolla or something.

Posted by gregor | May 2, 2008 11:58 AM

While you're there, dig up the old bastard's grave and make sure he's still dead. Hunter Thompson would be proud.

Posted by SMK | May 2, 2008 12:02 PM

Should I drive 2+ hours total just to ask MattY some of the questions he refuses to answer when I've left them in comments on his immigration entries? Probably not, but you never know.

Posted by TLB | May 2, 2008 12:14 PM

May 7 is a Wednesday

Posted by Casey | May 2, 2008 12:30 PM

Freddie:
You do realize that Hugh Hewitt once ran the Tricky Dick Presidential library, right?

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | May 2, 2008 12:52 PM

Evil forces aligned against me yesterday and I missed the Borders event. Hope you're able to schedule another one somewhere in DC. Preferably at 7:00 or later.

Also, Casey is correct. May 7th is a Wednesday. Better fix the date (unless this post is a clever ruse to throw pie-tossers off your trail.)

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | May 2, 2008 1:00 PM

Yorba Linda? That's the Cleveland of Southern California.

Heyyyy, don't be dissin' Cleveland. I grew up in Canton, Ohio and I can tell you that Cleveland is much cooler than Yorba Linda. Yorba Linda is more like, well, Canton. And that doesn't say anything good about either of them...

Posted by Roddy McCorley | May 2, 2008 1:07 PM

Matt:

Your sense of Southern California geography is abominable. The Nixon Library is way out in the middle of nowhere, in an exurb that is not only far from LA but far from our other population centers (such as Santa Ana or Riverside) as well. And it's not very accessible by mass transit-- people are going to have to brave the worst of the rush hour, meaning 3 hour drives for most people to see you.

Here are some suggestions about where to do book presentations in the LA area in the future:

1) Downtown. People may have to drive, but at least it is centrally located.

2) Westwood/Beverly Hills/West Hollywood/Santa Monica/West LA/Venice. This is where you will find your greatest concentration of liberals.

3) Irvine. Convenient for Orange County, lots of smart conservatives go to UC Irvine so if you want a good debate and skeptical questioning, this would be good.

4) Van Nuys/Northridge/Sherman Oaks/North Hollywood. Best places in the San Fernando Valley. Not really convenient for anyone else, though.

5) Downtown Riverside. Best place in the Inland Empire. Again, not really convenient for anyone else, though.

Seriously, if you can't schedule an event in areas 1 or 2, you really aren't doing much for your southern California audience. One might even say that you have your head in the sand.

Posted by Dilan Esper | May 2, 2008 1:40 PM

There is a mass transit route for those diehards who must be there for his event, even if you're coming from West LA.

A number of buses in OC go to Yorba Linda, and route #26 in Yorba Linda will take you to the Nixon Library. It has a few later buses that will definitely be running after the event.

It won't be a fast trip by any means though, so be sure to bring Matt's book since you're going to have a few hours to really delve into it during this excursion on SoCal Transit.

If you're coming from the SoCal area but outside OC, then just hop on a Metrolink or Amtrak and get off at Fullerton, where the Route 26 links up.

You'll want to be at Fullerton by 6:40 or so for this to work though, since the bus leaves at 6:43pm and arrives around 7:15 (so, from LA, catch the 5:40pm Metrolink or the 5:10 Amtrak).

Amtrak to Nixon Library (Route 26)

Then, to get back to the Amtrak/Metrolink station, there are return buses at 8:40pm and 10pm (I have no idea how long these events usually last, or how long the Nixon Library will actually remain open).

Nix on Library to Amtrak (Route 26)

The downside is that the last Amtrak train back to LA leaves at 10:27pm, while the 10pm bus isn't scheduled to arrive there until 10:31pm, so that throws a big cramp in the plan to get back home, so you'd pretty much have to catch the 8:40pm bus in order to be able to catch a train back to LA, at least in time to still catch a Red/Blue/Green/Orange Line back to wherever you live (and you'll have to wait an hour in Fullerton for that train too, but there's some fun bars straddling the parking lot so that's not a big deal if time isn't an issue).

If you're going south, the last train back towards San Diego leaves at 10:42pm, perfect timing for staying for the full event and catching that 10pm bus back to the train station.

It sounds complicated, but think of it as a night out on the town (you'll be home by 2am at the latest, maybe by midnight if you leave at 8:40pm), and make sure to pack a flask (along with Matt's books and/or your angry notes criticizing his book, depending on your persuasion) for those train rides to relax the journey.

For those in OC, it's a lot easier to get there and back, just use google.com/transit for the bus rides back to your general area, combined with perhaps a short taxi ride.

Google Transit

For those who drive everywhere, I realize this sounds like madness, but it's nothing for those of us more devoted to public transit. :)

Posted by Jimm | May 2, 2008 3:38 PM

Love to go!

But unfortunately, I live in LA, and Yorba Linda is practically in Arizona from here.

Sorry, but I doubt anyone from LA will show up - and if they do, they're probably stalkers.

If you read in Santa Monica, or say Book Soup on the strip, you'd get a much better audience.

PS - Please kick Nixon's ghost in the nuts for me.

Posted by Just the Facts | May 2, 2008 3:49 PM

I'm probably going to come out, sounds like good fun, but while you're out here Matt you should definitely look to schedule a couple more sessions at more accessible local spots.

I don't know how that works at local book stores, or whether you have to pay for it, but it seems like it would be worth it. There's some huge Borders and Barnes and Noble stores out here that host book signings and discussion all the time.

