In the recall election, you got rid of a disgraced and corrupt Governor Davis. You also defeated the disaster that a Bustamante governorship would have brought. You replaced a corrupt Governor with someone who at least gave you a chance to start fresh. While not an ideal outcome, on balance, I'd say you chalked up a win, especially compared with what you had. Beating a corrupt 'Rat governor has merit in and of itself.
Given the demographics of California, I'd say you probably did the best you could with the hand you were dealt. In politics, you often have to take the best you can and try to make a go of it. Sure, you might have run a "true conservative", but you would have probably retained Gray Davis by maybe a 70-30 blowout. How many "true conservatives" have won a statewide race lately in California? The odds are very, very, very long against it. So lacking the real chance of that, you did the best you could, and got the crooked 'Rat out. True, it didn't get you the ideal candidate for Governor, but given that that wasn't in the cards anyway, you did at least part of the job, and got the lousy, disgraced 'Rat out of office.
You are SO wrong on this.
Arnold has done far more damage than Gray Davis could have ever done.
The state is far worse off, and he’s drug the CA GOP down along with it.
Exactly what Rudy will do nationally, if elected.
BTW, the demographics in California are no different than they were in the past several decades when we elected a majority of Republican governors, including Reagan, Deukmejian, and Wilson.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1719006/posts?page=31#31
This mantra of “the best you could do” is a crock!