That's McCain on the left. LOL
Posted on 03/02/2006 7:23:51 PM PST by NormsRevenge
At a time when he's trying to reclaim his outsider image, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking Hollywood and corporate insiders to donate up to $100,000 for his re-election campaign and the state Republican Party.
The governor has scheduled a celebrity-studded fundraiser this month in Beverly Hills - headlined by Arizona Sen. John McCain - that could pull in at least $2 million for his depleted campaign account. The host committee includes names from the entertainment and business elite, including "The Terminator" director James Cameron, Interscope Records chief Jimmy Iovine, Yahoo Chairman Terry Semel and Univision Chairman Jerry Perenchio.
Supporters are being asked to kick in up to $100,000 for dinner, a private reception and photographs with Schwarzenegger. In some cases, the money will be divided with the state party, which can use the funds to support Schwarzenegger or run its statewide operations.
Other prices, according to the invitation, range from $1,000 for an individual ticket to $50,000 for ticket packages that can include perks like photographs with the governor and a seat at the head table.
Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003 after promising to upend politics as usual in Sacramento. But he's since become one of the most prolific political fundraisers in state history, and his campaign committees have banked millions of dollars from supporters with business and corporate ties.
Schwarzenegger "learned that he couldn't upend politics as usual, and he had to practice politics as usual," said Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a Los Angeles research group that studies campaign finance.
The governor began the year with his political finances drained after his committees spent more than $50 million in an attempt to enact his failed 2005 "year of reform" ballot proposals. It's expected his campaign will need at least as much for his re-election bid. His campaign was outspent by a wide margin last year by his rivals.
McCain is known nationally for his efforts to reform federal campaign finance laws, and he was once critical of fundraising by former Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat who was replaced by Schwarzenegger. Campaigning with the governor last year, McCain said he advised Schwarzenegger to seek campaign finance reform in the state once the 2005 election ended.
One Democratic official said McCain's appearance was in conflict with federal law authored by the senator, which places restrictions on federal officeholders taking part in events that solicit political funds. The Schwarzenegger invitation includes the senator's picture, and lists him as a "special guest."
McCain "is flouting, if not the letter, the intent of his own law," said Lance Olson, general counsel to the state Democratic Party. "He couldn't raise that money for his own campaign; he shouldn't be able to raise it for somebody else."
The invitation includes a disclaimer that says Schwarzenegger's campaign and the state party are raising the money, and McCain "is not soliciting individual funds beyond federal limit, and is not soliciting funds from corporations or labor unions." But Olson said the wording is inadequate and McCain "should not have his name appear on material that asks for contributions that are in excess of the federal limits."
Candidates for federal office cannot accept more that $2,100 from individuals for each election. Some individual tickets could give Schwarzenegger as much as $44,600 for his campaign.
Trevor Potter, a former Federal Election Commission member who advises McCain, said the disclaimer was carefully reviewed to avoid any conflict.
"The disclaimer makes clear he is not asking for any money," Potter said.
State candidates are running with new donation limits this year, but the governor is able to ask for $100,000 ticket packages by dividing the money with the state party. Spokeswoman Katie Levinson said the campaign is "complying with both the spirit and letter" of state campaign-finance laws.
In an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," the governor said, "I take money because you need to take money.
"What is wrong with the system right now is there have been people who pay in and favors go out, and you should never do that. That is the key thing," Schwarzenegger said. "The fact is that the elections are very expensive."
McCain followers. It's easier to fleece those who will buy anything.
I'm afraid California took whatever principles Arnold had left. What we all did to HIM (in varying degrees -- San Diego TRIED to help) after he stuck his neck out for those Propositions/us against the Unions/fiscal responsibility....we reap what we sow.
That said...I'm definitely NOT a fan of McCain at all!
McCain's bus circles the block several times and he's up front and a step or two down the doorway, waving to the FReepers protesting the WHCA. Most of the FReepers chanted "RINO...RINO...RINO" as he past. On about the fourth pass, an aide steps behind him and whispers in his ear probably said, "They're chanting 'RINO' Sir..." After which he aburptly stopped waving.
Now THIS woulda made a rather good "same sex marriage!"
" 'The disclaimer makes clear he [Sen. McCain] is not asking for any money,' Potter said. "
Yeah right. So why is he "headlining" the dinner unless he and Schwarnegger's handlers think he'll bring in people who WILL give the governor money. What a hypocrite.
"I'm afraid California took whatever principles Arnold had left. What we all did to HIM (in varying degrees -- San Diego TRIED to help) after he stuck his neck out for those Propositions/us against the Unions/fiscal responsibility....we reap what we sow."
So it's not Schwarzenegger's fault? WE (California) made him do this. Poor baby. The Terminator is just another victim.
What about personal responsibility?
But, even accepting, for the purposes of discussion, that Schwarzenegger has been somehow "forced" into sleazy fund-raising tactics because he is broke after the special election, he brought this on himself. There was absolutely NO need to have a special election (costing taxpayers millions) for his propositions; the issues could easily have waited until the general election.
The fact is, Schwarzenegger has broken his promise not to take money from "special interests" from Day One. He certainly never waited until after the special election to do it. He just changed the definition of "spec ial interest." In the Schwarzeneggerian vocabulary, the only "special interests" are unions and Indian gaming advocates; energy lobbyists, for instance, are disinterested proponents of the public interest.
EdJay, I was simply trying to take on some personal responsibilities. It isn't always the fault of our leaders. Their hands CAN be tied. I was attempting to point out that Arnold's are now in knots---because of what happened in that very special election.
I wish he would have done this all RIGHT after he was elected. From what I hear, he listened to his wife, who said, "Try to get along with those across the isle first. See what can be accomplished that way, first.
He should have fought hard, when the iron was hot. Although I understand his reasoning, giving CA that much time to NOT feel any difference because of our financial "crisis" proved wrong. We didn't feel enough personal pain, and the Unions had time to embezzle money from their members to "business as usual."
It wasn't that having the Special Elections was wrong, because those Propositions would have started us on a great path to progress for CA.
sorry
That's GOOD!!! (keep up the good work!)
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