Posted by Jimm | May 2, 2008 3:49 PM

Wait, Jimm, are you really proposing that to beat the LA traffic people take the bus? Which just sits in traffic with everyone else?

No. Fun. At. All.

LA buses freaking suck.

Plus, NBA playoffs is on tonight.

Posted by Shimmy Shimmy Ya | May 2, 2008 3:58 PM

For those in LA, the Nixon Library is less than 40 miles out of town, not a huge venture to greet an author traveling from the other side of the country, especially since you can leave after 6:30pm and still probably make it on time (since missing the worst of the commute, and getting back would take 30-40 minutes).

Posted by Jimm | May 2, 2008 4:12 PM

Wait, Jimm, are you really proposing that to beat the LA traffic people take the bus? Which just sits in traffic with everyone else?

Hell no, where did you get that idea? (laughing)

Earlier in the thread, someone mentioned there wasn't really a mass transit route to Yorba Linda from within the OC, and someone else mentioned not being able to make it from West LA, presumably due to traffic since the Nixon Library is only 35 miles or so out of town, so I just responded with a general use post on getting to the event via public transportation.

I don't actually expect anyone from outside the OC to take public transportation to the event, just pointed out that it's possible if you're a big fan of Mattie and want to show some support (and obviously have nothing else better to do), plus I didn't realize until the end of that post that the Amtrak was ill-timed for the return trip, since I was building the post as I was looking up the schedules.

Also, the event is May 7th, not tonight, but I'm sure there will be excellent hoops games that night too.

Posted by Jimm | May 2, 2008 4:21 PM

One other thing, I suggested a train-then-bus route from LA to the event, not just a bus route, mainly for people who don't drive, and I wouldn't ever suggest taking a bus from LA all the way to Yorba Linda, and the train wouldn't be sitting in traffic (and neither would the bus at 7pm in Fullerton).

Obviously, for those with cars, it's much more convenient to drive, especially since the ride back would be smooth sailing.

Posted by Jimm | May 2, 2008 4:28 PM

The Nixon Library reminds us he was perhaps the most consequential President of the 20th Century next to FDR.

With his VP elections and failed governor run, on top of his Presidential, Congressional, and Senate votes - he remains the person that got more votes in his lifetime than any other American politician. In his post-Presidency, he wrote 10 books, 6-7 which are considered quite significant and studied internationally. Nixon in 1973 wanted 3 things done to finish off his years - then Watergate arose. It is telling that all the work on those three things is being dusted off and re-examined because they are 3 of America's greatest needs today and little was done with them in the partisan gridlock that has cursed America since Watergate. (1)Completing the end stage of Vietnamization so we could withdraw and the country and region not fall to hostile forces. Nixon and his military's lessons from Vietnam disengagement are being used in Iraq and advocated by mant Democrats that Bush should have started using them back in 2003. (2)Nixon had wanted to roll out his National Energy plan in 1974. It was to use nukes, renewables, conservation, penalties on gas guzzlers, oil shale, oil sands, and increased exploration off the Coasts to get us off dependence on the Arabs. (3)In 1973, Nixon stated his intent to supply every American with health insurance. He expected a fierce fight, but he said that not having health care available to all Americans was a moral and financial disgrace - and it would join his War on Cancer, EPA, as Nixon's way of bettering Americans medical and health situations.

Did we lose more than we gained as a country with Nixon's resignation? Is the world a better place?
Scholars are still trying to answer those questions.

Posted by chris ford | May 2, 2008 5:37 PM

1. I said "not very accessible by mass transit", not "not accessible at all". You can take the bus there, but it's a Milk Run.

2. Anyone who leaves LA at 6:30 p.m. on a weekday is not going to get to Yorba Linda at 7:30 p.m. (or even 8:00 p.m.) unless it is Christmas Eve.

Posted by Dilan Esper | May 2, 2008 6:33 PM

You should call them:

http://www.skylightbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp.

They're in the Park Slope of LA.

Posted by MrM | May 3, 2008 1:33 AM

A train is not a bus.

Posted by Jimm | May 3, 2008 4:22 AM

30 miles from LA to Yorba Linda, avoiding highways

Posted by Jimm | May 3, 2008 4:25 AM

Matt: "And yet, they asked me to come and so off I go."

So I should take that to mean that when the National Socialist Workers Party of America in Illinois - the "Illinois Nazis" of "Blues Brothers" fame - ask you, you'll go there, too?

Like this guy:

Candidate speaks at Hitler birthday party
http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/04/23/news/top_news/docf6a35b9d5a72e89d8625743300832e52.txt

Money Quotes:

A congressional candidate is defending his speech to a group celebrating the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth, saying he appeared simply because he was asked.

Tony Zirkle, who is seeking the Republican nomination in Indiana's 2nd District, stood in front of a painting of Hitler, next to people wearing swastika armbands and with a swastika flag in the background for the speech to the American National Socialist Workers Party in Chicago on Sunday.

"I'll speak before any group that invites me," Zirkle said Monday. "I've spoken on an African-American radio station in Atlanta."

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | May 3, 2008 6:27 PM

QUICK NOTE: 7:30 PM AT THE NIXON LIBRARY AND WE ALL WAITED IN ANTICIPATION. I MISSED THE MVP CEREMONIES AND FIRST 1/2 OF LAKER GAME TO COME AND SEE MATHEW WITH MY DAUGHTER.

IT WAS INTERESTING----ABOUT 50 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE-------MANY QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE----ONE "STRANGER" IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAVE MATHEW CALIBRATE HIS LIFE.

MORE LATER--------LUNCH TIME!

Posted by PPB | May 8, 2008 3:03 PM