CA: 'Moderate' governor grates many in GOP (growing perception of his flip-flopping on issues)

SFGate.com ^ | 8/17/06 | Tom Chorneau

[NormsRevenge]

Sacramento -- Newport Beach (Orange County) Councilman Richard Nichols won't be among those cheering when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes the stage this weekend at the state Republican Convention in Los Angeles.

Like a lot of conservative voters, the 66-year-old Nichols said he's disillusioned with the governor's recent efforts to recast himself as a political moderate in order to curry favor among Democrats and independent voters.

Schwarzenegger's new strategy, which has boosted him in the polls, has also attracted criticism from both ends of the political spectrum that the governor has reversed position on key issues -- like education spending, the environment, health care reform and immigration -- for political advantage.

A close review, however, shows the governor's record is far more mixed: some positions have clearly changed, others have merely evolved and some have remained consistent but the rhetoric surrounding the subject has changed.

Still, even the perception that a candidate has flip-flopped on issues is a big danger and something Schwarzenegger will be looking to quell this weekend among party loyalists and later as he tries to appeal to Democrats and independents.

"I've not endorsed the governor, even though they've asked me a number of times to do so," Nichols said. "I feel he's abandoned the constituency that elected him."

The charge is a serious one that voters from both parties pay close attention to, said Thad Kousser, a political scientist at UC San Diego.

"As the last presidential election made clear -- changing positions can be more damaging to a candidate than having unpopular positions," he said. "Not being steadfast becomes a character issue."

[FairOpinion]

Schwarzenegger Hears Rumbles From the Right

"Conservatives see some of the governor's stands as liberal. If too few vote, his reelection could be threatened.

Schwarzenegger faces no danger of a broad defection of conservatives to his Democratic challenger, state Treasurer Phil Angelides; polls show they overwhelmingly favor the governor.

But their tense alliance with Schwarzenegger, combined with a foul election climate for Republicans nationwide, could spell a low conservative turnout in the Nov. 7 election. And if what is now a wide Schwarzenegger lead over Angelides narrows after Labor Day, as many analysts expect, low conservative turnout will loom as a key peril for the governor and a prime source of hope for Democrats."

[FairOpinion]

Here you are campaigning for Angelides again.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>>Here you are campaigning for Angelides again.

LOL If my tagline says, "conservatives don't vote for liberals", then campaigning for a liberal is out of the question too. Maybe a course in basic logic would help correct your flawed thought process. My point had more to do with the liberal Giuliani and not your sainted liberal Govinator, Ahnold Schwarzy. Just don't want people to think Rudy is any different then Ahnold. Two liberals who remain opposed to conservatism. Btw, I already predicted Ahnold would be reelected.

[NormsRevenge]

You're not up to fighting anyway ,I take it,

Worse case.. I can only imagine what legislation that he will have put on his desk and sign that will effectively do the job of stripping support yet its a few folks here fault.. What a loon you are, no dsrespect intended to loons, btw.

Keep bashing away here, you long ago lost sight of what this forum is about anyway. Hack!

[Owen]

Support the rightmost candidate who is viable in every election. In the primaries and in the general election both, if you follow this rule you will not face moral quandary or failure to understand how democracy works.

Support the rightmost candidate who is viable.

[FairOpinion]

Which part of "the choice is Arnold or Angelides" do you have a problem comprehending? You keep campaigning for Arnold's defeat, which will get Angelides elected. Hence you ARE campaigning FOR Angelides.

[Reagan Man]

You're a complete and total airhead. Show me one post where I supported Phil Angelides. You can't. My opposition to Ahnold is based on the fact, he remains a committed anti-conservative and his record as Govinator supports that quite clearly. So keep on carping, oh querulous one.