GOP has star-power dilemma: How will party use Schwarzenegger? [Kerry vs. Arnold?]

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | June 19, 2004 | Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

[Tamzee]

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER... campaigning for a Republican President! It's going to be a beautiful thing to see his popularity helping put Bush back in the White House for another four years :-)

[FairOpinion]

Those who want the Republican party and agenda to fail are no purists. They would have been happier with Bustamante, because then they could play the martyr.

Arnold is doing great -- accomplishing what they talk about -- and instead of applauding it, they want to drag him down even more than the Dems do.

According to them "real conservatives" prefer Democrats being elected. But none of them can explain how that will advance the conservative agenda.

[Tamzee]

Hard-headed "disciples" of Reagan would have done everything they could to defeat him in the Presidential race.... seeing how he raised taxes, signed abortion law and gun control while a Governor.

[paulsy]

What we should have, is The Rock and Arnold side by side, doing a comedy hanz and franz making fun of Clinton & Kerry, doing a routine that puts things in a historical perspective. Then one (or both) of them can bust into a speech.

[itsahoot]

If Arnold doesn't represent a good deal of your agenda, then you're not a Republican.

As if you would know. Makes sense to me, if you don't love everything, and I mean everything, about Arnold, then we must love Bustamante.

[FairOpinion]

Here is the Reagan quote you were talking about:


Ronald Reagan in his own words, from his autobiography: An American Life:

"When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it.

"Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything.

"I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'

"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it."

===

The same people who claim Reagan's legacy were the same ones who criticized him at the time. Reagan called them "radical conservatives".

[Southack]

"And you don't know what you're talking about. I campaigned for Nixon in 68&72."

Nixon was a liberal; a flaming Rino.

Nixon pulled us out of Vietnam, instituted Affirmative Action, gave us the EPA, and opened up Communist China.

So either you don't know what you are talking about (trying to claim that you only support Conservatives) or else you are a professional disruptor.

[gatorbait]

I imagine Arnold will be given a prime-time speaking slot, whether it is the keynote or not. And I dare say he will do more for the party than Pat Buchanan did when HE was given a prime-time spot.

Indeed ,Buchannan took his attack 41 campaign and seemingly never let go of it. That prime time screech he gave was worth a week's worth of campaign expenditures for Clinton. Yet, we have some here who cling to the belief that Pat Buchannan is a messiah to the true,principled conservative Nirvana. I think we call these people delusional.

[Southack]

"In the last Gallup poll released before the recall election, McClintock was beating Bustamonte something like 54%-36%."

You are smoking crack. McClintock never polled over 40%, much less in the last Gallup poll before the Recall.

You simply have no idea of what you are spouting.

[RonDog]

hanz and franz...

From http://snlyou.jt.org/archives/00xschwarzenegger/fritz.phtml:

Building Up With Fritzwritten by: Jean-Philippe Arcand

Fritz.....Chris Kattan Hans.....Dana Carvey Franz.....Kevin Nealon Producer.....Will Ferrell .....Arnold Schwarzenegger Announcer: And now, it's time for the number one show for bodybuilders, Pumping Up With Fritz. Here's your host, Fritz! (Fritz enters) Fritz: (whining) Hello everyone. I'm Fritz and I want to build you up because you are weak and tiny. First, let's start with some push-ups. (gets in positions and starts doing push-ups painfully) Fritz: Oww...1...Ouch...2...That hurts...3 Producer: (interrupting Fritz in his push-ups) Stop it Fritz. Just stop it. You're so weak how can you host a training program? Fritz: I'm doing my best. Producer: Well that's WAY below our demands. I'm sorry but you're fired. Fritz: (crying) I FAILED!!! Producer: Oh, please, shut up! We already found your successors. They're from Austria and are bodybuilding since 1987 so they ought to be good. Off-Camera Voice: (with an heavy German accent) Ya! Hear me now and believe me later, Fritz! We have much more pump-tential that you do, lamer! (Hans enters) Hans: That's right, 'cuz I'm Hans... (Franz enters) Franz: And I'm Franz... Together: And we want to pump (clap hands) you up! Hans: Now get outta here, girly man! (throws Fritz off-stage) Franz: Ahh...finally reunited after all these years. It's great to be back to pump up flabby little girly men like we did before. Hans: Ya. I hope the pump-a-tude is better today than it was back in the 80's. 'Cuz it was really crappy. Franz: Ya. It truly sucked donkey ass. Hans: You bet, Franz. Hey everybody you know what? We thought for our mega comeback we should invite our famous cousin. Franz: Ya, you know him. He starred in many movies like "Terminator", "Total Recall" and "Jingle All The Way". Hans: This last one was pretty bad, wasn't it? Franz: Ya. So, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome... Together: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER! (Arnold Schwarzenneger enters) Arnold Schwarzenegger: Thank you, Hans (shakes hands). Thank you, Franz (shakes hands). I'm so happy to see you again, dear cousins. Hans: So do we, Arnie. Now, how about we tell them what the average girly man looks like? Arnold Schwarzenegger: Of course! Franz: Hey! Bring that moron back here! (Fritz is thrown back on stage) Fritz: (scared) Wha...What do you want from me? Arnold Schwarzenegger: Don't be afraid, we're not gonna hurt you. We'll just show people how flabby you are. Hans: That's right. Now, look at this toothpick everyone. No muscles. Not even a speck of pump! Franz: Pathetic bone-head! You dare to host a bodybuilding program without any muscle? What do we say to this girly man cousins? Hans, Franz and Arnold: Poor little girly man, lone in his girly house! Arnold Schwarzenegger: Well, Fritz. Here's a treat for your girlfriend, if you have one. (all three show off their body to Fritz) Fritz: I can't stand any more of this humiliation. Farewell! (runs away crying) Franz: Right, and don't even try to come back, un-pumped coward! Hans: Ya! Well that's all the time we had for today. Arnold Schwarzenegger: We'll see you next week. Franz: Ya! We'll be here to... Together: Pump (clap hands) you up! Hans: Oh, one last thing... Together: Live from New York, it's Saturday (clap hands) Night! Rate or review this sketch.

