Schwarzenegger composed, on the message, and Optimistic, in Chronicle interview

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sept. 27, 2003 | CArla Marinucci

[FairOpinion]

There are glimpses of the man who boasted he did a million sit-ups to become Mr. Olympia -- focused, famously disciplined -- as Arnold Schwarzenegger readies for an interview on his gubernatorial aspirations.

Striding into a conference room in his attorney's office, he first directs a news photographer -- with a firm smile -- to shoot him in a variety of conversational poses.

[FairOpinion]

Arnold is just what California needs!

[FairOpinion]

ping

[lainde]

Bump and Go Arnold!

[nopardons]

BRAVO ARNOLD BUMP.

[FairOpinion]

"But I say -- always, while you're thinking about the worker, also think about the job creator . . . then he can be successful, then he can go and say, 'I'll do this for the people. I'll do that for the people.'

"What good is it, if I say to you -- you can have family leave, but now the company you're working for goes to Nevada, and you are sitting there without a job?" "

And he says he wants to run California like a business. "

===

THIS is what CA needs!

[South40]

[spokeshave]

Finally the Chronicle gets the message...

Also ...wonder of wonders...the San Jose Mercury News had Arnie beating Cruz in the polls today.

[FairOpinion]

[nopardons]

It certainly IS and sounds Conservative to boot!

[FairOpinion]

[nopardons]

Great news ! Now, if ONLY the intractable purists, here, would get the message. LOL

[nopardons]

That's an amazing picture ! :-)

[daviddennis]

Perhaps the key is "optimistic".

Remember the Carter years, when the whole world seemed to be falling apart? I remember the Police song from about that time, "When the world is running down ... make the best of what's still 'round". When I heard that in the late 70s, I remember thinking that was just so right, that it captured the mood of the world so well.

Then Reagan came in, with a burst of optimism which made people feel young and good once again. He didn't fix everything right away, but he gave people hope, he inspired people, even as the economy continued on its downward slide. And then his tax cuts and other programs started to work, and we got real improvement.

Well, now we have another world that's running down, and we need a leader. The purpose of the leader is not necessarily to solve every problem on his own, it's to create a mood of optimism and excitement. And I would argue that nobody - nobody - is better qualified to do that than Arnold.

He has such a sense of optimism, of belief in the future, in a state that seems to have lost its way.

I'm not saying sheer optimism will get the deficit to go away magically, or that there aren't sacrifices various prison guard and bus drivers' union members won't really hate. But I am saying he has the right idea: Find the best people, have them independently check every premise of State government, and sell the results hard.

In the end, as Arnold says, Cal-E-Fornia is a great state, with a great people.

It just has a lousy government.

That's all.

D

[FairOpinion]

You write extremely well!
And make great points! :)

[daviddennis]

Why thank you!

I'm in an exceptional writing mood today for some reason.

I think it's my new G5 :-).

D

[CheneyChick]

Wow - the Chronicle? Great article!

This part scared the heck out of me, though:

The Davis campaign has pointed out in a new ad campaign that the GOP candidate -- who has lambasted political leaders for their lack of responsibility and accountability -- has voted jin ust 13 of the last 21 elections dating back to 1992.

So can Schwarzenegger really point the finger of blame at politicians if he didn't do his job as a citizen?

"Let me tell you something: I did vote. But we have looked into it. And for some reason or the other all my absentee ballots cannot be found," he said. "I don't know what happened to them. Because I am out of the country a lot of times when I vote by absentee ballots."

Remember THIS STORY??

Election fraud is a huge concern, IMHO....

[FairOpinion]

"Election fraud is a huge concern, IMHO.... "

Excellent point.

I just wonder how many ballot boxes are the Dems already stuffing?

[Spiff]

As examples, Schwarzenegger praises both Democratic Attorney General Bill Lockyer, whom he has called "the greatest" attorney general, and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, for helping him pass Proposition 49, his after-school care initiative.

Hmmmmm...

[FairOpinion]

Arnold knows that, to govern effectively, he has to bring Republicans and Democrats together.

That is what Bush did in Texas.