Californians to Bush: the feeling's mutual

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/5/9 | Carla Marinucci

[SmithL]

President Bush once remarked at a White House party that in the famously liberal enclave of San Francisco, his supporters were so rare that "you could probably fit them all in one room."

He wasn't exaggerating, and he would do little to alter his standing. He never once set foot in San Francisco during his two terms, and he was hardly much chummier with California as a whole, the nation's most populous state and the world's eighth-largest economy.

The 43rd president's legacy in the Golden State, according to the unsparing assessment of Democratic consultant Phil Trounstine, is "zilch."

"He regarded California sort of like France - as a foreign entity for which he had nothing but scorn," said Trounstine. "Except for this: He did more damage to California than he ever did to France."

[JamesP81]

"He regarded California sort of like France - as a foreign entity for which he had nothing but scorn," said Trounstine. "Except for this: He did more damage to California than he ever did to France."

Bull$hit. California damaged itself and is now wanting my tax money to undo its failures. California can be as big of a liberal heaven as it's voters want. But any consequences of that are not my problem.

[RC2]

The Chronicle is about as far left as you can get. Invite them to walk through Watts, unprotected, at 3:00AM and see what happens. If I were President, I wouldn’t go to San Franfreeco either. They don’t derserve the presence of our President.

[roses of sharon]

I wasn't aware that Californians were Americans anymore.

They surely haven't behaved that way for decades.

[ex91B10]

"He regarded California sort of like France - as a foreign entity for which he had nothing but scorn,"...

I may yet change my mind about him.

[pnh102]

[smallbiz]

California is a sad place. Not just because the power base supports democrats at of cost, but the people know nothing. They just follow like good little peons.

Sometimes I wonder why I even live in Calif.

[TMSuchman]

I will always think of Mich. as a liberal haven! At least Cal. has jobs still.

[polymuser]

I do regard California sort of like France - as a foreign entity for which I have, politically, nothing but scorn.

[McGavin999]

You live there because it's beautiful. It used to be republican and it should be taken back. Liberals lived there but they were kept in check by the big studios who had them under contract. Liberalism spreads like a poison infecting everythig around it until it decays, as California is beginning to do now.

It needs to be saved, it's way too beautiful to be destroyed.

[dblshot]

W don’t have to go to Kalifornia to talk to Californians. All the smart ones done moved here to Texas.

[Dionysius]

Take a look at the political map of California. The blue areas are clustered along the coast. The rest of the state is being held hostage by these hotbeds of anti-Americanism and its patriotic residents are forced to matriculate under policies they both despise and decry. (The same might be said of Washington and Oregon.)

[VeniVidiVici]

He never once set foot in San Francisco during his two terms, and he was hardly much chummier with California as a whole, the nation's most populous state and the world's eighth-largest economy.

Why do that? California is like your crazy, rich aunt. You never visit because doing so makes you very uncomfortable and no fun. But you send a Christmas card every year since she sends you a healthy check.

[AuntB]

A LOT of Californians voted for Bush. My county, 68%. Hell, we like liberals no matter what letter they have by their name.

[Welcome2thejungle]

If I were GWB I wouldn’t worry about it. The people who live here are a bunch of radical left phonies. California used to have a dynamic, thriving, cutting edge economy. Now our unemployment rate is the third highest in the country. Sacramento is run by a bunch of socialists. Illegal aliens have over-run the state overwhelming our hospitals, schools, prisons, and infrastructure. The inmates have taken over the asylum. There is no brains reign here at all. WELCOME TO THE FREAKING JUNGLE!

[HarryCaul]

What state is Free Republic in?

[Integrityrocks]

Its a real stretch to call California’s financial mess an “economy.” Eight largest or not. I’d call it a financial abortion.

[JamesP81]

Take a look at the political map of California. The blue areas are clustered along the coast. The rest of the state is being held hostage by these hotbeds of anti-Americanism and its patriotic residents are forced to matriculate under policies they both despise and decry. (The same might be said of Washington and Oregon.)

Illinois as well. I wonder if we could get a constitutional amendment requiring a city above a certain percentage of the rest of a state's population become it's own state so that the rest of the residents of states like California and Illinois don't have to live with the insane policies coming out of LA, SF, and Chicago.

[Integrityrocks]

California is a microcosm of what Democrats in power will do to the entire U.S. That's not right wing radical thinking, it is pure old fashioned common sense.

[Red in Blue PA]

California.....where the 2nd Amendment went to die.