Schwarzenegger Surging Ahead as Vote Nears

LAT ^ | Oct. 1, 2006 | Michael Finnegan,

[FairOpinion]

The governor takes a commanding lead, with many Democrats and independents saying they support him. A key issue is leadership skill.

Just over five weeks before election day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger holds a commanding lead over his Democratic challenger, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, who has built scant support beyond a core base of liberals, according to a new Los Angeles Times Poll.

If the Nov. 7 election were held today, likely voters would favor the Republican governor over Angelides 50% to 33%.

The survey found an abundance of grim signs for Angelides, including a failure to match Schwarzenegger's success in rallying voters of his own party strongly behind his candidacy. Just 61% of Democrats support Angelides, while 88% of Republicans favor Schwarzenegger. And independents, a crucial swing vote, support Schwarzenegger over Angelides 49% to 31%.

[FairOpinion]

What we have on this board is some pretend-conservatives trying to convince real conservaties that there is no difference between Arnold and Angelides, to help out Angelides.

This article below describes them to a T.
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But there seems to be a new “Republicans vote on Wednesday” taking form in time for the 2006 election. This effort targets grassroots conservatives known for their passionate views about issues who may be open to a grassroots voting rebellion. But the effort is being led, or at the very least aided, by liberals pretending to be grassroots conservatives, as opposed to actual grassroots conservatives themselves.

The premise follows a scheme previously found most often on talk radio programs: a liberal activist calls a conservative radio host, such as Rush Limbaugh or Laura Ingraham, and delivers the line: “I’ve been voting Republican for 30 years, but I’ve finally had it and I’m not voting this year.” Or my favorite: “I’m a Reagan Republican, but I’m fed up and voting for John Kerry.” (Because that is what Reagan Republicans would do, vote for John Kerry.) At this point, the host usually asks a couple of questions and it becomes painfully obvious that the supposed Reagan Republican has probably never voted for anyone right of Michael Dukakis.

The intentions are clear: the caller hopes to make it appear as though there is already a large uprising of conservatives who are rebelling against GOP candidates, and thus, wishes to incite other Republicans to pick up the same attitude and pass it along, leading to the Democrat becoming more competitive. The successes of such a strategy on voting habits are unclear, especially given that the conservative radio host often refutes the caller’s talking points.

But the pretend-conservative act is being carried onto a whole new playing field, one that has become wildly influential over the past few years and one that does not stand to be instantly recognized as a fake. That playing field is the blogosphere, which is then used in conjunction with massive e-mailings to “spread the word” (as one e-mailer insisted I do to my readers/e-mail list) to other conservatives.

The concept is the same: the blog or e-mail claims, first, that the said writer has been a conservative for years and that they have “had it with Republicans.” They then point to an issue that conservatives would likely be upset about such as excessive spending, immigration, or the expansion of government. Their supposed rage over the issue has convinced them to either not show up to vote in 2006, or, in order to really show Republicans, vote for the Democrat instead.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1613957/posts?page=87#87

[Amerigomag]

But Angelides will be very happy if conservatives stay home or vote third party and help Angelides

If Angelides can help conservative Republicans get the Austrian pretender out of the CaGOP, he's got my thanks. Angelides should hire Schwarzenegger as his campaign spokesman.

[goldstategop]

Arnold vetoed a few of the more offensive bills. But he's still given the Democrats almost everything they've wanted and that's a fact. I should add that agenda has been opposed by state legislators from the Governor's own party.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[FairOpinion]

"If Angelides can help conservative Republicans get the Austrian pretender out of the CaGOP, he's got my thanks."


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You demonstrated yet again, that you are NO conservative, NO Republican, not even a moderate, but a mouthpiece FOR socialist, leftist Angelides.

[goldstategop]

There's more than a touch of irony in your description, FO. Now all those pseudo-conservatives, better known on here as RINOs, can finally vote for a Democrat who is a formal Republican: Arnold. They can now have their cake and eat it too.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[FairOpinion]

Go ahead, keep campaigning for socialist Angelides.

[Signalman]

What we have on this board is some pretend-conservatives trying to convince real conservaties that there is no difference between Arnold and Angelides, to help out Angelides.

Exactly correct. They're plants. It ain't going to work, libs. Knowledgeable people know there's a huge diffenence between Arnold and Angelides. Angelides is to the left of Gray Davis. Arnold is obviously not a Reagan Republican but he is the only one right now keeping Calif. from completely sinking into the cesspool of collectivism and socialism, which Angelides would love to see happen.

[FairOpinion]

Aren't you ashamed to unrelentingly campaign for socialist Angelides in a conservative forum?

