GOP trying to budge McClintock supporters

Kansas.com ^ | 9-28 | Kansas.com

[ambrose]

	Posted on Sun, Sep. 28, 2003
	GOP trying to budge McClintock supporters By Barry Witt Mercury News If Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock keeps his promise to see this recall election all the way to its conclusion Oct. 7, then the real pressure will shift to Melissa Zenor. Never heard of her? She's a clerk for United Airlines who lives in the San Mateo County community of Montara. Last week, she contributed $5,000 to McClintock's campaign. ``As far as I'm concerned, he's the only candidate in the race that can get us out of the troubles we're in,'' Zenor said Saturday. GOP nightmare It's voters such as Zenor -- the ones who are standing by McClintock come hell or Cruz Bustamante -- who have state Republican Party leaders worried sick. They look at poll numbers showing Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger running neck-and-neck with Bustamante, the Democratic lieutenant governor, in a three-person race that includes McClintock. With McClintock gone, Schwarzenegger would open a big lead. Monday, the state's Republican leadership plans to gather in a special meeting to consider endorsing Schwarzenegger, just in case the daily pleas to McClintock supporters to abandon their candidate to improve the chances of taking over the governor's office haven't sunk in yet. Will that message make a difference? Not to Zenor. ``I've heard it time and again, but I just think I have to vote for the best candidate and hope my guy can make it through,'' she said. Zenor describes herself as a ``social conservative'' -- making McClintock a far better match for her than Schwarzenegger, who supports abortion rights, domestic-partner rights and limits on gun ownership. But she said the real reason for supporting McClintock is that she has more confidence in him on economic issues. Schwarzenegger's ``association with Warren Buffett certainly doesn't help him,'' she said of the business executive and Schwarzenegger adviser who has called for the state to undo Proposition 13. Francine Welstand, a homemaker from Pinole, also isn't about to jump from McClintock. She labels ``abhorrent'' the calls for the conservative senator from Thousand Oaks to drop out. No compromises ``He's the best man for the job. I don't think he should withdraw. I want to vote for someone who reflects my principles,'' said Welstand, who sent McClintock a $1,000 check in early August. ``I believe him when he says he will not raise taxes. No other candidate has said that.'' To be sure, some McClintock supporters will switch sides if it appears by Election Day that a vote for him will help Bustamante win. ``Tom McClintock is way up there for me, right to the ceiling,'' said Joe Czisch, 56, of Cupertino, who runs a precision machining company in Palo Alto. ``But if I find out one or two days before the election he can't win, I'll vote for Arnold just to get the Democrats out of there.'' Czisch, who sent McClintock $1,000 two weeks ago, said he wouldn't be entirely happy with his choice, but it's the best option he has. ``I'm a real conservative,'' he said. ``Some of the views Arnold Schwarzenegger has are not my views, but if we do this step by step, there would be a chance to turn things around eventually. Tom McClintock is a very good person. I wish he could be in power, but I'm not sure at this time.'' Contact Barry Witt at bwitt@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5703.

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© 2003 Mercury News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
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[ambrose]

Hillary Warns Californians: Arnold is a Right-winger

[DoughtyOne]

[fqued]

As we all pretty much realize by now,
McClintock supporter can support McClintock without preventing Arnold from winning comfortably.
This article is, therefore, interesting because of its outdated perspective.

[ambrose]

Of course, much can still happen in a week. The voters are a fairly fickle lot.

[ambrose]

by the way...see the pic above your reply as an example of what I was telling you earlier...

[Mr Rogers]

At this point, most McClintock supporters (including me) have been staring at defeat long enough not to be much worried by it. When Arnold did OK in the debate, and with his frequent & passionate 'anti-tax' talk, the writing is on the wall.

But Busty isn't a serious contender either. Some politicians are disliked in direct proportion to their exposure - and Busty has been getting plenty of exposure. It will take a lot of fraud to keep him at 30% overall.

Davis is toast. He knows it - that's why he wants to debate Arnold. It is to increase his (Davis's) stature by being seen as a serious contender.

Since Busty doesn't seem like a serious threat, and with a lot of us disagreeing strongly with Arnold's views on illegal immigration, gun control, etc, I think most of McClintock's support will stay firm.

