Posted on 10/26/2004 8:58:28 PM PDT by Cableguy
The Republican party's star act, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites), will stump alongside US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) on Friday in the battleground state of Ohio, officials said.
The movie star politician's spokesman Rob Stutzman, said Tuesday that the moderate Republican would join Bush in Columbus, the state capital of one of the most bitterly fought races in the November 2 presidential election.
The announcement that the moderate Republican would finally go out to bat for Bush put an end to months of speculation during which "Terminator" star Schwarzenegger has been vague about his stumping intentions.
Stutzman said the Bush campaign would announce the details of exactly where and when Schwarzenegger would launch his much-vaunted double act with the president in Columbus.
The hugely popular former Mr Universe bodybuilder and action hero is seen as a Republican Party big-gun just days ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the tightest US elections in years.
Bush's campaign is hoping that some of the brawny "govern-ator" star power will rub off on their candidate during the campaign outing that will come just four days ahead of the vote.
While Schwarzenegger appeared at the Republican convention in New York in late August, the socially liberal Schwarzenegger has largely kept his distance from the conservative Bush with whom he has little in common.
The two men are diametrically opposed on central policy issues including abortion, stem cell research, gun control and gay marriage, which Schwarzenegger supports and Bush strongly opposes.
Schwarzenegger's campaign foray comes after Democratic contender for the White House John Kerry (news - web sites) invoked his party's star attraction, popular former president Bill Clinton (news - web sites), to boost his polls chances.
Clinton, who is recovering from heart surgery, jumped into the campaign on Monday in key swing states of Pennsylvania and Florida to urge voters to pick Kerry for president in a week's time.
....and if Tony Snow is right about Kerry's people packing up and leaving Florida (conceeding)....then it really is over.
Rudy can be elected president in four years, Arnold can't, and Rudy is just old enough to remember the miles and rubber chicken dinners that Richard Nixon put up with in support of every Republican candidate capable of drawing breath in 1966. That effort got him the nomination (and the White House) in 1968 and it's how the game is played.
Actually, that's a good point. Maybe it was Bush that wanted to hold on to Arnold's star power until the very last push !!! Pretty smart, if you ask me.
Should be VERY VERY effective.
Bill Clinton is polarizing and probably did more for Bush than for SKERRY. Arnold is admired and awed by Repubs and Dems.
Arnold has been a success in California (those who were solidly against him during the recall race probably will never admit his success). I just hope he's going to help GWB to a big win. I had wanted him to get out on the campaign trail earlier, but actually this is just the right time. His appearing with GWB should get lots of publicity for a large part of the few remaining days, and will sway undecided voters at the last moment when it counts.
I agree with you about the timing. Kerry had to pull the Toon off his sickbed and get him out there early. By the time Arnold arrives on the scene, Clinton will seem like old news.
I think his role has been planned all along. Not to sway undecideds. Rather to pump up the Bush coalition, drown out the sKERRYs in the last weekend, and---as a bonus---appeal to swayable Dems/Independents. I think it's brilliant timing.
We thought he would be here in Dayton, but then someone reminded me of his STRONG connections to Columbus---for years he hosted the Joe Weider "Arnold Classic" bodybuilding championship there. Wish he was coming here, but Bush will have no problem "selling out" 7,000 tickets at Hara Arena. They could have given out 20,000.
I'm in Dayton. Going tomorrow. Can't go to Columbus.
California made the wrong choice when they elected Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold has been in office almost a full year and so far, he has done a poor job as Governor. Getting rid of Boy Davis was absolutely the right thing to do, but replacing Davis with another big government bureaucrat won't solve California's problems. GovRino is nothing but a borrow and spend liberal Republican. Face it. California is a socialist state and until the people start to make a serious effort to reverse the welfare state mentality that exists on the west coast, things will never get better.
Arnold has never made a big deal in public about his support for the Bush-Cheney ticket. Aside from his Hollywood speech at the GOP convention, he has been silent in the Presidential campaign. So I never counted on Arnold to make a big splash for the Bush-Cheney ticket. His friendship with John Kerry and his public remark, that he would never criticise or attack Kerry is downright pathetic. My issue is with people who think Arnold has some sway over moderate Democrats and centrists, outside of liberal California. If that is the case and I'm not convinced it is, then Arnold should be hitting the road more often then he has been. He calls himself a "Republican", he should start acting like one, or change his party affiliation and at the very least become an "Independent".
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