CA: Governor's GOP unity song a little off-key

A few sour notes in the California Republican Party's fragile harmony sounded at the GOP convention in San Jose on Saturday, even as the party tried to unite around Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election this fall.

Discontent with Schwarzenegger among some conservatives has been brewing since December when he appointed a former Democratic Party activist, Susan Kennedy, as his chief of staff. Ire grew as Schwarzenegger pushed more moderate policies -- massive borrowing to rebuild public works, an increase in the minimum wage and a budget that would exacerbate future deficits.

Keeping the party together is crucial to Schwarzenegger's re-election chances this November. Simple math dictates that GOP candidates for statewide office must garner the vast majority of their party's votes to win because registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in California.

Party leaders and Schwarzenegger's campaign team labored behind the scenes to tamp down any controversy -- and largely succeeded.

A speech Saturday by conservative state Sen. Tom McClintock showed the unified image GOP leaders want to project. But a later meeting of a convention committee revealed that, for at least a few vocal conservatives, image isn't necessarily reality.

At lunchtime, convention delegates cheered a call for unity from McClintock, a conservative stalwart from Ventura County who is running for lieutenant governor.

``I don't agree with my wife on absolutely everything, but I still love her,'' McClintock told about 500 Republicans -- many of them carrying ``Arnold and Tom. Victory '06'' signs paid for by the Schwarzenegger campaign. ``I don't agree with the governor on absolutely everything, but I still support him.''

``I don't agree with the governor on absolutely everything, but I still support him.'' (PS, Tom, we're not talking about your wife here.) --

That may well be Tom's achuilles heel with some voters as well. But Tom's a gambler, at least he took Indian casino money when some wouldn't . ;-)

One resolution contained veiled criticism of Schwarzenegger. It opposed more debt for infrastructure projects, budgets that increase deficits, and an increase in the minimum wage. Because the committee opposed those ideas, it would take a two-thirds vote of the convention to pass the resolution.

Another resolution that praises the governor's various infrastructure plans for roads, schools and levees received unanimous support from the committee. It would take only a simple majority for the whole convention to pass it.

It is obvious that the liberals run this committee. Has the CA GOP leadership been completely infiltrated?

... at least he took Indian casino money when some wouldn't . ;-)

The CA GOP is getting their fair share of Indian Casino money of late, but from select tribes.

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA IND.	$25,000.00	02/07/2005
CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSN	$15,000.00	04/25/2005
CALIFORNIA NATIONS INDIAN GAMING ASSN	$5,000.00	05/05/2005
EWIIAAPAAYP BAND OF KUMEYAAY INDIANS	$5,000.00	03/22/2005
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS	$15,000.00	04/12/2005
PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS	$12,100.00	02/07/2005
PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS	$25,000.00	03/02/2005
PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS	$2,900.00	09/07/2005
PECHANGA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS	$10,000.00	09/23/2005
UNITED AUBURN INDIAN COMM/AUBURN RANCHER	$2,000.00	03/15/2005
VIEJAS TRIBAL GOVERNMENT	$10,000.00	01/18/2005
VIEJAS TRIBAL GOVERNMENT	$62,100.00	02/10/2005
VIEJAS TRIBAL GOVERNMENT	$50,000.00	04/26/2005
VIEJAS TRIBAL GOVERNMENT	$27,900.00	04/26/2005

From the article:

Current California Republican Party chairman Duf Sundheim said he bent over backward to make sure dissenters' voices were heard.
"My No. 1 priority," Sundheim said, "is to make sure these issues receive a fair hearing, both in committee and on the floor."

Actions speak louder than words, Duf, and it appears there was nothing fair about it.

I was at the convention, Duf and Ron Nehring and the other storm troopers think that strong arming the dissent at the convention is a success. If you have to do that then there is no unity.

I was at the CCR meeting that Arnold showed up at and I now know what it looked like when the captain of the titanic showed up and asked if the band can play louder. They stopped all video recording, they won’t allow questions. This is not a movie. I will ask questions and if I don’t get good answers I will not vote for Arnold.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.