Governor's GOP foes may try to retract endorsement

The Orange County Register ^ | 02-04-06 | MARTIN WISCKOL

[Amerigomag]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he heard the message in November when voters rejected his package of reform initiatives. He responded, in part, by appointing a Democratic chief of staff and outlining a $222 billion plan to improve streets, schools, levees and jails.

But some among his Republican base have become disillusioned by his latest political swing. On Friday, they unveiled five proposed resolutions critical of the governor, to be considered when the state GOP holds its San Jose convention in two weeks. These critics say the governor cannot win re-election in November if he doesn't shore up support among grass-roots Republicans, and they complain that his latest moves are dulling enthusiasm in the GOP.

Schwarzenegger spokesman Adam Mendelsohn said his boss welcomes the opportunity for dialogue. However, the governor has given no indication of backing off from the moves Schroeder and others have found most offensive. He has ardently defended the appointment of Democrat Susan Kennedy as his chief of staff, which is cited in Schroeder's resolution as the reason for withdrawing the endorsement. He also may be slow to reconsider the other moves targeted by the proposed resolutions.

Newport Beach's Buck Johns, a Republican delegate and a member of the GOP Lincoln Club, isn't yet sold on Schwarzenegger's public works bonds or his plan to increase the minimum wage, and is open to debating those issues at the convention. But he sees no place for the idea of withdrawing the party's endorsement.

Even state Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, who was Schwarzenegger's chief GOP rival in the 2003 recall election and who has been critical of many of the governor's moves, has written convention delegates to urge support of the incumbent.

[MillerCreek]

Thanks, forester, and please -- if you have time available -- read the response I just wrote to FairOpinion, just previous to this one.

I'm going to continue to vote as a conservative for conservative candidates. At least we can now see McClintock wasn't one and seems to be doing a political dance more than anything.

I'll give him this much, he's a great performer 'cause he has sure fooled a lot of people to date.

I'm now more pleased than ever that I voted for Bill Simon for Governor in the Recall and I'd repeat that vote for Simon if he was to ever run again for Governor.

[MillerCreek]

EXCELLENT advice, forester, as to Reagan's 'eleventh'. I completely agree, to state the obvious!

Please read my comments #20 if you have time available...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1572088/posts?page=20#20

[FairOpinion]

"I also did not vote for McClintock and after reading this letter of his, won't be at any future time. "

===

Well, let's see -- you didn't vote for McClintock, or Arnold, the ONLY Republicans in the governor's race. By simple process of elimination, you must have voted for Bustamante, by your own admission.

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"Draw your own conclusions but please stop pointing fingers at other voters when and as we exercise conscience over for who and how we vote."

===

It's a free country, you can vote for whomever you want, but please stop pretending to be a conservative, when your actions result in Dems getting elected and Dem agenda being fulfilled.

[MillerCreek]

There is no pretense as to my being a conservative.

I believe it's you who most question on these CA threads as to your loyalties.

Since I am a conservative, I won't be voting for Schwarzenegger nor McClintock. I do affiliate with those conservatives in CA who are members of the Lincoln Club. I think they'd laugh at the mere idea of you with your politics of pro-liberal candidates and pro-liberal CAGOP and insults and such about Republican voters with conscience, not being conservative. I know I do.

[forester]

Thanks, forester, and please -- if you have time available -- read the response I just wrote to FairOpinion, just previous to this one.

It is you who I would like to thank. I have been thinking about what FO and the other win-at-all-cost-even-if-we-have-to-become-liberals-too folks at FR are saying and YOU helped me crystalize what it was that irked me about this devisive behavior. Excellent follow-up in post 20. Kudos to you sir!