He was never really Conservative, but he wasn't too bad for a while. He actually made sort of a last ditch stand when he worked to get 4 good propositions on the CA ballot in 2004 IIRC.
I can't remember exactly what all four were, but one of them was designed to curb the destructive power of the Teachers Union. Unfortunately, although he made a pretty good case for the props to start with, when the TU and other destructive groups came back at him in force, he pretty much faded away and I think only one passed and it wasn't the TU one.
He had already been known to have health problems from the steroid use (heart IIRC and there may be others) and if his health took a down turn at that time, he may just not have had the juice for the follow up.
Also, with a whole 'Rat family steadily working on him all the time, he may have just given up. OTOH he's used to being a star and may have done his complete change over to maintain that status with his family working to promote the new him.
However, the new him seems to be pretty worn out, done in, used up, and as you observed without the old spark. That can happen when you sell out completely even without the health problems. The ultimate and unanswered humiliation: KSFO in SF regularly refers to him as PWed.
Cedric, if he can pep himself up a little, by 2010 he just might be able to beat Boxer, one of the three dumbest Senators which is saying a lot. Feinstein, corrupt to the bone but not stupid, is up in 2012. There are enough questions being asked about her ethics (she did have to/choose to step down from a committee post recently because of some too blatant financial help to her husband from her "work" on the committee) and she'll be in her late seventies by '12 that she MIGHT not run again.
Boxer for some reason I cannot determine is popular in CA and might be difficult even for a major star to beat, especially if the star is fading.
I find it unexplainable that in a state with a population and a GDP greater than Canada’s we get a Bozer, a Feinstein, and a Pelosi in high offices.
At some point you have to blame the state, not the politician.
Boxer is the more vulnerable Senator, by far.