My big hope - the election will be honest enough that Arnold wins, followed by Tom and trailed a poor third by Busty.

[fqued]

You wrote: "by the way...see the pic above your reply as an example of what I was telling you earlier..."

Actually, I consider such within the bounds of civility in political disagreement.

I do NOT consider such statements as "Arnold is the same as Clinton" to be within those bounds.

I consider such statements as "California would be better off with Bustamante than with Arnold" to be silly at best, although flabbergasting to the unsuspecting reader.

[ambrose]

How about "McClinton"?

[zbigreddogz]

It is true that Bustamove isn't much of a candidate, but that doesn't matter. There is at least 30% of Cali that is hardcore dem come hell or highwater. Probably only about 20% that are Repulbican come hell or highwater. Arnold is going to need all of that and a whole bunch of independents. Tom could easily take enough votes to keep him from winning.

I beg of all CA Republicans, don't do what the dems are doing, don't "Dean" yourself, don't "feel" your way through this one, "Think" about the direction you want your state to go. Arnold is obviously the candidate that has a chance at turning it in the general right direction. I hope that everyone thinks about this and does the right thing.

[fqued]

How about "McClinton"?

borderline--needs just a bit more more to push it over the line. It gives an impression without being outside the pale--it's main problem [pro or con] is that it is non-specific, the reader does not know to what the writer is actually referring.

[zbigreddogz]

I like calling his fanatical supporters, "McClintiacs," because, for my money, he's unfit to be governor for the same reason John McCain wasn't fit to be president: he just doesn't have the temperment for it, too big of ego, too interested in himself then the good of the party/country/state.

[LA Conservative]

At the risk of jumping into the Ahnold vs. Tom fray, I'll post my two cents.

I was at Jewish Republican Coalition meeting the other week. Assemblyman Keith Richman was there stumping for Arnold. One of Tom's campaign people, a guy named Tony I think, was there stumping for Tom.

I was in Tom's camp before the meeting and after the meeting until I spoke with Dr. Richman afterwards. Having known Dr. Richman from a previous career, I know him to be a straight shooter, albeit a bit more liberal than I am, but a good guy. Dr. Richman's point was this.

It is not enought to just veto legislation, the governor has to work with the legislature on coming up with good bills to advance an agenda that is good for the state. Tom has trouble working with the Republicans in Sacramento, more so with the Dems. While he would veto bad legislation, he may not get far working to advance a conservative agenda. That really got me to stop and think about my position.

[Mr Rogers]

Guess we'll see. I live in a fairly conservative part of CA, and may be underestimating the 'throw the bums out' vote. However, the McClintock supporters who still support him now are not going to be easy to convert. Most genuinely dislike Arnold's positions on a lot of issues.

[fqued]

I like calling his fanatical supporters, "McClintiacs," because, for my money, he's unfit to be governor for the same reason John McCain wasn't fit to be president: he just doesn't have the temperment for it, too big of ego, too interested in himself then the good of the party/country/state.

Actually, the problem with calling names is that it can breed ill-will without gaining anything.

[ssdb]

Conservatives are to the Republican party as blacks are to the Democrat party. Both groups are a source of votes and the recipients of unkept promises.

[fqued]

Conservatives are to the Republican party as blacks are to the Democrat party. Both groups are a source of votes and the recipients of unkept promises

Isn't that rather pessimistic? didn't congress pass and the president sign at least 7 of the 10 items in the Contract with America--a conservative manifesto?

[DoctorZIn]

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[Sabertooth]

It's voters such as Zenor -- the ones who are standing by McClintock come hell or Cruz Bustamante -- who have state Republican Party leaders worried sick.

Good. Our appeasing party leaders can pound sand.

[Torie]

You don't really believe the California legislature can be worked with do you on anything important? You DO who dominates that place don't you (a majority are hard left Dem nutters)? You DO know that they only way out of the box is by initiative don't you? You DO know that Dr. Richman is spinning you don't you, because he really doesn't want to cut spending (that is why Richman supported the Davis budget as the long Pubbie to do so) don't you?