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

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

[Reagan Man]

>>>Arnold is a student of Milton Friedman.

When Arnold starts governing like a Milton Friedman fiscal conservative, I'll be the first one to giove him credit. Until then, I'll continue pointing out Arnold's liberal politics.

>>>For all of you knuckle-dragging paleocons...

On national issue, I'm a old fashioned Regan conservative. Give me a strong defense, income tax cuts&reform, eliminate waste-fraud&abuse and support for pro-life issues and I'm satisfied.

[counterpunch]

Giuliani's position is secured because he is an American icon, and a Republican hero, just as Arnold is. Would you honestly rather see Gary Bauer or something on stage before the nation instead of these two?

Is winning elections anywhere in your agenda?
How do you expect to advance any part of your agenda if you don't first win the election?

[Reagan Man]

>>>You are totally full of $hit...

You're not very convincing. And since I live in America and have the right to free speech, I think you're way outta line. Stuff it.

[Hollywoodghost]

A friend of mine, a very attractive woman, was grouped by Arnold but voted for him anyway. She said he sometimes acts like a big slobery St. Benard dog who is all over you in a playful sort of way. But, she was impressed at how he organized things, how, when doing a picture, he paid attention to details. Every little thing he checked. So, she said she would never work for him again but, he was what we need in California government. No, so far he has done everything he said he would and that's something for an elected governor.

[counterpunch]

I agree--The best thing is he will attract a great many Democrats--who will tune him in because he's a star and hear him speak the truth of Republicanism

This is a battle for the hearts and minds of Democrats and Republicans. It is a battle for the hearts and minds of Americans.
Arnold center stage at the convention means it'll be covered by Entertainment Tonight instead of just the 11:00 news. Non-partisans who are weighing the two parties will tune in and take interest because of Arnold. Who cares what their position on same-sex marriage or abortion or any number of other issues is, as long as they decide to join the Republicans?

[NittanyLion]

Giuliani's position is secured because he is an American icon, and a Republican hero

Indeed. All politics aside, Giuliani secured his legacy in the weeks after 9/11. He certainly is a hero.

just as Arnold is.

Remind me again what Arnold's done to put himself on a par with Giuliani...

Would you honestly rather see Gary Bauer or something on stage before the nation instead of these two?

No. I'd rather see Bill Owens or Rick Santorum, to name two that quickly come to mind.

Is winning elections anywhere in your agenda? How do you expect to advance any part of your agenda if you don't first win the election?

Let me see if I understand this...showcasing an up-and-coming conservative at the convention and winning elections is mutually exclusive. Is that your stance?

[RGSpincich]

On national issue, I'm a old fashioned Regan conservative. Give me a strong defense, income tax cuts&reform, eliminate waste-fraud&abuse and support for pro-life issues and I'm satisfied.

Didn't quite happen that way but I have a quote that is coming in real handy lately.

"This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Reagan made alot of compromises and did some budget gymnastics to get the country where he wanted it. One of Reagan's best lines was something like "get what you can today and go back and get the rest later". You guys going around clubbing people with the Reagan legend are useless.

[xm177e2]

it's a jim-dandy of a speech

What's a "jim-dandy?"

[Reagan Man]

>>>Since I am not a Californian, I wouldn't presume to criticize the governor that most of them seem happy with.

Well, that is one difference between you and me. I speak out against liberals and liberal policies. I want to advance the conservative agenda.

You're right about Pat Buchanan. OTOH, although he may have strayed from the Republican reservation far too often, his conservative politics are still in tune with the GOP platform. That's more then can be said for Arnold Schwarzenegger's liberal politics.

[Southack]

"That is the wrong move and would lose Bush-Cheney more votes then they'd gain. Gov Rino's appeal is to liberals, centrists and some moderates. But he doesn't advance the conservative agenda one iota."

You are a political neophyte. Just from your comments it is apparent that you've never been physically involved in a single political campaign.

Look, I'm here in Alabama, the most conservative of all conservative states. We have open carry here. We have shall issue. We have tort reform. We have the death penalty. We fight to put the 10 Commandments into courthouses. And no conservative worth his or her salt gives a whit about Arnold's liberal leanings on various issues so long as he doesn't overdo it...because even out here in 'Bama we know that Arnold is the most conservative that California can currently elect.

Arnold repealed California's driver's licenses for illegals. You naive Arnold-bashers can vacuously opine that Arnold is going to pass a new law that gives drivers licenses back to illegals, but that's just talk...his actions were to repeal that law.

Likewise, Arnold repealed California's car tax. Arnold also ordered the gay marriages in San Francisco to be halted, and Arnold is against partial birth abortion.

So rather than act like some spoiled child who only wants the purist of pure leaders, grow up and accept the best that you can get...use that to your advantage...and come back to ask for more later when you have even *more* power.

In other words, let Arnold shine at the Convention, and back him to the hilt until you have a *viable* replacement that works even better than him for his particular area.

[Reagan Man]

>>>You guys going around clubbing people with the Reagan legend are useless.

You're not up on the conservative politics of Ronald Reagan I see and his great accomplishments as POTUS.

The Real Reagan Record

[RonDog]

Thank you for returning the focus of this thread to how we can PROFIT from have even a NOMINALLY "Republican" governor here in California...

...particularly one with "star" power.

Personally, I would like to build upon THESE classic images, created by Free Republic's own parody masters, REGISTERED and counterpunch:

from
REGISTERED@aol.com
hosted on www.strangecosmos.com

and


from
counterpunch
hosted on www.strangecosmos.com

[RGSpincich]

I see and his great accomplishments as POTUS.

We all see them. Some of us even remember correctly how he did it.

[Iberian]

He could deliver California to Bush. Will he do it?

[b9]

The choice in California last year was not beween STEAK and HAMBURGER...

...it was between HAMBURGER and RAT POISON.

I am enough of a pragmatist to believe that we must not "let the PERFECT be the enemy of the GOOD."

Perfect illustration!

[counterpunch]

You're not very convincing.
It's not my intention to be convincing. I know when someone is totally locked in to their opinion and when they're not. It would only waste my time trying to convince you otherwise.
It would be an impossible task. You have different priorities, and a different agenda than I do, or the rest of California.
We were in an urgent crisis where the state was about to fall into the ocean. As a non-Californian, you don't understand or care about our state problems, nor even the dire situation that the state Republican party was in. You'll just keep on dumping Arnold despite the fact that it hurts the party. You're being motivated by extremist ideology, and completely ignoring the practical reality.

[patriciamary]

You're right and Arnold is not going to go out of his way to support Bush

[Clara Lou]

I believe that if he can he will.

[Reagan Man]

>>>You are a political neophyte. Just from your comments it is apparent that you've never been physically involved in a single political campaign.

And you don't know what you're talking about. I campaigned for Nixon in 68&72. Reagan in 76-80-84. And for GHWBush in 88. I even did a little door to door for Bush43 back in 2000.

By coming out of the blue and personally attacking me with such juvenile rhetoric, for speaking out against a liberal RINO like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you show how much of a know nothing idiot you really are. And here I thought you had something going for you. Sorry, I was wrong about you.

[Amerigomag]

If Arnold isn't the ideal Republican, some will have to deal with it ... says Clara Lou without a grasp of the facts or a dog in the fight.

You bet the Republicans have a dilemma and its not Schwarzenegger's camera time. It's their Texas loyalists. No easy answer to that problem.