CA: To Solve Deficit, Schwarzenegger Turns to a Democrat (cigar-smoking buddy/aide Susan Kennedy)

Wall Street Journal Online ^ | 7/1/09 | Stu Woo

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his effort to end the partisan bickering that is pushing California to the brink of insolvency, is deploying Susan Kennedy, his cigar-smoking, paintball-playing Democratic chief of staff, to get the job done.

The 48-year-old Ms. Kennedy has built a reputation as a pragmatic leader equally inclined to work with -- and lambaste -- lawmakers from both parties. Such a regard would have been unthinkable five years ago, when Republicans viewed her as a stereotypical Democrat -- a former director of the state party and top aide to Gov. Gray Davis who lives in famously liberal Marin County with her partner.

Susan Kennedy held a meeting with advisers to discuss the state's budget crisis in the governor's smoking tent at California's capitol in mid-June. Transcript: 'We Pump Each Other Up'

More from Gov. Schwarzenegger about Ms. Kennedy's work in the capital.

She is now Mr. Schwarzenegger's closest adviser and "partner," as the governor called her in an interview in his smoking tent in the Capitol courtyard, where the two often enjoy stogies in the afternoon. As an example of their affinity, Ms. Kennedy displays in her office a picture of her sitting in Mr. Schwarzenegger's lap after lawmakers passed the February budget.

[NormsRevenge]

Max Whittaker for The Wall Street Journal

Susan Kennedy held a meeting with advisers to discuss
the state's budget crisis in the governor's smoking tent
at California's capitol in mid-June.

[NormsRevenge]

Schwarzenegger on His Chief of Staff
‘We Pump Each Other Up’

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124603903205862101.html

[NormsRevenge]

Thank goodness the title doesn’t read

Schwarzenegger Turns INto a Democrat ..

altho... considering some of his policy meanderings..

[NormsRevenge]

Susan K ping

[MozarkDawg]

CA: To Solve Deficit, Schwarzenegger Turns to a Democrat

There in a nutshell why this is such a mess.

[NormsRevenge]

saw this little piece eaerlier today..

makes ya wonder what the heck voters are smoking..

—

Poll: Most blame Democrats for California budget stalemate

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2009/06/29/daily47.html?ana=from_rss

Dem’Rats are smack dab at the top of the poll, followed by voters, Republicans and then the GUb.

[freekitty]

Just what has Miss Chief of Staff been doing all of this time. I smell a rat. Instead of solving it; I hear deals being made.

[easternsky]

Just hanging out with one of the guys.

[NordP]

Wooo...she’s a jerk, but don’t put down women cigar smokers now... ;-)

[Deo volente]

Higher taxes just around the corner for all Californians!

I can’t believe a word the governor says anymore. He’s all over the place. He’ll eventually give in to the Democrats.
They’ll hold their ground, and he’ll cave, as well as the handful of Republican traitors that are needed to get a tax hike through. Once again, they’ll be paid off with favors and bribes. And Arnold will get on TV and tell us, “This is what the people want!”

[winner3000]

(As a sniper, she was so aggressive that she accidentally shot at her own teammates and foiled them as they were on the verge of victory.)

Sounds like Democrats in Congress regarding the Iraqi war, except they failed to make us lose.

[Churchillspirit]

Reminds me of a remark made by Joe Kennedy to his son when JFK was forming his administration.....”Choose a Republican for Treasury Secretary. I never knew a Democrat who was good with money.”

[William Tell]

The linked article suggests that our conservative Governor has accomplished so much due to his bi-partisanship.

Whereas, the truth is that Arnold is no conservative and has accomplished NOTHING. If not for the economic bubble that has since burst, Arnold would have been exactly where he is now during his first six months in office.