Site hosted by jt.org | 7/28/01

[counterpunch]

As if you would know. Makes sense to me, if you don't love everything, and I mean everything, about Arnold, then we must love Bustamante.
There never has and never will be a politician that I love everything about.

California doesn't need a preacher, it needs a governor.
>>Too bad, it doesn't seem to have either.

How do you expect to advance any part of your agenda if you don't first win the election?
>> Well maybe the winner would first have to have my agenda?

Based on those two responses above, I'd say you hate everything about Arnold.

Do you have the courage to tell us who you'd rather have as Governor - Schwarzenegger or Bustamante?

[onyx]

Fabulous pics!
Yes indeed, Arnold is a big plus for POTUS.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I hadn't given the subject much thought. I'm sure that Arnold will give a good speech, but I don't know if he should be the keynote speaker, but he's pretty popular and should give a speech.

[Mo1]

California isn't going for Bush. It's a nice thought, but it ain't gonna happen.

Maybe .. Maybe not

The last poll I saw put Bush in a position to be a challenge to Kerry

[caltaxed]

You have NO IDEA what we are suffering here in California as conservatives here.

Amen to that. California is weird because everyone that you talk to seems to be very conservative, but we elect end up with socialist whack jobs as representatives. Arnold will deliver honest elections, fiscal responsibiliity, and leadership in the Republican party.

Don't believe the hype, Arnold is the real deal, and we won't be issuing out licenses to illegals under his watch. California is damn lucky to have this guy.

[calcowgirl]

"In the last Gallup poll released before the recall election, McClintock was beating Bustamonte something like 54%-36%."

You are smoking crack. McClintock never polled over 40%, much less in the last Gallup poll before the Recall.

You simply have no idea of what you are spouting.

Reagan Man is correct. The Gallup Poll did indeed show McClintock winning if Arnold were not in the race. It was also posted at FR.

McClintock Beats Bustamante in CA Recall!

Either McClintock or Schwarzenegger Likely Winner in California if Other Dropped Out

With Arnold Schwarzenegger the Republican front-runner in the California gubernatorial contest, many GOP officials have pressured California State Sen. Tom McClintock to drop out of the race, fearing he will divide the Republican vote and allow Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante to win. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted over the past weekend, shows that McClintock does indeed draw support away from Schwarzenegger, though not enough to deprive the actor of the lead among probable voters. But the poll also shows that if Schwarzenegger were not in the race, McClintock would likely be in first place by a substantial margin, rather than behind Bustamante.

And don't forget... if McClintock weren't in the race, the Recall Vote itself may very well have failed. It only passed by 54-46%. Had one-third of the McClintock voters not gone to the polls... or voted "No Recall", Gray Davis would be Governor.

[Southack]

I clicked on your links. Lots of words. No poll.

Where's that poll that somehow shows McClintock with 54%?

[calcowgirl]

I clicked on your links. Lots of words. No poll.

Where's that poll that somehow shows McClintock with 54%?

I guess you'd have to subscribe. Actually, the number was 56% for McClintock.

6. If the choice were between Cruz Bustamante, the Democrat 
and Tom McClintock, the Republican, who would you be 
more likely to vote for: Cruz Bustamante or Tom McClintock?

  	           Bustamante 	McClintock    Neither   Other	No opinion 

Probable Voters 	  	  	  	  	  

2003 Sep 25-27      37 	         56            5          *       2 

[Southack]

Thanks, but 56% just isn't believable for a state that a year before had re-elected Davis over Simon.

[calcowgirl]

The poll result was posted many times on FR. Reagan Man cited it... I gave you the exact numbers (and could post the whole darn poll if you like). Instead of apologizing, you would prefer to accuse fellow freepers of smoking crack and infer that I am lying.

I have a renewed opinion of your contribution to this group.