"Gotta vote for Arnie, he's a Republican!"
Posted on 03/04/2006 12:31:52 PM PST by Amerigomag
Members of the California Republican Assembly began arriving in Bakersfield Friday to compare notes on their unhappiness with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and endorse candidates in the June 6 GOP primary election. The CRA is the largest and most active organization of conservative Republicans in the state. "This is the destination convention for grass-roots Republicans," said Karen Norton, president of the group's Bakersfield chapter and the chief convention organizer.
The group will also bash Bakersfield's moderate Republican congressman, Bill Thomas. One of the resolutions to be debated and voted on demands that Thomas retire. "We're hopeful that Bill Thomas is soon going to be leaving Congress," said CRA President Mike Spence. An answer to that may come soon. Thomas has scheduled a press conference in Bakersfield Monday morning to discuss his future.
But the bigger issue for many of the 180 people expected to attend the weekend event at the DoubleTree Hotel is the damage they believe Schwarzenegger is doing to the conservative movement in California. Most were outraged at his hiring of Democrat Susan Kennedy as his chief-of-staff. They also charge Schwarzenegger abandoned his efforts to curb government spending and reduce the size of government after voters rejected ballot measures on those issues last November. Schwarzenegger is not scheduled to attend the convention and ask for the CRA's endorsement, but Spence said Schwarzenegger's campaign promised to send a representative.
Saturday's events will feature State Sen. Tom McClintock of Northridge, as the luncheon speaker and that evening, the group will hear from immigration critic Tom Tancredo, a Colorado congressman.
(Excerpt) Read more at bakersfield.com ...
"But the bigger issue for many of the 180 people expected to attend the weekend event at the DoubleTree Hotel is the damage they believe Schwarzenegger is doing to the conservative movement in California."
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And of course, leftist socialist Angelides as governor, which would put CA in full Dem control, would really help the conservative movement, right?
"Saturday's events will feature State Sen. Tom McClintock of Northridge, as the luncheon speaker "
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Do you have a transcript and could you please post it? thanks.
Schwarzenegger is unlikely to get the CRA's endorsement for governor, most insiders agree, but the key question is how many Republicans -- conservative and otherwise -- will refuse to vote in the governor's race. If many do, it could make victory more likely for one of the two Democrats now running -- State Treasurer Phil Angelides or Controller Steve Westly.
Conservative wing of GOP to meet locally(A more detailed, different article)
I expect some of McClintock's remarks will resemble this excerpt from his talk to the state party convention:
"...This year, the Democrats will nominate either Steve Westly, who is the emptiest suit I have ever encountered in a quarter century of California politics, or Phil Angelides, that self-anointed elitist who’s convinced that darn it, he’s just so good at running his own life that he’s now entitled to run everybody else’s."
"Over the next 14 weeks, they are going to spend more than $40 million beating the political pulp out of each other. (Now, I know what you’re thinking – that’s going to be fun to watch on T.V. But folks, let’s not be a party of couch potatoes – that’s a sport we can ALL enjoy playing)."
"And by the time Westly and Angelides are done with each other, there are precisely three things that every Californian will know as absolute, undeniable, categorical, self-evident, gospel truth: the sun will always rise over the Sierras and set on the Pacific; Steve Westly ripped off millions of dollars through shady insider trading deals; and Phil Angelides ripped off millions of dollars by destroying the environment through shady development deals."
"And while they’re doing their worst to tear each other apart, we need to do our best to come together, to showcase our Republican principles, and to take them to everyone who will listen -- especially those millions of Californians who have never thought of themselves as Republicans – but who believe as we believe and who share our values, our dreams and our vision for the future..."
"Gotta vote for Arnie, he's a Republican!"
That was a curious and sort of out-of-charater description from a Senator who has advanced himself by being able to convey detail.
Westly is either just as hollow as the Senator describes or, and I'm always suspicious of everything politicians utter, Westly bears watching since he has a limited public track record.
"Gotta vote for Arnie, he's a Republican!"
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Well, do YOU prefer to vote for Angelides?
I'll have you know Purple Kool-aid makes me gag. ;-)
A vote for Rnold is a vote for more demRats, gays and greens.. you oonly openly encourage him to continue his ways which deviate quite heavily from Repiublican much else conservative principles and then some.
His cumulative positive is ouweighed by his negatives as far as legislation signed, spending and borrowing are concerned.
I don't think we can afford 4 more years of his "Strategic Growth" if what we have witnessed so far is any indication of things to come.
This state has survived dem Gubs before, maybe it will have to wait until it gets a conservative in the office before real reforms can be made and with a consensus of the public staggering under the load of debt and spending like never before.
McClintock has been around too long to misunderestimate Westly. Remember that these comments were made before friends, not for the general public and are more relaxed in nature because of that.
The term "empty suit" doesn't mean stupid; I think of it as equating to "a person motivated by ambition and pride to such a degree that one needn't look any further to understand their actions."
So what would you suggest?
Agreed but this fellow Westly has certainly been given short shrift by both the CRP and many within the CDP. Reasons for a forced summary judgment are often motivated by other than truthfulness or the obvious.
I think Westly bears watching to see who the hell he really is and what his core values are. Angelides is a known quantity who does not intimidate the CRP and frankly appears to scare many within the CDP's base. In this case, just because Boxer says its so, isn't necessarily going to make it so. If Westly is a hollow bag, California will know by early June.
Scratcher, are you willing to run for governor of California? You can still file for the Republican gubernatorial primary until the end of next week.
Residency isn't a problem. The other fellow is a citizen of a foreign country.
I'll vote but likely not for every office or race, it happens all the time, it's not unlikely many won't vote at all in protest, too bad as they could help either defeat ot push some valid initiatives thru, as we witnessed in the last election, with Prop 73 and Prop 75 especially taking it to the chin.
My vote is not for sale or shanghai to any party that runs as one thing but delivers its opponents agenda .
Taxes come and taxes go, if yur lucky.
The impact of the debt to be taken on should set bells off in folks heads, but there is a reluctance to just 'pay-as you-go' and not to "Just Go For it! as a political philosophy.
I'd be willing to run, I am a resident, but far too conservative to be elected in Ca.
So of these two Democrats and Arnold . . . of the three who is the rightward most candidate who is viable? After all the machinations and maneuvering, that will be the only relevant question -- just as it always is.
It is not out of the question that the Gray One might have seen the light on illegal DLs and VLF issue had he survived the recall. He was a politician, after all, and likely to flop if sufficent pressure is applied.
The latest gay marriage issue is only being stalled and eventually will need to be addressed .. again.
Better off? That's a tough one.
Depends on whose side you're on. The bond brokers?
President Bush only lost this state by 10% so do you think we are moving to the right ever so slowly?
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