Governor expected to move back to center in 2006 (Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger)

modbee ^ | 12-27-05

[LouAvul]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began 2005 convinced California was in need of major changes and believing he had the clout to sell his "year of reform" to voters.

He starts the new year in a far different position. Much of his political capital is gone, spent in the ill-fated special election, he will face a well-funded Democratic opponent in his re-election bid next year, and he even caused upheaval within his own party when he appointed a Democratic activist as his chief of staff.

Meanwhile, he has to show voters that he remains capable of significant accomplishments. But to do so he must work with a legislature controlled by Democrats who may not be eager to cooperate in an election year.

How Schwarzenegger will walk the tightrope between the Democratic majority and Republicans who question his leadership will play out as one of the more intriguing political story lines of 2006.

"It will take a lot to overcome the misstatements and bad judgment and the obvious defeat in the special election," says Joel Aberbach, a political scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. "But when you are governor, you do have certain political opportunities. A lot will depend on how he uses those opportunities."

Most expect Schwarzenegger to move back to the political center and away from the partisan tone that characterized his special election. But any moves intended to regain the confidence of Democrats and independent voters also risk alienating Schwarzenegger's Republican base.

[Brilliant]

Really? He's going to move to the RIGHT?

[hole_n_one]

In the dictionary, the pic of Dolly Parton next to the word bust has been replaced with one of Schwarzenegger.

[paulat]

Pls put (Schwarzenegger) in your title so folks will know who you are talking about.

[kingu]

The state is not far into the Democrat column; just enough that they got to redistrict the state how they please.

Move to the center? He's already there. They want him to move out into wacko-land. I'd appreciate it if he moved back right and at the same time just go all out against the legislature. There is nothing less liked in this state than the hacks in Sacramento. Any time the message drifts from that, he needs to stop and put it back in place.

Won't happen though, which makes him as useful as a bump on the log. And no support from the Republicans in the legislature - everyone but Tom McClintock has voted for budgets in the red time and time again.

[mikrofon]

"Ah'll be baack (and forth)"

[editor-surveyor]

"Move to the center? He's already there."

No, he's way out in hollywood left.

[keat]

In the dictionary, the pic of Dolly Parton next to the word bust has been replaced with one of Schwarzenegger.

Damn, there go my Friday nights.

[Holden Magroin]

This shows you how out of touch the liberal media is. If Arnold moved to the center, he would be moving to the right, not the left.

[tubebender]

But any moves intended to regain the confidence of Democrats and independent voters also risk alienating Schwarzenegger's Republican base.

This writer needs to get out of Modesto and put some reality in his thinking...

[SierraWasp]

"This writer needs to get out of Modesto and put some reality in his thinking..."

Really!!! There are so many who have egg all over their faces for swooning over this huge disappointment of a Governor to replace the abject failure of Gray Davis who was the understudy of the prior abject failue of Jerry Brown!!!

[Carry_Okie]

Really? He's going to move to the RIGHT?

My thoughts exactly. Who are these MSMorons trying to kid?

[SierraWasp]

You shoulda heard the Rush Limbaugh substitute from Madison, WI discussing the Schwartzenegger Sell-out with Rush's audience/callers this morning. The conversation went like many here at FR, although there seemed to be less swooners than we keep finding here...

Like many out-of-staters here, the sub-host had much he din't understand, but that didn't keep him from having an opinion based on confusion.

[editor-surveyor]

What can you expect from Madison? (the Berzerkeley of the Great Lakes area)

[forester]

I listened to that guy today while driving. Oh how I wanted to call up and respond to his question "Did Arnold sell out?" I would have said no. He ran as a rhino. Anyone who took the time to look into his campaign would have realized that.

IMHO, Arnold didn't sell out the republicans, the CAGOP leadership sold out the grass roots.

[SierraWasp]

And you'd be precisely correct!!!

[SierraWasp]

The only exception is that unless you really examined every inch of Arnold's campaign website and saw all that GANG-GREENism and got so alarmed that you were willing to raise money to "get the message out" in such a short space of time... It couldn't be done and a decade of battling by your's truly and many other property owners has been scoured off the watershed by the Schwartzenegger Swoonage!!!

[SierraWasp]

17 was intended as a P.S. to you... not me!!!

[FOG724]

IMHO, Arnold didn't sell out the republicans, the CAGOP leadership sold out the grass roots.

Have to agree.