[nickcarraway]

Yes, Arnold is the only Republican that can win and not do harm to the party.

Schwarzenegger could do the most harm of anybody to the party. If he comes in a raises taxes, ends Prop 13, bans guns, increases spending, how is that going to be a good thing? And if he come in and endorses Barbara Boxer in 2004 and endorses Dems in other races in 2004, how will that help the GOP? Already, some of his friends have suggested he may switch parties after elected.

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

That is ridiculous. Arnold has been a Republican for as long as he's been in America. He is not about to switch parties. If he were going to, it would have been back when he exchanged wedding vows.

Don't forget, one of George Bush's most closely trusted advisers is Mary Matalin, and she is married to the most dispicable James Carville.

[RS]

"Already, some of his friends have suggested he may switch parties after elected."

Are those the same "close friends" who said he was not running ?
( the Dems believed them before, mabe they will believe them again ...hee hee hee )

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

Alright, I'm I just had to come back to take you apart a bit further.

None of Arnold's friends have suggested that he would switch parties. Tom Arnold, a staunch Democrat, said he thinks Arnold *should* switch parties. That is the closest thing anyone that I know of has said on the matter. And there is no way he will become a Democrat with the sort of attacks he is now facing from them. They do not like people who challenge their power. Arnold is doing that bigtime right now.

I don't think he'll raise taxes. He's smart to not come out and say he won't, though, since sometimes it can't be avoided. He learned that lesson from his friend George H.W. Bush. And if Arnold were to raise taxes, that would not damage the image of entire party, just as George H.W. Bush's tax raising adventure didn't either. No one said "those damn Republicans, always raising taxes!" afterwards.

Now granted, I of course am only jumping to conclusions when I say I don't think Arnold will raise taxes, but still, it is far less a ridiculous conclusion than the one you have made that Arnold would endorse Barbara Boxer!

Arnold has always endorsed Republicans. Even though he has endorsed Riordan in the past, at least there is 2 degrees of seperation there.

The Governor CAN'T end Prop 13. If he could, a Democrat would have a long time ago. Are you actually suggesting that we are safer right now with Gray Davis than we would be with Arnold? Get real!

Arnold isn't going to BAN guns either. There is something about a 2nd Ammendment. Maybe you've heard of it. Now if you're talking about the ASSAULT rifle ban, then your not going to get much traction in a largely urban state. Go hang out with Howard Dean in Vermont if assault rifles are your thing.

And I am in fact in California. San Francisco Bay Area, to be exact.

Now what really pisses me off are these attacks on me personally about being "anti-Constitution".

What you're talking about here is the state Constitution. Your context was very inflamatory and misleading. Not to mention your analysis was dead wrong.

*I* didn't claim the recall was illegitimate. I signed the damn petition. I was actively involved in supporting the effort. What I said was that if Bill Simon won the replacement election, he would be chastised as being an "illegitimate election stealer". The liberals and the media wouldn't shutup about that until every last Republican is shamed into never voting again.

Bill Simon winning would lead to a long period of Republican bashing worse than anything seen to date. He was already an embarassment to begin with the first time around as it was.

Arnold however would not cast such a stygma on Republicans, and would help allieviate much of the one that hangs over them now.

In conclusion, I think you are probably one of those rightwing reactionary types who would be best served by moving to Vermont where the far-right and far-left look identical.

[sinkspur]

Already, some of his friends have suggested he may switch parties after elected.

Why wouldn't he have done that already? Why would he want to run as a Republican in a Democrat state, then switch parties?

It makes no sense. Besides, he can ride above the legislature in the polls, and beat them over the head if they don't go along with what he wants to do on the economy.

He'll be able to go over the heads of the media directly to the people like nobody since Ronald Reagan.

[Howlin]

Already, some of his friends have suggested he may switch parties after elected.

Who?

[dirtboy]

Schwarzenegger could do the most harm of anybody to the party. If he comes in a raises taxes, ends Prop 13, bans guns, increases spending, how is that going to be a good thing?

Yep. It would be hard for the GOP to stand against such issues if they were favored by a GOP governor - just as Bush's spendthrift ways with tax dollars has undermined long-held positions by the GOP House.