[Hannibal Hamlin]

They helped push Arnold to the center over the past year by failing to turnout and support the Special Election measures. There was a record low turnout in areas like Orange County.

Arnold will win re-election. The question is whether there will be sufficient GOP turnout to carry McClintock, and other down ticket GOP candidates to victory. If McClintock loses, I suspect it will be narrowly, and only because the "ideologically pure" crowd sucked it collective thumb and stayed home.

[goldstategop]

You fall into the error of presuming that just because Amerigomag detests Arnold means he backs Angelides. Actually, most of us on here back neither gubernatorial candidate because their stands are at odds with conservative values and beliefs.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[b9]

Exactly correct. They're plants.

Some of whom actually brag about not having bothered to vote.

[FairOpinion]

Angelides is grasping at straws and has "con nservatives staying home or voting third party" as part of his win strategy and some of his stooges here are trying to implement that strategy.

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A Recipe for Success (for Angelides) (Conservatives are Angelides' secret weapon)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1689690/posts

Here are some things he could do:

o Attack Arnold from the right :

§ Illegal immigration–Arnold has angered the conservative base with some of his comments on this issue. The Angelides campaign, or perhaps an anti-Arnold independent expenditure campaign, could attack Arnold in the mail or on the radio and use Arnold’s own words against him.

§ Taxes/government spending–The state government continues to run what is essentially a deficit and Arnold’s numerous proposals to increase government spending and borrowing turn off Republicans. This line of attack could also mitigate some of the tax attacks against Angelides.


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Schwarzenegger Hears Rumbles From the Right

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1685932/posts


" low conservative turnout will loom as a key peril for the governor and a prime source of hope for Democrats."


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"Angelides ... must win 80% of the Dems and a solid majority of the DTS (declined to state) registrants, TO ACCOMPANY THE 15% REPUBLICANS WHO DON'T VOTE FOR THEIR PARTY'S TICKET"

ANGELIDES IS COUNTING ON THEM.


http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2006/07/new_poll_result.html


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Angelides team bullish on California's blue state math (counting on CONSERVATIVES, to win)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676818/posts

Angelides' camp believes that while the governor enjoys support among some Democrats now, by the time ballots are cast in November, the base will remain loyal.

They also believe that the opposite will occur with the Republicans because Schwarzenegger's recent move to the left on key issues such as immigration and the environment has alienated conservatives.



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To pull off a win, Angelides must seize his opportunities

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1683377/posts


"But it will not be easy, and Angelides must take full advantage of the opportunities: ... the governor's sometimes tense relationship with conservatives; "

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[CheneyChick]

Some of whom actually brag about not having bothered to vote.

That is so pathetic. Voters in Afghanistan and Iraq braved great danger to get to the polls for a chance to vote. Their turnout at the polls puts us to shame.

[FairOpinion]

Let me repeat this S-L-O-W-L-Y:

Any conservative who doesn't get out and ACTIVELY VOTE FOR ARNOLD, IS VOTING FOR ANGELIDES.

[goldstategop]

And what would you call the Green legislation and the borrow and spend bonds? I call that socialism. As P.J O'Rourke said, "liberalism is just communism sold by the drink." In the end, it doesn't really matter who gets us there. I say to liberals, a plague on their houses.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[goldstategop]

I'm not campaigning for Angelides. I've made it clear what I think of him. By the same measure, I don't think Arnold has earned conservatives' trust.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[goldstategop]

Any conservative who votes for Arnold is helping the Left advance its socialist agenda here piecemeal, year after year. That's the truth.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Southack]

"You don't get it - Arnold has embraced many of the Democratic policies out of the State Legislature. Do you think he'd have that commanding lead in the polls if he really was a George W. Bush clone? Not on your life! One way or another we will get a liberal Governor in California in November."

No, you don't get it. You probably don't get out much, either. Arnold is as conservative as you are going to get in California until the news media swings back to a more level-handed status.

McClintock, good man that he is, will be lucky to edge a victory on a down-ballot race. He would have been clobbered running for Gov this year.

No one says it is fair or right, just how the state works.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Arnold VETOED the universal healthcare socialized medicine bill

But he increased funding for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.

Shhh! It's still universal healthcare, just that it's in parts instead of the whole sum.

[Southack]

"The laws that count are the ones he's approved and they are liberal or worse. From bloated budgets, to UHC, to homosexual rights..."

Do you not live in California any longer, or are you just that clueless?

I'm out here in Alabama and I know that Arnold vetoed UHC and gay rights bills this year.

You apparently do not know it. Sad. You're one of the uneducated who votes anyway...