Posted on 12/02/2005 10:02:39 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to reposition his administration after his special election defeat — culminating with this week's appointment of a Democratic activist as his chief of staff — has disheartened some prominent California Republicans and reinvigorated talk of finding a conservative primary challenger next year.
"I'm getting more e-mails off of this than I do for Viagra," said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots group, referring to Schwarzenegger's appointment of Susan Kennedy.
"Since the special election, where we were very loyal, all we've heard about was a $50-billion bond and looking at clemency for [convicted murderer and gang leader Stanley] Tookie Williams," Spence said. "I think the Kennedy thing was just the last straw. There's not even one Republican in the state to be qualified as chief of staff?"
Kennedy's appointment has raised particular ire among conservatives because she is a former Democratic Party executive director and senior member of Gray Davis' administration. Anti-gay activists have also objected strenuously because she is a lesbian. A new website, stopsusankennedy.com, urges people to petition Schwarzenegger to rescind the appointment.
Schwarzenegger also faced pointed questions about the Kennedy appointment from a normally supportive source: conservative radio talk-show host Roger Hedgecock. In a late-afternoon appearance on KOGO-AM (600) in San Diego, Schwarzenegger found himself defending the appointment.
Hedgecock said that Kennedy's background "seems completely incompatible with Republican principles."
Schwarzenegger responded that her philosophy was consistent with his own.
The governor conceded that some people will be "up in arms about" the appointment, "but I have to pick someone that I feel comfortable with. ...
--snip--
When asked what views the two shared, Schwarzenegger cited Kennedy's opposition to new taxes and her pro-business stance.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Gee. What a surprise! < /sarcasm>
Tom McClintock for Governor! I voted for him last time and would vote for him again.
This will prove to be a big, big mistake. Arnold is the same person he always was--pro-abortion, pro-gay rights, pro-establishment. But he will no longer have any cover to pretend that he is conservative in any way, shape, or form, either social or fiscal.
At least Pete Wilson pretended to be a Republican, but he eventually lost the balancing act and was voted out. I don't see how Arnold can possibly get himself re-elected after this. The leftists will vote for the Democrat regardless, the conservatives will vote third party or stay home, and Arnold will only get the votes of the Republican Country Clubbers, who have a lot of money but not many votes. It's a lose-lose situation, because he may have wrecked the chances of a real conservative who beat him in the primary getting in. Instead of running against a failed Gray Davis, the conservative would be seen as running against the dismal record of a failed Republican.
Good chance for the Democrats to recapture the state no matter who the Republicans choose to put up.
Schwarzenegger responded that her philosophy was consistent with his own.
Great cactch Norm, this just keeps getting richer.
I'm taking a list of all with the guts to repent for their support of Arnold publicly.
Conservatives are forgiving.
Once it became apparent that Arnold would win (because conservatives were folding like cheap suits in order to "win"), I voted for McClintock and against the recall.
WHAT?
Why is this a surprise? Who did Californian's think they were electing? He's a social liberal and that has not been a secret.
Delusions crash hard when they run into the brick wall of reality...
He's a FISCAL LIBERAL too, which has been more than obscured.
----
Some strategery on the part of the left, huh?
Nuked in the REcall and now nuked in perpetuity.
I'll He (won't) be back! Can you say Recall in '06 in a GOP primary?
Pete Wilson wasn't voted out of any office. California has term limits for statewide offices - two terms for governor. Wilson was termed out.
Add me to the list.
Back to grade B movies for Arnie - RINO from the get go..."Hasta Lavista ___________________"
I think he means Viagra spam ;)
Arnold never would have won a primary election in the first place, which is why they jumped at the chance to shove him in there without having to deal with a primary.
Their boy Riordan was shot down by Simon, so they pulled their support, let Simon lose, as he was bound to do with no advertising money to fight the vicious media propaganda, and then pulled their Arnold ploy. But now it looks to me as if Arnold has now escaped his handlers, had a hissy fit because he felt unloved, and effectively destroyed his future career.
No, sorry I misspoke. But Pete Wilson was little loved when he left, more of an exile than an elder statesman, because of the fiasco of the way he mismanaged the illegal immigrant issue, offending all sides while accomplishing nothing.
What keeps getting richer is the American political lexicon.
November 2003 brought us ARINOld from the blogosphere.
The Kennedy affair produced the aperpoe, double entendre, closet Democrat in reference to the Austrian.
Discussions of the Kennedy fiasco brought us the equally apt descriptor FRINO.
You bet CO. It just keeps getting richer.
Is there any wonder why Republicans have such a hard time in that state?
It seems that most of them are no different than the Commie libs they run against, and Arnold is a perfect "RINO" example!
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