The American Spectator

Loretta Sanchez was touting Sen. Dianne Feinstein ‘s candidacy for governor last week. At one point, Sanchez said that Feinstein was the only Democrat who could successfully heal the wounds inflicted on the party and the state by Gov. Gray Davis . Well, other than herself. Sanchez also said that if Feinstein didn’t run, she might have to run in her place. /p>

Sanchez attended the meeting in San Francisco last week set up by Mayor Willie Brown. She is not considered a likely candidate, particularly given her poor performance as a congressman. But her desire to suck up to Feinstein and tout her candidacy makes a lot of sense to Democratic Party insiders in the Golden State. “Sanchez thinks that if Feinstein wins the governor’s race, she’d nominate Sanchez to the Senate,” says a state party staffer. “Her naïveté is kind of cute, but her goals are wholly unrealistic.”

Sanchez wouldn’t stand a chance of making the cut for political appointment, given the long list of other Democrats Feinstein would doubtlessly draw on. Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante would be on the top of it. And party insiders say that if a woman is going to get appointed, it would be Rep. Jane Harmon, not Sanchez.

As it stands, Feinstein won’t be running. After meeting with advisers in California and a conversation with DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe — who has been holding back other Dems from challenging Davis — Feinstein again reiterated that she wasn’t in line to run … yet.

p> WITHOUT BLINDERS br> There weren’t many Republicans smiling about the Teamsters’ — and president James Hoffa ‘s — decision to endorse Rep.