Schwarzenegger frustrates Democrats

SF Chronicle ^ | Sept. 3, 2006 | Carla Marinucci

[FairOpinion]

Candidate Schwarzenegger frustrates Democrats. They're hornswoggled as he adopts their issues as his own and his approval soars.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, is now campaigning as the politician who delivered to state voters his promised "action, action, action" on a higher minimum wage, landmark global warming legislation, a prescription drug bill and increased funding for education.

And frustrated Democratic leaders -- starting at the top with the party's gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides -- have been left to stand by while Schwarzenegger has not only stolen their key issues, but also many of their campaign themes.

Schwarzenegger's approval ratings are now at 50 percent -- a dramatic improvement from several months ago, the poll shows -- with a 13-point lead over Angelides, a gap that has held steady for the last month.

Moreover, Schwarzenegger has much stronger support from his own party -- 82 percent of the Republicans support him, but just 58 percent of Democrats back Angelides, the poll showed.

Angelides' biggest support has come from the state Democratic Party, labor unions and trial lawyers.

[FairOpinion]

That's why Arnold moved to center even center/left -- to take away the Dems issues.

But there are still major differences, with huge impact on CA between Arnold and Angelides. Arnold refused to raise taxes, Angelides can hardly wait to raise your taxes and redistribute income -- it's one of his major campaign themes.

And don't forget McClintock's statement:

"Like many of us, I too have disagreements with some of the Governor's proposals. These differences, however, do not justify the abandonment of our party's responsibility to work tirelessly to reelect this Republican governor and to elect our GOP candidates to statewide and legislative offices.

For this reason, I view any effort to attack Governor Schwarzenegger as an attack on my own candidacy and those of every Republican seeking partisan office in 2006."

[FairOpinion]

82% of Republicans support Arnold.

The remaining 18% need to face reality that if they don't get out and vote for Arnold, we'll get Angelides.

[xcamel]

60 truckloads of Duct Tape(tm) headed in from surrounding states so they have enough as Dim-O-Crat heads begin exploding......

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Did he sign the Communist state takeover of health insurance, recently passed by the state assembly?

See the FR thread Assembly passes universal healthcare bill

[b9]

if they don't get out and vote for Arnold [and Tom] we'll get Angelides [and Garamendi.]

[BW2221]

That's a change. Usually the headline reads, "Schwarzenegger frustrates Republicans."

[rellimpank]

--if my residence was three miles further southwest, that would be my determining factor in the upcoming election--

[Mogollon]

Even though Arnold may win we still lose because Arnold is advancing the rats' agenda. Global warming legislation???

[Parley Baer]

That is the problem in a nutshell. Angelides is a lot worse than Arnold. Again the lesser of two evils.

[Redbob]

Oh, that's great:
beat the Dimocrats by becoming just like them.
</sarc>

[BW2221]

As a conservative Republican, I'm tired of holding my nose and voting for the "lesser of two evile."

Liberal Democrats seldom face this problem (Bob Casey, Jr. being an exception). Their "lesser of two evils" Lieberman votes with the Dems over 95% of the time. Lincoln Chaffee, the candidate Bush is supporting in the Rhode Island senate race, has an ACU rating on 12%.

[goldstategop]

Becoming a Democrat in all but name is nothing crow about. You have to ask yourself if abandoning your party's platform and principles to cut deals with the Democrats is really worth the victory.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[NormsRevenge]

But Hoover Institution research fellow Bill Whalen says that in California, the governor isn't necessarily seen as being so chummy with Bush because he "placates the middle and sticks his finger in the eye of the president" regularly, on issues like global warming, minimum-wage increases and stem cell research.

---

Bush is not the only one getting his eye poked.

The Gubinor may well win, but the party loses in the end at a cost that may well destroy it, imo. I am not so sure that was not the original goal.

[Digger]

Oh, that's great: beat the Dimocrats by becoming just like them I guess most of 82% of pubbies agree with this. I'm not one & am not voting for him. Let's go down in flames rather than a million cuts for the RINOs with a possibility of a real conservative getting elected next time. Again I say we should have left Doofus Davis in office so as to screw up everything so bad that conservative pols would get elected as the alternative. Now we are stuck with a RINO - begging that he throws a true conservative a small bone on the way to socialism.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

That's why Arnold moved to center even center/left -- to take away the Dems issues.

The only problem is, is that he's setting up a hard-core lefty to run and win in 2010.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. Arnold will end up legitimizing socialism and his defenders on here don't see it! The price of victory, every once in awhile, comes at too high a cost. If Arnold lost, I think every thing would be much better for those who love freedom.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[stboz]

I'll vote for Tom and Chuck, but I will NOT vote for Arnold.

Apparently, we haven't had enough of the Angelides-Davis-Villagarosa treatment to learn the lesson.

[Alia]

And don't forget McClintock's statement:

"Like many of us, I too have disagreements with some of the Governor's proposals. These differences, however, do not justify the abandonment of our party's responsibility to work tirelessly to reelect this Republican governor and to elect our GOP candidates to statewide and legislative offices.

For this reason, I view any effort to attack Governor Schwarzenegger as an attack on my own candidacy and those of every Republican seeking partisan office in 2006."

---

Tom McClintock nails it.

[FairOpinion]

If you are not voting for Arnold, you ARE voting for ANGELIDES. Is HE your preference over Arnold?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If you are not voting for Arnold, you ARE voting for ANGELIDES.

Arnold has to earn conservative votes.