A coasting Riordan raises eyebrows

Sacramento Bee ^ | 3/1/02 | Emily Bazar and Amy Chance

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- While his opponents choreograph ambitious campaign blitzes in the final days before Tuesday's primary election, Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Riordan's low-key approach is starting to raise eyebrows.

He made only one public appearance Thursday, shaking hands, slapping backs and slamming down a tri-tip sandwich and fries in this central coast town.

[goldstategop]

Dickie Pooh suffers from a combination of what can only be described as hubris, chutzpah, sheer arrogance, and a sense of entitlement stemming from a supposed imminent coronation. I think that's even more off-putting to conservatives than his being a RINO, which is already bad enough. But that he has to be absolutely insufferable, is just too much for people to tolerate. Hopefully we won't see him in our face after March 5th. Everything he's done to date as served as an object lesson to why he's not qualified to be the Republican candidate for Governor, let alone be Gray Davis' match. A lethal warrior he ain't. And his friends (of whom he has few to none in the party) and his enemies both inside and outside of it know he's ran out of gas before even reaching the finish line. So much for the supposed Savior of the CA GOP.

[B-bone]

Set aside Riordan's positions on most of the issues, which I detest. This is another good example of why a contested primary is good. It serves to bring out fatal flaws in a candidate prior to the general election.

An incumbant who has already withstood a general election has proven himself and has had most of his flaws exposed in the previous election. A candidate who has not run for this particular office needs to withstand a contested primary.

Outside of his RINO stand on almost all of the issues, Riordan looked to be a strong candidate. He was a popular and successful mayor of the state's largest city. He had the support of much of the party heirarchy. Despite all this, he has been a very poor candidate. Only Davis's miserable performance as governor gives Riordan a chance should he win the primary.

A preordained candidate is usually a set up for a disaster in the general election.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Not only a strong showing for the conservatives in CA, but a good example for moderates around the nation?

[goldstategop]

I don't think there's much chance for a RINO winning in CA any time soon. This state, thank goodness, is simply not that big enough to support two Rat parties.

[another cricket]

a tri-tip sandwich and fries

What is a tri-tip sandwich?

By the way: Go Simon!

A. Cricket
I was Charles Ranhofer in a past life.

[B-bone]

What is a tri tip sandwich?

There are many variations of a central California coast favorite known as the Santa Maria tri tip sandwich. Here is one of many variations, from a Brit web site no less. Another variation is to cook the tri tip in a crock pot for about 12 hours with the seasoning--until the meat shreds easily. This simulates the deep pit cooking of the meat. Either way, you can't go wrong.

[another cricket]

Thanks! Well, this settles the question of what's for Sunday dinner.

A. Cricket

[B-bone]

Enjoy

[Free the USA]

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